It’s a new era of Florida State Football in 2024. Coming off an ACC Championship and batting lead-off at ACC Media Days, the ‘Noles were at the center of the college football world on Monday.
And, according to Mike Norvell, despite his absence, the world was treated to the bright spot that appears to be DJ Uiagalalei’s tenure so far in Tallahassee.
“He Leads With Humility” Mike Norvell Raves About DJ Uiagalelei
The Seminoles graduated and lost their all-everything leader Jordan Travis this offseason as he was drafted to the New York Jets just months after a vicious knee injury. Travis battled through adversity and ultimately led the Seminoles to an undefeated 13-0 season in 2023, capping it with an ACC Championship, despite not playing the final two games of the regular season.
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As the season nears, Travis’ replacement — DJ Uiagalelei — was set to take center stage at ACC Media Days. Instead, Uiagalelei, who had already been to the ACC’s premier offseason event as a member of the Clemson Tigers, opted to let his teammates shine by attending the conference.
Norvell said he was glad for that moment, not just because his QB showed off his renowned humility, but that the nation finally was able to see who DJU actually is.
“DJ leads with humility and am grateful for him and all the guys on our team,” Norvell said on ACC Network. “It’s a great glimpse to the outside world to who it is that I get to coach.”
Norvell said that Uiagalelei presented the chance as an opportunity to allow his teammates — Joshua Farmer, Darrell Jackson Jr., Darius Washington — a platform to gain notoriety and exposure.
“It was something that he presented to me, that he was requested by the ACC to attend Media Days,” Norvell said. “But he said, ‘coach, with all due respect, I’d love for this to be an opportunity for my teammates to show the country who they are and what they’re all about; those guys are all-conference performers as well that have been through this program and they’ve been able to push this program to where it is now.'”
Uiagalelei, who previously spent the 2020-22 seasons with Clemson and the 2023 season with Oregon State, makes his return to the ACC with FSU in 2024. According to Norvell, Uiagalelei draws similarities to his predecessor, who also transferred in after a previous stint with an ACC school.
“DJ’s coming in, and it’s something I’m really excited about because he has that experience, he’s been able to live it, much like Jordan (Travis), he’s had the highs, and he’s had the lows,” Norvell said. “He’s had to continue to grow throughout this process and he’s led with his humility at Florida State. he’s been an incredible young man in that locker room, working to prove himself in how he’s investing in others.”
And despite his absence from media days, Norvell said that’s just who DJU is, and it’s a great thing for the nation to see.
“I mean, you can go out and watch practice and see the arm talent, see his size, his athletic ability, all the things he brings to help push an offense,” Norvell said. “But it’s what he has in his chest. It’s the relationships he’s building. I think he’s earning respect on a daily basis, not just with what he can do, but who he is just as much.”
That respectability and humility mirror that of his predecessor all the same.
“That’s one of those secret sauces for Jordan because he had that same kind of makeup in the locker room, which is so very important.”
FSU fans will hope DJU’s off-field similarities with Travis only continue on the field this fall, mirroring Travis’ success with the ‘Noles a year ago.
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