Florida State defensive backs coach Pat Surtain spoke with the media following Tuesday’s practice. Surtain is a coach that fans don’t hear from too often since he’s not a coordinator, and it was an interesting interview.
Is it coach speak, though? We’re sure Mike Norvell and the coaching staff want to present a unified front amid the turbulence in the program and fans' desire for change.
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Surtain mentioned they he had seen a team that’s “gotten closer together.” He mentioned, he saw “enthusiasm and guys eager to get after it out there and continued to work.”
Here’s the comment that caught my attention. Surtain said, “I think guys have a certain sense of urgency, they know what’s on the line and know what’s at stake, and we gotta find a way to win a game come Saturday.”
Is that statement confirming the guys have bought into playing hard for Mike Norvell? If so, why would it take everyone thinking he would be fired after the Stanford game to make that happen? Why didn’t they play like that was the case when they went to the West Coast to play Stanford?
It wasn’t an effort issue per se, but the lack of focus from the get-go was apparent, like some were not there mentally. Is this statement an acknowledgement that it’s probably a wrap for Mike Norvell and the coaching staff if they lose against Wake Forest? There’s no conference title on the line. They can’t make the College Football Playoffs. There is nothing on the line at this point, except making a bowl game and their pride.
Maybe it was coach speak, but I found that part interesting. They know what's at stake if they don't win.