Florida State University
Football Media Conference
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Tallahassee, Florida, USA
Coach Mike Norvell
Press Conference
MIKE NORVELL: Good morning, everybody. Appreciate
everybody being here. It’s good to be back in game week.
Very excited about being able to kick off the college
football season. Really proud of our guys and all the work
they’ve put in throughout the off-season program.
Obviously going into the summer, spring practice, summer,
you were here in fall camp, I thought it was very
productive. I thought our guys competed at a very high
level. We have a lot of guys that we’ve seen tremendous
steps and tremendous growth, guys that I’m excited to
watch go take another step in their career and have an
opportunity to put on display just who they are and what
they’re all about and ultimately continue to showcase the
identity of what the Florida State football team is all about.
It’s been one that’s worked really hard. I think we’ve got
great size, speed, explosiveness, and now it’s time to go
kick it off.
To be able to do so in the first game this season is
definitely a tremendous honor. Having Gameday there,
we’ve got a tremendous history and past with Gameday,
we’ll be the first on-campus show and now being their first
international show, it’s definitely a wonderful platform, a
great stage for our guys that they’ve worked hard for and
have earned throughout what they’ve been able to do and
accomplish.
We’re all excited about the week ahead. We still have a
very important week of preparation. We’re playing a very
talented and experienced Georgia Tech team that we’ve
got a lot of respect for. I think Coach Key has done a
wonderful job, his coaching staff. They’ve really done a
great job of being able to build the confidence and
showcase the skills and abilities of some very talented
players throughout this last year, and you see the potential
they have as they’re continuing on their ascent.
We know it’s going to be a great match-up, but for us it’s all
focus on the Seminoles, and that’s what we’re going to be
tuned into this week, making sure that our discipline, our
details, and overall putting ourselves in the best position to execute come Saturday.
But really, really proud of the work that our guys have put
in to this point.
Q. (No microphone.)
MIKE NORVELL: It has. We try to measure all metrics of
— all the comparables that we can, to see the growth, to
see the improvement, the size, the speed, and that’s
something that’s held true. It’s been the most explosive fall
camp that we’ve had, the workload, the player load that our
guys have poured into it, the number of top speeds that
we’ve hit all have been highs for our time being here.
Like I tell our players, that’s a compliment to them. It’s a
compliment to Coach Storms, our strength and
conditioning, athletic training, nutrition. Everybody plays a
part in that growth and development, and what I like is I’m
seeing guys growing in their confidence of what they’re
being asked to do, from a schematic aspect, the
techniques, the fundamentals, to be able to showcase all of
the work that they’ve poured into physically.
Like I said, I’m excited about this group and really looking
forward to seeing them be able to play and apply that there
in the moment of truth.
Q. I was wondering if you had an update on Alex
Atkins’ suspension, and if he won’t be on the sideline
what your contingency plans are?
MIKE NORVELL: Alex will not be available on game day.
We’re going to go through a normal week of practice.
Obviously everything leading up, but on game day he will
not be with us. We’ve got a plan in place. We’ve kind of
implemented the plan throughout our scrimmage
opportunities here in fall camp. Alex has done a wonderful
job and continues to do a great job in helping prepare our
players in all things.
Coach Fertitta will take over that role there on game day
operation. A lot of confidence in him and what he brings
and what he has brought to our program over the last few
years, and it’s going to be as smooth of a transition as we
can have it there on game day. Like I said, we’ve kind of
been preparing for that here these last few scrimmages,
but that will be the status.
Q. The Georgia Tech DC was at Duke last year. Do
you guys expect to see a similar scheme to what you
saw against Duke last year, and what benefit does the
team have from already playing against that?
MIKE NORVELL: Well, obviously when you play against
really good coaches, and I think definitely that Tyler is a
really good coach and does a wonderful job, mix their
personnel, they’ll be able to mix what they do schematically
to the guys that they have. Yes, we’ve done a lot of
studying on what they did at Duke a year ago, but we also
know that when you see the amount of versatility that he
can deploy that there’s a wide variety of options of what we
might see.
For us, it’s making sure that we play with our eyes, we can
adapt, we can adjust. We trust our rules and the things
that we do against whatever scheme that might show up.
