ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL KICKOFF

July 22, 2024

Mike Norvell

Florida State Seminoles

Press Conference

MIKE NORVELL: First off, appreciate everybody being here today. So very excited about the kickoff to the 2024 season. It's been a great off-season for our program, from starting back there in January, going through the winter program, spring practice, the summer workouts, then reporting tomorrow. So excited about this team. Excited about the young men that I get to coach.

Our program has won 23 games over the last two years. We have 77 players that were a part of last year's game that are back. We've got a lot of experience and guys that have contributed to helping elevate the program to where it is. Now all of our focus goes into the task at hand.

Our objective this year is to go get better. Coming off what was a 13-0 regular season and championship game was something that was really a special experience for our entire program. It sets the stage and opportunity for us to continue to push and continue to elevate this program to ultimately where it deserves to be. That's among the nation's elite, when you look across the course of college football.

Great guys with me today. They've been a part of that journey. They're tremendous representatives of Florida State football, so many great young men that are back in Tallahassee that have contributed so much work to help build us where we are and ultimately where we're going.

Excited about the days ahead. We have a great opener, kicking off in Dublin, Ireland. Kick off the college football season and doing so against a very talented opponent in Georgia Tech conference opener. Our first two games are conference games. There's a sense of urgency to get off to the best start we possibly can.

Excited about the steps ahead. Looking forward to getting back on the practice field here this week.

THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions.

Q. Last year was such a great defense. Who is the next person, next man up on the defense?

MIKE NORVELL: Really excited about a couple guys that we have here today. Pat Payton, who has been an all-conference performer, former Rookie of the Year in the ACC. All-conference performer this past season. Really expecting him to take another step in his game.

Josh Farmer an all ACC player on the defensive front. You look at all three phases of our defense. A guy like D.J. Lundy who played so many snaps throughout the last four years of his time at Florida State. How he emerges as a leader within the course of this defense.

The guys in the secondary. I think we got two of the best corners in the ACC, guys that are All-American type capabilities in Fentrell Cypress and Azareye'h Thomas. Experienced backfield with length, size, ability.

I think our defense is as deep as it's ever been. Been able to have some guys that have grown throughout their time here. But also coupling that with some newcomers that have come in, whether Marvin Jones, Jr., Sione, Cam Riley that's joined in. You know, Earl Little, different guys that have been able to come in and complement the guys around that you're really fired up about what that group can be.

Q. What is it like to face your old school at home during week three?

MIKE NORVELL: Memphis has a great program, a very talented team. Coming off another 10-win season there. We know it's going to be a great challenge when we get to that third week of the season.

It's definitely going to be a unique dynamic. Coach Silverfield and his staff have continued to push that program forward. Got a special place in my heart for it. But also going to be excited to compete once that opportunity shows up.

Q. You have a mix of experienced veterans and some newcomers on your team. How is cohesiveness been so far?

MIKE NORVELL: I think it's been great. Ultimately that is the challenge in college football. You look at recruiting, the path, the journey with the transfer portal, different avenues for guys to be able to come and join and be a part of a program.

It's still about putting together the most talented team. Building that team is something I thought was really an X factor for us there a year ago, really the last few seasons.

When you see guys with all different journeys and experiences come together, how much they care about each other, the willingness to invest, challenge and encourage each other throughout the circumstances that are going to show up.

I think this team has really embraced that. From when we started back in January with the winter workouts to all the steps leading up until reporting here tomorrow, this team has invested a great deal of time outside of the facility.

I think we have a group of like-minded individuals. They love to work. They're willing to embrace challenge. It's that cohesiveness that has me excited about what this team's potential can be. We just now get to go live it out as we start off with this upcoming season.

Q. It's hard to tell from the podium, you're wearing a tie from the Bobby Bowden Society. What does it mean to be?

MIKE NORVELL: Coach Bowden was such a wonderful example for anybody that's in coaching, college football as a whole, just what he means and meant to Florida State in his time there leading the program.

He's such an icon for us. I was fortunate to be able to get to know him when I first took the job. A little over a year ago we started the Bowden Society, representing his legacy, the gift that he was for FSU.

A year ago I wore this same tie and I'm going to continue to do so understanding the great responsibility that I have. Just so grateful for the position I hold, to represent him in his honor.

Q. I got an opportunity to talk to Kenny Dillingham. He talked about 2021 when he was your OC learning how to win. Could you talk about what you think some of the key factors and differences are of learning how to win.

MIKE NORVELL: For us, you're making sure that there's an ultimate belief and investment in the processes that are necessary. It starts with the work. It always starts with the work.

Everybody will talk about, especially this time of year, wanting to win a championship. Are you willing to do the things necessary? If it's just starting today or tomorrow, you probably missed out on it. It's a 365-day commitment on making that investment, whether it's the on the field, weight room, classroom, every aspect of just being the best you.

Then surrounding yourself with like minded individuals that are going to help push and challenge you. You can't be reactive to just the circumstance. It's got to be true to who you are and what you believe in.

I think we've had a team that has learned how to respond in those situations. We're continuing to work to be better at that as we move forward.

It's definitely a process that we got to go through. You look back to even our second year. We started 0-4 to kick off that season. It was about how we went about the finish. To win five of our last eight, you saw those positive steps that took place. Wasn't perfect, but it was those positive steps and how you ended the season that really gave us a lot of momentum to what we could do and what we could accomplish moving forward.

It's all of those steps have been critical for us on our journey.

THE MODERATOR: What does 'accomplish greatness' mean to you?

MIKE NORVELL: What is greatness? I think that's something everybody has an opinion, everybody has a desire to be great. For me, you're trying to push to be the best you. 'Cause at the end of the day a lot of people from the outside might have a perspective of who is great, who is the greatest. For us, let's control the things that we can control. Let's go out there and be the best that we can be.

If we're willing to show up and do that on a daily basis, willing to work to get better, you look back and greatness will be accomplished.

To accomplish greatness, it's to show up and accomplish being the best that you can be on a daily basis in the things that you love to do, but also in the things maybe you don't always enjoy, that you're still willing to give it all.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, thank you.