Mike Norvell opens up on the challenges of turning the page after CFP disappointment
Mike Norvell and the Florida State Seminoles didn’t get to celebrate their undefeated season that ended with an ACC title for long.
Not even 24 hours later, Florida State learned they were being left out of the College Football Playoff, an unprecedented move by the selection committee. However, it then became the Seminoles leader’s job to turn the page for his program.
Now, an Orange Bowl clash with the Georgia Bulldogs is on the horizon for Dec. 30. While Florida State may be disappointed they’re not in the College Football Playoff, Norvell has reignited his team’s focus, and he spoke with the media to elaborate on how he’s done it.
“It’s been challenging,” Norvell explained. “For all the things, how the season ended, you basically got 12 hours to celebrate you know, what was an unbelievable accomplishment for this team. Then you had to learn how to work through disappointment, hurt, frustration, anger. All the every bit of it. 18-22 year old kids, and your 42 year old coach. So it’s hard. I’d like to say, ‘Oh yeah, you know,’ but at the end of the day, you control the things that you can control. We did everything that we needed to do to win 13 games this season. Now we get an opportunity to go get better.
“It can’t just be good when it sounds good. But for a group of young men that are having to work through that, it’s probably been the most challenging couple weeks of coaching that I’ve ever had. It’s our reality. So we work through it, you go push and get better.”
Alas, don’t think Norvell and the Seminoles are taking their spot in the Orange Bowl lightly. They know it’s going to be a battle against the reigning back-to-back champions of the sport, and Florida State is excited about the opportunity.
“To be able to get matched up against the best team in college football over the last three years? You look at Coach Smart and the job they’ve done? This is a special team that we’re going to go against,” Norvell said. “… This is a team that has really set the standard over the last few years with the work that has gone in.”
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Coach Smart – the way that he operates a program, the consistency that they’ve shown. To be able to match up with them? With what I believe is two of the best teams in all of college football here this year? It’s really going to be a special matchup.”
Time will tell if Florida State can end their season with a bang, but it’s obvious it won’t be for a lack of a preparation if they can’t defeat Georgia in a little over a week.