CFB analyst asks why won’t Florida State move on from Mike Norvell?
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With the college football season quickly approaching, a number of head coaches sit on the hot seat. Some coaches make you wonder how they’re still employed. The ACC might have a few of those cases brewing.
Florida State has shown unprecedented patience with head coach Mike Norvell. After back-to-back losing seasons, you’d think he’d be an assistant coach elsewhere or at a non-Power Four school. For now, he remains the Seminoles’ lead man.
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Paul Finebaum is baffled, to say the least. He laid out his thoughts on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.
“What is the state and status of Mike Norvell, who many thought should have been fired last year?” Finebaum said. “What does he have to show for a big contract and literally nothing since his near playoff run a couple of years ago?”
Finebaum hit the nail on the head. After a 13-1 season in which the College Football Playoff denied Florida State a spot, the program has all but crashed and burned.
The Seminoles followed that season with a baffling 2-10 campaign. Norvell cleaned house, but the team still went 5-7. Their offensive coordinator, who had just started the previous season, chose to retire rather than return.
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The program hasn’t looked pleasant. Finebaum’s question is more than justified. There’s a difference between patience and whatever this is that Florida State is doing.
If someone points to buyout costs, Florida State likely isn’t hurting for money. The school has a deep alumni base that can help fund the athletic department’s boosting efforts.
Perhaps the administration believes the 13-1 season wasn’t a fluke. Maybe they still believe Norvell is the right man for the job. Regardless, Florida State simply isn’t competitive enough right now.
Norvell is 38-34 in his career as head coach. If Florida State is waiting on a repeat of 2023, the school probably needs to put a clock on it. 2026 could be the year.
Will Norvell save his job?
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