Mike Norvell sends message to fans, promises change amid FSU struggles

Mike Norvell doesn’t blame fans for being disappointed in how the 2024 season has played out at Florida State. With just three games left to play, the Seminoles have already been eliminated from bowl eligibility just one year after they went undefeated left in the regular season.

But with two of their final three games coming at home, Norvell delivered a message to fans that the team still needs their support down the stretch. Although it might not seem like there is much reason to cheer, the coach promised that the players are still working hard to win.

“Everything we’re doing right now is to give our players this year for the games that they’re coming to here in our next two home games is to do everything we can to put ourselves in a position to go win,” Norvell said. “To be successful. To pour into these players. To give them an opportunity to go put on display the best of who they are and what they are about. I do believe in that group. It’s been a really tough season.

“For our fan base, I understand the frustration. There’s no fan that’s more frustrated than I am. There’s nobody that’s pouring more into these players and this program than our staff is. I watched the work and has it been good enough? No, it hasn’t. We haven’t had the results that any of us desire or what needs to be expected here. But we are going to pour all that we have into making sure that for these games to finish the season it’s the best that we’ve got and that we put ourselves in position to achieve success in these games. It all starts going on the road this week.”

Florida State is set to travel to South Bend this Saturday to take on No. 10 Notre Dame. After that, it has a winnable matchup against Charleston Southern before closing out the year at home against Florida.

The Seminoles currently sit at 1-8 and have not won fewer than three games in any season since 1974. But that is a real possibility with how it has played this season. Mike Norvell’s overall record at Florida State 32-25 across nearly five years.

The transfer addition of DJ Uiagalelei didn’t work out nearly the way that everyone hoped, as he was benched five games into the season. That’s just one of many areas that Mike Norvell can point to as to where things went wrong, but all he can do now is change keep fighting to improve.

“I am aware of where we are and things that have happened,” he said. “Some of the things that I’m evaluating throughout the course of a season of why did this happen? Why did we come up short and then, what are the issues and what can be done, changed, addressed. All of it that’s gonna allow us to monumental step here this next year and for the future of the program. The guys that are in that locker room, I do believe in the potential of what we have.”