Florida State coach Mike Norvell presided over another losing season with the Seminoles, finishing last year with a 5-7 record and missing bowl eligibility once again. Norvell’s Seminoles started the season on fire, going 4-0 after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide in Week 1 behind a high-powered offense.
Norvell has now had four losing seasons in six years leading the Seminoles and is 7-17 since guiding Florida State to an unbeaten regular season (13-0) in 2023, which culminated in a controversial College Football Playoff snub.
Analyst Down on Mike Norvell’s FSU Turnaround
During Monday’s segment of the “Joel Klatt Show,” Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt expressed skepticism about Norvell turning the Seminoles around next season.
“Stock down, it’s hard for me not to put Florida State on this list,” Klatt said. “Florida State was down bad last year, and there really isn’t any light at the end of that tunnel. What happened after Week 1, beating Alabama, did not go well. QB1, I guess it’s gonna be Ashton Daniels, who has bounced around, was Auburn’s backup last year.
“Is that the answer that you want? Late in the coaching carousel process, Gus Malzahn, their offensive coordinator, decides to retire. Mike Norvell is a pretty good football coach. I think that’s a challenging place. They went the portal route, and once you miss, it’s like trying to get back on the merry-go-round going really fast. It’s tough to do.”
Norvell’s FSU has faced a tumultuous offseason, including replacing departing quarterback Tommy Castellanos and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, who retired unexpectedly in early February.
During an interview with On3 reporter Pete Nakos on Friday, Norvell revealed how he plans to turn things around for the Seminoles next season.
“I’ve put my head down and gone to work, that’s what I’ve done,” Norvell said. “I’ve done that regardless in years past when there have been talks of other opportunities. You stay focused on what you’re doing. You stay focused on the job that’s at hand, you’re trying to be the best you can be.
“We were able to take some big picture perspectives of areas that we need, that every person needs to do better at and continue to improve upon, to get Florida State back to competing at a championship level in this football program. I believe wholeheartedly that we are going to achieve that.”
After a disastrous 2-10 season in 2024, the Seminoles restructured Norvell’s contract, which now runs through 2031 and includes a reported buyout of 85% of the remaining compensation if he is fired without cause, totaling nearly $58.6 million at the end of last season, perhaps explaining their reluctance to fire him.
