Florida State head coach Mike Norvell opened this week’s press conference on a somber note, offering prayers for freshman linebacker Ethan Pritchard, whose father confirmed he was shot in the back of the head while driving last Sunday. The Noles are honoring him by wearing a #35 armband. “It is obviously an extremely tragic event,” Norvell said. “I got a chance to be there last night with him and his dad and family… absolutely believe in and Maria and I are praying for all parts of him and the journey that is ahead.”
From there, Norvell shifted into football, expressing gratitude for a raucous home atmosphere. “I mean, it was electric. Throughout my coaching career, I do not know if I have ever been in an atmosphere like that,” he said. “I am grateful for everybody involved and really proud of our players and coaches. I thought we were the aggressor throughout.”
The Seminoles’ physicality stood out. “We won the game in the trenches,” Norvell said. “Even on the perimeter you saw big hits from safeties and corners. There is nothing soft about this football team. We talk about iron sharpening iron, and that does not happen because it is nice and easy. You need friction.”
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One of the biggest storylines is leadership up front. Norvell singled out transfer center Luke Petitbon. “He is different. He is everything. I believe he has got a chance to be one of the best centers in college football.”
He praised the backfield depth as well, citing Gavin Sawchuck’s touchdown run as “a thing of beauty.” Kam Davis showed flashes after missing time in camp, while Caziah Holmes and others provided important support.
Defensively, freshmen and veterans alike delivered. “The Desir brothers are built different. They did not play like freshmen,” Norvell said. He also praised Daniel Lyons’ disruptive play and the unit’s overall depth.
Still, Norvell’s message was about urgency. “We won by two scores and I am kind of pissed off it was not more,” he admitted. “There are opportunities where we could have been so much better. We had too many missed tackles, special teams mistakes that cannot happen, and we need to finish on takeaways.”
As Florida State turns the page, Norvell made it clear that Week One was just a baseline. “Every team talks about wanting to be physical. We want to earn it. My expectation is for it to be better in Week Two and then in Week Three and Week Four. That is the challenge, and our guys have embraced it.”
The Seminoles now shift their focus to Saturday, when FSU will host East Texas A&M at 12 noon ET inside Doak Campbell Stadium.
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