Mike Norvell is a broken man. That's a phrase that appeared on social media several times throughout the 2024 season. A 2-10 season is enough to break a person, especially after getting a broken program out of the mud, going undefeated, and winning an ACC Title the previous year.
However, I never bought into that narrative. I posted on X a few days after the blowout loss against SMU that I didn't believe that Mike Norvell was a broken man. I thought he was visibly frustrated because there were too many plays left on the field not executed.
It was the same script every week in post-game press conferences, and there's only so much you can say when you're the type of guy who will not throw anyone under the bus.
I believe there was a definitive point when Mike Norvell decided major staff changes would happen. His decision to move towards playing most of the young guys on the team was a smart one. Norvell knew most were not ready but knew it would keep them engaged and identify which guys were fully invested.
The season ended with seven losses in the final eight games. Most fans expected doom and gloom once the final game finished. They were not sure Mike Norvell would make massive staff changes, and subscription sites implied they expected several young players to enter the portal.
How would Mike Norvell recover from such a devastating season?