After battling on the field against the Miami Hurricanes in Week 7, Florida State will be getting the week off to focus on improving before facing the Clemson Tigers.
The bye week always manages to deliver some major bit of news, and with Week 9 looming, fans are ready for Florida State to make changes. The 3-4 start is the last thing that coach Mike Norvell needed in 2026 with his job potentially on the line, and the Week 7 clash against Miami was hyped up as the possible last game of Norvell's tenure.
The game has come and gone, and there are still no answers regarding Norvell's job status, the status of other staff members, or what the future holds for the program. With the current coaching regime still in place, it is hard to feel confident in the Seminoles moving forward, and the Florida State administration needs to start answering some questions during the Week 8 bye.
The cloud of doubt cannot be shaken with Mike Norvell, the current staff still in place
With a potential third losing season in a row on the line, there is no denying that the program is currently shrouded in this disgusting feeling. Some games feel like a chore to watch, and that is the last feeling you want to instill in a fanbase.
It can be tough to watch Florida State fall apart at times on the field, and that feeling may not go away until there are changes made to the staff. There is not a real sense of confidence in Norvell or his abilities, and even with a somewhat favorable ACC stretch moving forward, Florida State is not expected to turn things around.
The team is inconsistent from week to week under Norvell and his staff, and the worst part of it all is the fact that the administration does not seem to care. The loss to Alabama was an epic collapse, and then the beatdown that Louisville handed the Seminoles was embarrassing to say the least. If putting out an inconsistent, losing product on the field is not enough to promote change, then just how bad do things need to get?
Moving on from Norvell becomes more expensive the longer Florida State waits
The biggest reason why Norvell continues to return each week is due to his astronomical buyout and the cost of cleaning up the rest of the staff. Florida State is already in debt to the tune of $430 million, and stacking on perhaps another $100 million between firings and hirings is clearly not what the administration wants to do.
The administration is worried about making another costly mistake, but with the results on the field in consideration, the real mistake is leaving Norvell alone. The results on the field are simply not there, and with the program potentially staring down another losing season, the impact these results could have on the 2027 season will be costly.
The overwhelming majority of the fanbase is done with Norvell, and if he were to return as the coach for the 2027 season, the administration could lose a chunk of fans until the coach is gone. People are furious, and the lack of a real answer regarding Norvell's future is like dangling meat in front of a wild animal. There is nothing Norvell can do during the remainder of the 2026 season that will bring back the support of the fans.
A win over Miami was never going to fix any of Norvell's problems
There is no doubt that a win over Miami would have been extremely positive for the Seminoles and even Norvell. However, the idea that a win over Miami would have saved Norvell from the chopping block is ridiculous to even comprehend. Leading up to the game, Norvell had lost his last 11 road games in a row, and snapping that streak against Miami would have been nice to see, but it would be nothing more than a distraction.
The Seminoles are not in a better place this season compared to 2025 or 2024, and that is the real problem that needs to be addressed. Beating Miami may have proved the roster has more in the tank than what we have previously seen, but that does not mean the program is somehow doing better in 2026.
Norvell has deeply rooted issues in Tallahassee, from the construction of his rosters to his staff selection. Those issues will not disappear with one thrilling win over a ranked rival like the Hurricanes.
Who is to blame for the 3-4 start to the 2026 season?
At some point, the Florida State administration is going to need to blame someone for the 3-4 start, especially if the team suffers a third-straight losing season. Florida State cannot continue to lose and chalk up the lack of production to either roster issues or a gap in resources.
Norvell was given an amount to create his roster with the expectation that better results would follow this season. The team has not played great overall this year, and while the quality of the roster might be partly to blame, Norvell is the person who was tasked with building the roster.
It might seem unfair to tell Norvell to build a roster with a third of the funding that top schools have, but the administration created this situation, and if finding wins on a budget is their goal, then Norvell should already have been fired.
An argument could also be made that defensive coordinator Tony White is to blame for the start because of how terrible the defense has been at times. The issue, however, is that Florida State had multiple golden opportunities to fire him, like the collapse in Tuscaloosa, but the administration has kept him around.
It is mind-boggling to try to understand why someone who has consistently failed has also never held onto any blame this season. Norvell was not the only person who needed to improve this season, and currently, the defense is allowing 434.9 total yards and 27.9 points per game.
Something needs to change after the 3-4 start, and the blame cannot always land on the roster or the money.
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