Mike Norvell shares what he wants to see in season opener

When Florida State takes the field in Saturday’s season opener against Georgia Tech, the Seminoles will look much different than they did last year. Plenty of high-level production is off to the NFL, giving Mike Norvell a new-look roster in 2024.

All told, 41 new faces are on the FSU roster, including 17 transfers. DJ Uiagalelei is the most notable of the group, succeeding Jordan Travis at quarterback, while Roydell Williams will look to bolster the run game after Trey Benson’s departure.

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Through the offseason, Norvell saw FSU take big strides to get ready for the first game of the year in Ireland. As for what he wants to see when that first kick goes off, he wants that work to pay off.

“It’s trust in their training,” Norvell said. “I believe in how we train, I believe in how we prepare. There’s gonna be jitters. But you want a confident football team that steps on the field, and I think confidence comes through work. I know these guys have worked. I’ve watched that. That’s one of the reasons I have the excitement that I have.

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“But as I say all the time, hard work doesn’t guarantee success. You’ve got to go out there, you’ve got to trust your training, trust what you’ve done, trust all the preparation. And then, you go out there and you apply that, and then you’ve got to react because this is a very talented Georgia Tech team. This is a team that is going to compete for all things in the ACC. I know that.”

According to Florida State’s first depth chart, seven transfers were listed as starters, with two more as a starter “or” a primary backup. The offense in particular will feature plenty of new faces as five transfers enter the starting lineup, although that number could be six.

Mike Norvell: First game is ‘a good tell of where you are’

Georgia Tech was picked ninth in the ACC preseason poll, but brings back a slew of playmakers. Quarterback Haynes King and each of his top two targets – Eric Singleton and Malik Rutherford – are all returning, as is last year’s leading rusher Jamal Haynes.

But that continuity doesn’t mean the Yellow Jackets will look similar to the film from last year. Mike Norvell said his team has to be ready for whatever Brent Key’s group throws at them. From there, it’s all about improving.

“When we line up, we’re gonna see some different looks,” Norvell said. “We’re gonna see some things that maybe we expected, some things we didn’t expect. But how are you gonna react in those situations? I’ve said it throughout the summer – those are the moments of truth. That’s where you get to put that identity on display. Are you gonna rely on the training of what you’ve done, or will you allow a moment or a circumstance to distract you?

“That’s what the first game of a season – it doesn’t matter where, who, when you play. That’s usually gonna be a good tell of where you are. We’re gonna have to get better throughout the course of the season. But to get a jumpstart of it, playing a conference opener against a talented team, you’ve got to come out ready to roll. I think our guys are prepared at a high level, but now we have to go play the game.”