Mike Norvell speaks to impact of returning players for Florida State

Florida State was one of the big winners in the transfer portal as Mike Norvell rounded out the roster. The Seminoles brought in multiple highly ranked transfers as they look to build off last season’s 10-win campaign.

But FSU also has plenty of talented returners, and Norvell said that shows the strength of the program.

Even with 13 fresh faces coming in via the portal, Florida State still has plenty of returning production back in the fold. That’s why Norvell said it’s important as the Seminoles try to keep the momentum going and integrate the newcomers into the culture.

“It’s huge,” Norvell said. “Guys that want to be here, they’re bought in to what we’re doing as a program and they also believe that they’re going to develop. These guys are great players, have had really good success throughout their career. They want to take another step. I’ve been really pleased with the work ethic, the desire. That’s encouraging to everybody, and you get one chance for a career.

“When you have guys that believe so much and who they get to do it with and know that they’ve got an opportunity to grow and get better — they all have big dreams and big goals. But they see this as a great step to where they want to ultimately get to.”

How Florida State put together an impressive blend of old and new faces

Florida State has 80% of returning production back on offense and 94% back on defense, according to ESPN. The offense ranks 12th in Bill Connelly’s metric while the defense sits No. 2 behind FAU. Of course, the most important returner on offense is quarterback Jordan Travis and EDGE Jared Verse will anchor the defense once again.

As if that wasn’t enough, FSU put in some serious work in the portal. The Seminoles ranked No. 10 in the On3 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings, but landed five of the top 50 transfers to hit the open market. The biggest acquisition was former Virginia cornerback Fentrell Cypress — the No. 2-ranked transfer during the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Transfer Portal Rankings. Offensive lineman Jeremiah Byers and tight end Jaheim Bell also ranked No. 12 and No. 18, respectively.

Florida State will kick off the season in big fashion Sept. 3. The Seminoles will square off against LSU at Camping World Stadium — a rematch of last year’s season opener. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.