FSU Footall: Mike Norvell | What is he doing to keep players in school?
What do recruits and players mean when they talk about the CLIMB, a "family atmosphere." What are the coaches at FSU doing different than everyone else?
Mike Norvell and Odell Haggins pose with the family of current Nole Legacy Recruit Lamont Green Jr.
What Mike inherited from his short tenured predecessor.
When Mike Norvell arrived on Florida State’s campus in December of 2019 the program was in absolute shambles. It had reached it’s darkest hour in over fourty years. Willie Taggart was left with an admittedly tough situation. The Jimbo story has been beat to death and appeared a thousand miles west in a case of deja vu this year. Willie immediately took the hole riddled FSU roster and transformed it into a poor Sunbelt squad in a matter of eighteen months. While there was certainly talent left over at certain skilled spots like running back and corner, the main hole was at offensive line. Willie made it his top priority to remedy the situation.
Jauan Williams, Brady Scott, Baveon Johnson, Mike Arnold, and Ryan Roberts on field play begs to differ. These five OL combined to block for James Blacken and Alex Hornibrook both over the electric Jordan Travis. Willie wouldn’t allow Briles’ to entertain building the offense around him though. The offensive coordinator’s hands were tied with pocket statues and a revolving door at all five positions. According to Willie, in the Gulf Coast Offense you have to be able to throw the football. Simply put Willie was a fan and a friend to the kids. Not a bad guy but just barely holding on for the ride. A different culture was needed immediately. These kids needed strong male role models that could instill discipline and respect. Listen to this blast from the past as Mike Norvell explains the CLIMB to boosters a few years ago and lays out what we are all seeing now!
Seminole Boosters | Youtube
Mike Norvell took over a group of young men who had been out through hell. Half of them had no business being at Florida State in the first llace while the other half beat their heads against the wall trying to find any shine to earn themselves an oppurtunity elsewhere. About a dozen followed Williw to FAU, and another thirty retired or scattered out to schools around the nation.
Three long years have passed since Mike Norvell took over in Tallahassee and the team he inherited is no more. Through a purging of poor artitudes, overmatched frames, and just overall lack of toughness Norvell made room for his culture. He made room for young men that were dying to be at FSU. Young men who want to be pushed everyday. I could go on for days about Norvells roster management and evaluation process but that is beside the point of this article.
Now that Norvell has been able to assemble a legitimate top 15 team in the Nation and ACC contender headed into 2023 how is it he is managing to keep so many players in school Florida State. Guys are announcing their returns like veteran linebacker duo Kalen Deloach and Tatum Bethune.
“We want to get this tenth win”
“2023 is gonna be a wild one”
Kalen Deloach senior LB
While I’d like to point at the amazing tradition at Florida State and the Iconic logo as the reason for this sudden change that isn’t.
It all comes down to the number one thing you hear from Mike Norvell, relationships. Similarly the first and last thing you always here recruits and will tell you about their visits, campus lives and careers in Tallahassee is how welcoming the family atmosphere is.
In the end thats all their is to it. Mike Norvell and staff cut no corners. They strictly adhere to the CLIMB and the teams core principles. Mike truly loves each player as if they were his own son. Each positin group has dinner in their coachs home weekly. Mike has a way of forcing team bonding I have never seen. He is that Dad on the block who always has twenty kids at his house because kids just want to be around him
You see how much he cares when a player has to make a tough decision like entering the portal for their final year, or having a family situation it doesn’t matter. He will raise them up and support them whereever they go. In a brand new world with Gen Z quickly becoming adults and information just bludgeoning them over the head they have one man who will always tell them the truth and love them unconditionally. They have a program with a foundation and a support group such that they really relax and be at home on the campus of Florida State.
Mike Norvell is showing the world there is a different way to win. You can be sincere and do things the right way. Being a family and having a common goal along with people surrounding you that you can truly trust have your best interests in mind is really all it takes. As we approach the evening hours here Sunday night consider how these kids truly feel about their coach and program and put a smile on your face because everyone else in the country thinks Norvell builds with bandaids or mercenaries out of the portal. The truth is he will settle for no less than 100% devotion. That’s why Sam Mccall is gone along with a pair of 2023 All ACC linebackers will grace the middle of the Noles defense. I’m 100% bought in to Mike Norvells CLIMB but what do you think. Tell us what you think and learn about how he manages the roster number, and evaluations better than anyone Right Here