Fans Angry with Lack of Messaging from Florida State

Under coach Mike Norvell, the Florida State Seminoles (3-4) have posted a 10-22 record since their 60-point blowout loss to Georgia in the 2023 Orange Bowl.

There has been no improvement in the football program over the last two and half seasons.

Athletic Director Michael Alford was fired on September 14, after a bye week.

Since then, there has been little to know messaging from the Florida State athletic administration regarding a search for a new AD or about the status of Norvell.

As a result, the fans and boosters are angry. They have been left in limbo. That is, until Tuesday.

Florida State President Richard D. McCullough, Ph.D. issued a statement to the fans and supporters of Seminoles athletics. Read that statement here via warchant.com.

Two things stand out in McCullough’s statement. First, the university has not even begun the search for a new athletic director.

They have merely created a set of criteria and have gone through an evaluation process of the athletic department to simply begin to “hire” a search firm to seek out qualified candidates.

It has been six weeks since Alford was fired. A search for a replacement has not even begun. Florida State is a ghost ship without a captain.

Secondly, McCullough made no mention of Norvell’s name, his status, or the football program in his statement.

There was only an implied reference to the football program, a call for continued support.

“What we ask now is that you stand firmly behind our current student-athletes,” said McCullough. “Show them your support. Pack Doak Campbell Stadium for the remainder of this season and bring your energy and passion to support our team at each and every game.

“Our players show great commitment and effort every single day, and they deserve your continued support on and off the field.”

The Seminoles are on a two-game losing streak, giving up 40+ points in both of those losses.

Twice this season, Florida State has lost games when they had a two-touchdown lead early.

Florida State led 10th-ranked Alabama 21-6 in the first half, then lost 50-36.

The Seminoles led Louisville 14-0 and had four downs and goal to go inside the Cardinals 5-yard line to potentially go ahead by three scores. They failed. Florida State lost 44-20.

Florida State has played a dominating four quarters of football only once this season, a 38-7 win over Virginia.

Florida State will host Clemson Saturday, a team they have not beaten in Tallahassee since 2014.

Actually, the Seminoles have beaten Clemson during Norvell’s tenure only once, in 2023.

Norvell constantly preaches about team and player growth. However, that growth has not manifested itself on the field and translated into victories.

The coaching profession is based on results. So far, Norvell has not produced positive results. In the hierarchy of coaching, the buck stops with Norvell.

Three of their five remaining games are at Doak Campbell Stadium. The remaining schedule looks like this:

Clemson (4-3)

at Boston College (4-3)

at Pittsburgh (5-3)

NC State (3-4)

Florida (5-2)

What if Norvell, by the grace of God, wins the rest of his games this season, and finishes 8-4?

Does Norvell keep his job for another season?

If that happens, the fans and supporters might storm McCullough’s office with pitchforks demanding change.

The fans could stop showing up to games, cancel their season ticket packages, pull their monetary donations to the university.

At that point, the fans and supporters would have immense power and would be a human catalyst for change that is clearly needed.

You better believe, the fans and supporters do matter.  

It is a 6:00 p.m. kickoff Saturday for Florida State and Clemson. Unfortunately, the war chant may fall silent.