Mike Norvell readying FSU for 'great atmosphere' when Seminoles face SMU
When Florida State head coach Mike Norvell leads his Seminoles into SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium, he’ll be returning to his hometown as well. The Irving, Texas native is familiar with Rhett Lashlee and his program.
Norvell also faced the Mustangs when he was at Memphis. Because of that, Norvell will share with the Seminoles that they can’t overlook their Week 5 opponent.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for the coaching staff, the team,” Norvell said this week. “It’s a lot of new faces from when I coached against them at previous places, but it’s a good football team. They’ve got explosive playmakers. They’ve got a dynamic quarterback. I think one of the best tight ends we’ve played against.
“They’ve got guys, you get them the ball in space, they can make things happen. Defensively, they’re going to be very aggressive in what they do. This is a team that can present a lot of challenges.”
With SMU’s big win over TCU, the energy in the stadium will only be ramped up for the primetime matchup between last year’s champions of the AAC and ACC.
“We have to go on the road, ACC conference game, the first ACC conference game for SMU,” Norvell said. “I know it’s going to be a great atmosphere there for them. They’re kicking off their new start in the conference. But a lot of respect for their coaching staff, the guys that are there. And they’ve got a talented team coming off a big win for them this last weekend in a rivalry game.”
Norvell’s team hasn’t lived up to expectations after a preseason Top 10 ranking, but the Seminoles do have plenty of talent. FSU is also recruiting the Dallas area hard with a direct flight from DFW to Tallahassee. It’s a big opportunity for his program.
“We’re going to have to go and have to play better than what we’ve played, and we’ve got to go on the road and it’s going to be a great atmosphere for them,” he said. “I just want to see our team continue to go get better. Obviously I’m from the Metroplex, and I’ve been playing enough games going back there, previous places. It’s nothing new. We’ve got a couple guys from the Dallas area that I know they’re excited about getting a chance to go play in front of their family and friends. Look forward to seeing them play well.”
SMU is set to face FSU for the first time in program history at 7 p.m. CT on ACC Network.
