If you want to know what Florida State players think of head coach Mike Norvell, look no further than tight end Jaheim Bell’s comment from the NFL Combine. “He was ready to go to war with us,” Bell said. This isn’t something new for those around Norvell.
From his time at Memphis to his roller coaster ride with the Seminoles, Norvell’s been as passionate about his team as any, and we saw that on full display this season. Bell added an insider’s perspective on what the college football world saw.
Mike Norvell Is Ready for War
Mike Norvell is the definition of passion. He cares so much about his players and their success that he’s willing to push their limits.
“You always want to do right. Because if you’re not, you’re gonna hear about it for at least five minutes,” Bell elaborated on his head coach.
Norvell expects his players to take steps forward toward their development, and Bell says that players need to “elevate every day, just get better.”
Those expectations made the Seminoles ACC champions, leading to an undefeated regular season. Bell mentioned it’s also “why we got 12 guys (at the NFL Combine) this year.”
It’s also the energy that Norvell gives to his players. He expects them to give him their best, and he’ll do the same in return. Whether it was at Memphis or Florida State, Norvell gave his team everything he had because he demanded the same from them.
It’s a big reason why Memphis went 38-16 under Norvell and also why Florida State is 31-17 since he arrived on campus.
It hasn’t always been easy in Tallahassee for Norvell, but one common them keeps shining through: he’s there for his players. That, unfortunately for the Seminoles, showed this past season.
When there was a question about whether or not his team would make the College Football Playoff, Norvell lobbied harder than any coach in the country to get his team in the postseason invitational. It didn’t work, but Norvell sent a message to his team throughout the process.
“Everybody seen what happened at the end of the season. He was ready to go to war for us,” Bell said. Norvell gave his team perspective even after a blowout loss to Georgia in the Orange Bowl, reminding them of all the good they produced this year.
One thing we’ve learned from Norvell over the past eight seasons is that he’s a great head coach. He’s known for his ability to call plays and create explosive offenses, but he’s a program builder who gets the most out of his teams.
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Bell confirmed those beliefs this week, and it gives Seminoles fans plenty to be excited about for the future.
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