Florida State's Mike Norvell wins 2023 Dodd Trophy as national coach of year

FORT LAUDERDALE — Chalk up one more victory for Florida State football coach Mike Norvell.

As he prepares his 13-0 Seminoles to face Georgia this Saturday in the Orange Bowl, Norvell learned on Friday that he has won the 2023 Dodd Trophy as that organization’s national coach of the year.

Norvell earlier was announced as one of five finalists for the award, joining Washington’s Kalen DeBoer, Missouri’s Eliah Drinkwitz, Arizona’s Jedd Fisch and Alabama’s Nick Saban. The finalists were selected by a panel featuring previous winners of the award, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member.

Norvell then was selected as the winner by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation.

“I am thrilled to be this year’s recipient of the Dodd Trophy,” Norvell said in a release from Florida State. “The values of athletic success, academic excellence and character represented by this award align with what we emphasize in our program. Those characteristics have been on display through some truly challenging circumstances this season, but I am so proud of how our team responded each and every time. For that to be recognized in this way is an honor.”

Norvell, who has led FSU to a 23-3 record over the last two seasons, went on to thank the Florida State administration, coaching staff, support staff, players and supporters.

“This is truly a team award, and I’m honored that Florida State University has this recognition,” Norvell said.

Here is the official release for the award:

Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. today announced that Florida State head coach Mike Norvell has been named the winner of the 2023 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank.

The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted coaching award, honors the head football coach whose program embodies the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also having success on the playing field throughout the season. Winners of the award from the previous two years and first-year coaches at an institution are not eligible to win the award.

Coach Norvell led the Seminoles to a perfect 13-0 record this season, highlighted by an ACC Championship title, both firsts for the program since 2014. He secured only the third 13-win season in Florida State history, joining the 2013 national championship team and the 2014 team that played in the inaugural College Football Playoff. Norvell and the Seminoles led the nation with eight wins this season over bowl-eligible Power Five conference teams and tied for the national lead winning four games after trailing by at least 10 points. Under Norvell’s leadership, Florida State also placed a program-record 25 selections on the All-ACC teams, including at least one at every position, led by Player of the Year quarterback Jordan Travis.

Now in his fourth season in Tallahassee, Norvell is 31-16 overall and was named the 2023 ACC Coach of the Year for his efforts this season. Coach Norvell now becomes the second Florida State head coach to win The Dodd Trophy, joining Seminole coaching legend Bobby Bowden, who won the award in 1980.

Florida State has excelled off the field under Norvell as well. In the classroom, 35 of Norvell’s student-athletes received Academic All-ACC honors for the 2022-23 academic year. This group also had an impressive 983 Academic Progress Rate (APR), which tied for the 23rd highest mark in the FBS and held a Graduation Success Rate of 63. Overall, the 2023 season featured 69 players who have graduated, earned a 3.0 cumulative GPA or finished their previous semester with a 3.0 GPA.

Before the 2020 season, Norvell placed an emphasis on the program’s commitment to academics by creating the ‘Seminole Scholar’ patch on Florida State’s jerseys to reward players who achieved a certain level of academic success. To date, a total of 253 Seminole Scholars have been recognized since the program’s implementation.

“Coach Norvell’s relentless commitment to establish a winning culture both on and off the field within the Florida State program was evident throughout this season. He prepared his teams thoroughly to take care of business on the field and continues to push his student-athletes to be successful off the field as well,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “Coach Norvell truly carries on coach Dodd’s legacy in the modern era of the sport, and we are honored to name him The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year.”

In the community, Norvell has dedicated time to giving back and introducing his players to various charitable efforts. Florida State football formed a partnership with John G. Riley Elementary School in 2020 where players and staff assisted with several campus beautification projects that included building rock gardens and conducting book drives with the school. Norvell and his wife Maria also established the Keep Climbing Family Foundation as an action-based organization built on faith and service, focused on meeting the needs of others. He recently participated in the 2023 Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament where he then donated his winnings to his Keep Climbing Family Foundation.

“PNC is proud to join the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. in recognizing coach Norvell with this prestigious honor,” said Eddie Meyers, PNC regional president for Greater Georgia. “The Dodd Trophy sets a standard for leadership that goes far beyond a winning record. Not only did coach Norvell help his team successfully navigate the challenges of a demanding season in the national spotlight, but he also helped ensure they made a meaningful impact on their school and community.”

“Coach Norvell has elevated the Florida State program to new heights, both academically and athletically,” said Gary Stokan, CEO and president of Peach Bowl, Inc. “The Dodd Trophy is the most coveted coach of the year award because it takes more into account than success on the gridiron and emphasizes scholarship, leadership and integrity. Much like his predecessor and former Dodd Trophy winner Bobby Bowden, coach Norvell embodies exactly what coaches should aspire to be and is an ideal selection to be this year’s recipient of The Dodd Trophy.”

Talk about this story with other die-hard FSU football fans on the Tribal Council.