A lot of respect for him and just the job that he does. But
also how he ties that to the personnel and the players that
he has there at Georgia Tech. You look, they have a good
number of returners, but they also have some guys that
have transferred in that I think are really talented players
that are joining that defense.
I know he’ll have a great plan in place as we kick it off.
Q. The specialists you return, kickoff returners you
return, and then just the depth and talent of the roster,
what are the expectations for special teams this
season?
MIKE NORVELL: It’s a very critical factor for us.
Offensively, defensively, we’ve got a lot of confidence with
LB, but I think if you look at a group that has a chance to
really push us forward, it is our special teams units. With
Ryan, with Alex, you talk about the returners, you do span
last year, we had a huge kickoff return there against Duke
that was one of the spark plays for us in the season.
Obviously Jaylin Lucas brings a great dynamic, different
guys, Malik Benson, Lawayne McCoy, all guys that can
serve as really good dynamics in a return game.
I think our coverage units are something that have to be
huge for us. Those are identity-type units for us, and we
put a lot of time and investment into our special teams, and
we want that to be one of those key focuses of this team as
we’re able to move forward.
Q. You’ve talked a good bit this off-season about your
belief that the offensive line can be a strength of this
team. We saw the first depth chart, I think there are 12
guys on there, no one repeating at any spots. What’s it
been like seeing the transformation of that unit from
when you got here to what it is now?
MIKE NORVELL: I think it’s great. It’s a big compliment to
Alex Atkins and his staff that he has there with the
offensive line, just growth, development, great evaluations,
guys that have come in and worked their tails off and really
bought into what we’ve done.
When you look at guys that have been here, Maurice,
Darius, Rob Scott — it was great getting Rob back in the
mix, and with all the experience that he has, those guys,
they were really young there four years ago, and when
they had to go through some very challenging experiences,
tough times. But they’ve grown through it, and they’ve
stayed the course and I think have really done a
remarkable job. Guys that we’ve been able to bring in that
have been wonderful complementary pieces. Having J.B.
here last year, started every game there at the right tackle
spot, K.J. who got a lot of work, and then bringing in guys
like Richie and T.J., Andre’ Otto, I’ve been so very pleased
with, our young tackles like Lucas and Jalen. They’re all
pushing. It’s exciting to see that group.
Bryson Estes, another guy that’s been here for a long time,
was limited in the beginning of fall camp but is really
coming on strong here this last week and a half since he’s
been back.
I think we have as good a depth as we’ve had, and I think
that front line group has really got a chance to be one of
the strengths of this team.
Q. You mentioned about your depth and you were
saying in the beginning that this might be the deepest
team you’ve been around. How much is that important
for you to display this coming season?
MIKE NORVELL: I think it’s huge. There’s a lot of
competition. Obviously everybody is working to define
their role. What you do in practice, what you do in your
scrimmage opportunities is going to put you in the best
position on a day in, day out basis, and the thing I’m
excited to see as we build up to kickoff there on Saturday,
it’s about being able to apply it in the moment. It’s the
greatest thing about the game of football is there’s so few
game opportunities that you get a chance to play, so
you’ve got to show up with your best in that moment.
I think we’re going to have very quality depth. I think we
have guys that are going to be able to go out there and
make an impact, but it’s going to come down to the
discipline, it’s going to come down to the details, and with
that depth, we should be able to play with a relentless style
approach play in and play out because if you do need to
get a break for a couple plays, then we’re going to have
somebody that can bring that same type of mentality and
effort there at your spot.
Guys are still pushing to continue to define what that is, but
obviously there are going to be some things that are going
to wait until Saturday, see how guys perform there in the
moment.
Q. In your opening you talked about guys who made
big strides. Who are some of the guys that made the
biggest strides for you?
MIKE NORVELL: I think there’s a wide variety of them. I
know you look at defensively, Azareye’h Thomas is a guy
that I know has been talked a lot about, but he was one —
last year he was our third corner and now has kind of
jumped into that role of being one of the starting corners. I
think him and Fentrell have both done an outstanding job
throughout the off-season, really done some remarkable
things.
I think Shyheim Brown is almost night and day compared
to where he was a year ago in just his overall
understanding and the coverage ability, the physicality, the
things that he’s wanted to grow in. You’re seeing that
ownership, has really been remarkable.
