We all want to forget about the 2-10 season that transpired for the Florida State Seminoles in 2024. The football program had not been down that bad since Darrell Mudra was the head football coach in 1975.
I bet you didn't think a Darrell Mudra reference would make it to the article, huh?
Well... that was just how horrific the Seminoles were last year. Current head football coach Mike Norvell was coming off a 2022 season that was capped off with a 10-win campaign while 2023 was robbed with the College Football Playoff committee favoring the SEC.
The thought process was that the team would be hungry enough to make it back to that position and excel in a 12-team playoff system.
That pipeline dream was ruined as soon as Florida State got off the plane in Dublin, Ireland, as the Seminoles fell to Georgia Tech in the 2024 season opener. The fan base was shocked, but the losses did not end there as the Seminoles were out of bowl contention after the eighth game of the season.
Fans remember that Norvell spoke highly of the football team, saying that it was the fastest team that he had possibly ever coached. Then ESPN's Pete Thamel and legendary head football coach Nick Saban hyped up the Seminoles' defensive line to be one of the nation's elite. Then you factor in the media publishing articles that indicate the team is very good and can compete for an ACC title.
Fast forward to 2025, and it looks completely different. Norvell has limited access to the media where they are limited to viewing practice and he is vague when addressing certain aspects when it pertains to the teams.
The fan base is growing weary, and they wonder if they should even trust Norvell anymore.
The short answer to this is yes. Coach Norvell deserves to get this mess that he created turned around. He knows what this team is capable of in 2025. Norvell was able to get a highly-regarded mentor to be his offensive coordinator, has a quarterback who can utilize his legs, an aggressive defense that flies to the football, and a squad that is hungry to not be embarrassed.
I don't like to call for people's jobs. I believe that Coach Norvell can turn this around. Will it be easy? No. However, I don't get why so many doubt his abilities when they were also the same ones who were praising him the year before.
It is okay to be nervous. There is a ton riding on this season: A chance to leave the conference, revenue for a variety of updates, renovations, and getting back to national relevance.
Sure... Florida State opens up with Alabama to start the year, but this is a year that Coach Norvell has his back against the wall and is ready to prove to the doubters that the Seminoles are here to compete at a high level.