One year ago, at this time, the Florida State Seminoles were on their way to a 13-0 regular season and ACC Championship under then fourth year head coach, Mike Norvell. The Seminoles were a program that seemed to be making great strides from the previous tenure under former head coach Willie Taggart who seemingly had the team at historic lows going 9-12 in his two seasons at the school.
Well, fast forward to 2024 and with the exit of wide receiver Keon Coleman, quarterback Jordan Travis and defensive end Jared Verse, the Seminoles have been failing all the way to a 1-8 record so far this season. After Travis’ injury and the clubs’ controversial omission from the 2023 College Football Playoff, they would fall hard to the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2023 Sugar Bowl 63-3, with a massive amount of opt outs and a team that seemed everything but present.
That trend appears to have continued in 2024 for the Seminoles who looked to be quitting on plays routinely throughout their most recent contest at home against Mack Brown’s North Carolina Tar Heels. In fact, the only win for the Seminoles so far this year was against California 14-9, whose head coach Justin Wilcox is on the hot seat himself.
Florida State head coach, Mike Norvell has lost the fan base
How can Mike Norvell NOT be fired? https://t.co/dBpX7seUFN
— 🏈 Pigskin Petey 🏈 (@pigskinpetey) November 3, 2024
The dark days of Florida State football are seemingly here if the stands are any indication. Further concerning is that the Seminoles just signed Norvell to a contract extension this past off-season which keeps him in Tallahassee through 2031 making a reported $8.05 million per year.
From the video and on-field performance, it is hard to fathom that the team can see any type of rebound as long as Norvell is at the head in Tallahassee. Losing the fan base like this inevitably means you have lost boosters as well. And with Florida State University currently locked up in a lawsuit with the ACC itself to try to leave the conference earlier than contractually obligated, it would undoubtedly be difficult to let go of Norvell with the $63.8 million buyout he currently has.
Things will only get worse when Mike Norvell leaves
Even if and when Norvell exits, do not expect these stands to fill themselves instantly. Whoever takes Norvell’s place will have a serious mountain to climb before things are back like they were in the Bobby Bowden and Jimbo Fisher days in Tallahassee.