I think when you look at the defensive front, we’ve got great
confidence in that forcing unit, but a guy like Daniel Lyons I
think has really come along. I really like the depth at that
defensive tackle position, but Daniel has been a guy that’s
played these last few years sparingly, but I think he’s really
pushing himself to take another step.
Linebacker position you’ve got guys like Blake Nichelson,
DJ Lundy, who’s kind of been that third linebacker that is
now probably the leader of that group, and I think he’s
going to be just a really dynamic player for us and what he
can do. But Juice Cryer, guys like — have taken some
really nice strides for us.
Offensively I think Kyle Morlock, he’s a guy that has really
got a chance to be a great weapon for us. You look at him,
where he was a year ago, he came and he played coming
from a smaller school, was very productive in what he was
asked to do, but now you see the confidence, really taking
it to another level as he understands and then has seen
the improvements, whether it’s in the route game or in the
blocking game of how he’s grown. I think that he’s really
got a chance to be a great player for us.
I think the receiver position just as we’ve gone through fall
camp, this last week was probably the best week we’ve
had just in seeing that group consistently showing up and
being able to make plays and doing the little things, and
you can see their confidence that’s growing, and I do think
we’re going to have a great group that we’re going to be
able to run out there and be able to attack in a variety of
different ways.
Then you’ve already mentioned up front, but the running
back position. Guys like Sam Singleton I think has really
done a wonderful job. Cam Davis is somebody that I
expect to play for us and to be able to be a part of that
running back rotation, and obviously with L.T. and Roydell
and just that group, I think they’re going to be a really
special unit for us.
I’ve been excited about a lot of guys that have emerged,
but it’s been fun to see some of these younger guys that
have been in the program taking those real positive steps.
You see that in the defensive backfield, too, with some of
those younger corners like Quinn, Conrad Hussey I think
has taken some great strides, Ja’Bril Rawls is somebody
that’s going to be able to help us, and I’m just excited about
that group.
Q. I think DJ has played in close to 50 games in his
career. You’ve had him for nearly 35 practices now.
How familiar are you guys with each other, and as a
coach, is there ever a surprise the first time you go
into a game with a new starting quarterback for the
first time?
MIKE NORVELL: I mean, yes, there are, but most times
it’s usually early in somebody’s career. DJ has played in,
like you said, a lot of football — he’s played a lot of football
games. He’s seen it all. He’s been through highs, he’s
been through lows. I could not be any more pleased with
what I’ve seen since he got here in January, even just his
growth. You go through spring practice, we tried to put him
in some really challenging situations. Some of the things
we wanted to see, we wanted to see him respond to a
disappointment. We wanted to put him in the hardest looks
to see what was his decision making, how would he go and
then how would he grow from that.
I think he’s just done an outstanding job. He’s playing with
a lot of confidence. I’m excited to go see him play like he’s
prepared. If he does that, I think he could have a very
special season. He’s a great young man. He’s a great
leader. The work that he’s put in, and he’s got all the
talent.
I’ll tell him the same thing I’ve been telling him, just go out
there and be himself. We’ve got a lot of excitement and
confidence in what that’s going to be.
Q. After the second scrimmage you talked about the
health of the team being in a good spot. Some guys
might be questionable going into game week. What
are you able to share about the state of the team?
MIKE NORVELL: Yeah, I think for the most part, we’re
probably as good as you could hope for going into our first
game. We’ve got a couple guys that will be kind of
game-time decisions. Got a few guys that missed out, but I
think it’s going to be as good as what we could probably
hope for. We might have a couple guys that are limited,
but right now we’ll kind of see how it goes more towards
the end of the week before we make any, I guess, definite
decisions on whether guys are available or not.
But I feel really confident about where we are going into
this.
Q. I was wondering if there was a plan in place to deal
with jet lag and the time change and kind of the long
flight overseas?
MIKE NORVELL: Yeah, this has been probably the most
preparation going into a travel plan or game that I’ve ever —
it’s been a year and a half process. I’ll tell you, for our
operations staff, they’ve been remarkable, whether it’s
Jason and our staff there in equipment, just top-notch in
the preparation. Scott Trulock, Josh Chapman, our athletic
training team, just the preparation, the planning, the
research. Obviously Bruce Warwick and the overall
operation group, Jeff Kupper and player personnel, it’s
been just a full team effort, whether from the little things of
getting everybody passports to making sure they’re all
ready to go to the planning of nutrition to our sleep habits
to what we’re going to do when we get there, how we kind
of broke out our schedule. There is a very specific plan in
place, and I think our guys have a lot of confidence.
