Just when it looks like things cannot possibly get worse for coach Mike Norvell in Week 6, Florida State somehow finds a way to one-up the blowout. Norvell's Seminoles allowed 537 total yards and completely stalled themselves on offense after a 14-point opening quarter.
After posting a very strong win over Virginia in Week 5, the expectation was that Florida State would take another step forward against a struggling team like Louisville. However, the result was the complete opposite, and the Seminoles did not just regress during the loss; the team fell off a cliff.
To make matters worse for Norvell and Florida State, the results on the field were not even truly the worst look from the game. In the middle of the loss, multiple Seminoles' players were filmed laughing and joking on the sideline as the team was struggling to muster any resistance on the field.
Man, seeing this, this morning has got my blood boiling all over again. FSU coaches & players of old would have put these players in check.
— Ashley Reamer (@Ashley_Caroline) October 10, 2026
This program is so far away from the standard. #Nobodyfocused https://t.co/BIvFHWqJh6
Florida State players were seen laughing on the sideline in the middle of the 44-20 blowout loss to Louisville
There is no sanction eliminating the possibility for a player to smile or laugh during a game. However, there is a time and place for everything, and in the middle of an embarrassing loss, the players should arguably be more upset with the result than the coaching staff. Production is certainly a big reason why players make it to the NFL, but failing to maintain the right attitude regardless of the result is one of the easiest ways to fall off their radar.
Florida State went into Louisville with high hopes for another win after dominating Virginia in Week 5, and with a very difficult game against Miami looming in Week 7. Week 6 was always going to be an important game on the schedule for Norvell and the Seminoles, and yet, the team produced an awful performance that exposed more of the issues within the program.
Players respond to coaches, and often, the way a player carries himself on the field is a direct result of how he has been coached. During the loss to Louisville, multiple players were recorded on the sideline laughing and living it up despite the chaos going on just a few feet away from them. The second-hand embarrassment while watching the video is strong, and the actions of the players reveal an issue Norvell cannot fix during the 2026 season: The culture.
It is hard to consider a video of players laughing on the sideline as a serious offense or something that could sink Norvell immediately, but the reality is that he has lost of the program. Mandrell Desir previously called out fans on social media, telling them to "stay on that side" after receiving heavy criticism for his early performances. The result of his actions? Absolutely nothing.
Desir did not necessarily need to be suspended for his actions, but the defensive lineman made a very poor choice and seemingly nothing was done about it. With players living it up on the sideline during a loss, it is difficult to assume something will be done to fix the clear cultural issues Florida State currently has.
Frankly, Norvell never really had a chance to salvage the 2026 season and potentially earn his job back for the 2027 season. As trivial as a couple of seconds of sideline footage can be, the bigger issue is that nobody seems to care what happens to the team this season, and that is an issue that cleaning house and hiring a new staff cannot fix overnight.
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