Just in the operational aspect of it, we’ve got guys with
over 20 games of international game experience at the
NFL level, of what that looks like, what that needs to be.
We feel very confident in the plan, and now we’ve got to go
out there and execute it.
Q. Pretty sure this is a Tyler Santucci’s first time as a
defensive coordinator, so I know you were asked
about it previously, but how similar maybe was an
offense when you were an assistant coach versus
when you had the full reins as an offensive
coordinator?
MIKE NORVELL: No, he was a defensive coordinator at
Duke last year. He did an outstanding job in his first
season of being a defensive coordinator, when you look at
that defense and what they were able to do. Obviously
Coach Elko was one of his mentors, and they’ve had a
great tradition. But Tyler was a defensive coordinator last
year.
But we understand that, like I said, with great coaches,
they’re going to be able to adapt to the personnel that they
have, and I think that’s one thing that showed even a year
ago, just the versatility and all that they could do. It really
kind of leaves an open platter for the things that we get to
prepare for.
Q. After eight months with this bunch and 20
preseason practices, what do you think the identity is
when you walk through the door and the first game?
MIKE NORVELL: This team has been about the work.
That’s what I always desire, is that you have a team that
you don’t have to push. These guys, you put the work in
front of them and they go running after it.
I really have been proud of them for their approach to it.
This is not a team that sits around and complains about
what’s in front of them. They go and work and attack it.
I cannot wait to watch this team play, and I really am — with
everything that I have, just excited about the moment and
the opportunity. I like this team. I like how this team has
come together. I really do respect these young men for
who they are and what they’re all about. It’s just like I told
them, you do all the work and you build it up for — it’s so
few games, but now you get to go put it on display.
There’s going to be great moments. There’s going to be
challenging times in of course every contest, but it’s that
response. You can build confidence through the work that
they’ve done and their preparation, but you get to go out
there and execute it, and that’s what we get to see come
Saturday, and what a stage to be able to do it on.
Q. Obviously the game is sold out. Just scrolling
through social media, there’s already a ton of Seminole
fans across the pond, the Marching Chiefs are going.
How wonderful is that to know that even though you
guys are going to be playing halfway across the world,
you’re going to have a very, very friendly crowd?
MIKE NORVELL: Well, that’s what makes Florida State
special is our fan base is remarkable. It’s amazing, no
matter if it was in the summer or out on the booster tours or
any time, the number of people that said, Coach, we’ll see
you in Dublin, was just mindblowing. I know just even in
our conversations with the game managers of what it is
and just the number of Florida State fans that are going to
be there, that are traveling, obviously the Marching Chiefs,
that’s so big for us. They are such a key component to
what we’re all about. To be able to hear the war chant
playing there at Aviva Stadium is going to be really
something special.
It’s a great venue. I do need to take a moment and say
that I’m just grateful for everybody with the Aer Lingus
game and the opportunity that we have. They’ve done a
wonderful job in their preparation, and we’re looking
forward to the experience. All things that are leading up to
go play our best.
I’m glad we’re going to have a lot of Florida State fans
there to cheer us on.
Q. I think they ranked 128th out of 130 teams last year
in rushing defense, but obviously with the new
coordinator, new pieces, is that something that’s worth
considering? Is that something that kind of flushes
from year to year?
MIKE NORVELL: It’s a good question. I think when you
look — college football now is so different than it’s really
been in years past. You have Duke, new coordinator, new
scheme, new philosophical approach in how to improve in
certain areas, but then the amount of personnel change
that you can see. You look at their defensive front, their
linebacker — there’s a lot of new bodies and new personnel
that’s joining the fold, and with the scheme that has been
pretty good at working to stop the run. It’s going to be a
great challenge for our guys, and that’s what I love is you
get in the first game and you might have an assumption of
what somebody will do, but you’ve got to be able to
respond and react to what you see.
It’s going to be a lot of moving pieces, but like I tell our
guys, you’ve got to trust your rules and trust your eyes as
we go through it, and we’ll see how we adapt throughout
the course of the game.
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