Florida State University Athletics
How Are Things Different Noles Share Changes Under Norvell
3/9/2020 4:22:51 PM | Football
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Mike Norvell has been on the job for just nine weeks and has held only one official practice. But the changes brought by Florida State’s new head football coach are obvious, both in atmosphere and in practical application.
FSU’s players know this better than anyone, and a handful of Seminoles recently shared their perspective on everything that’s new and different in Tallahassee. Here’s what they had to say:
QB James Blackman: “More emphasis on the finish after plays. More detail in plays. More structure, like when you see us on the sideline, keeping it like a real game-time atmosphere. More structure, more detail and more focus. …
“Just more structure. A lot more detailed. A lot more focused. A lot more organized.”
DT Marvin Wilson: “Coach Norvell has done great things with this whole program, especially by adding accountability and discipline to our program. Those two things, those two concepts have had a huge impact on everybody around here. Just letting you know nothing will be slipping around here and everybody will be held accountable. You see guys like that, holding people accountable, knowing they’re going to make the right decisions. Knowing there are going to be repercussions no matter what happens. It’s making guys change for the better.
“We knew from Week 1 he wasn’t messing around with nobody. You’ve got to respect it because, at the end of the day, if he didn’t care he would let you do whatever you wanted to.”
DB Jaiden Lars-Woodbey: “Every year there’s always change. But I just feel like this year we’re a bit more disciplined, in my opinion. I feel like a lot of guys are a lot more disciplined and a lot more serious. Because the last three years weren’t the best for Florida State. They were all learning years. We don’t want to have another one. The 18 class, the 17 class, I feel like we’re stepping up because we’ve experienced the tough times at Florida State. We don’t want to have that moment again. I feel like the coaches know that and we know that, so we’re all in one accord when it comes to that.”
WR Tamorrion Terry: “It feels a lot different knowing that Coach Norvell is going to hold everybody accountable. He’s going to get on everybody, it doesn’t matter who you are. He’s going to make sure everybody’s good.”
DE Joshua Kaindoh: “Little things, like we’re not allowed to wear our hats inside. No earrings, no headphones. Coach Norvell said you’ve got to make a sacrifice for this team every day. It’s something little like that. It’s something easy, but I think it’s a good philosophy. It’s just a little something to give up, for everybody. …
“Coach Norvell comes in with the same energy every single day, and he expects the same from us. We owe that to him and he owes that to us.”
TE Camren McDonald: “I can definitely say there’s a bigger commitment to the little things, definitely. He emphasizes that. It’s a part of the climb. The commitment to the little things is what the coaches emphasize the most. Like you can’t wear earring or hats in the building. At first it was kind of like, ‘OK.’ But now, just seeing that we tried it (the opposite) way before and it didn’t work. So it makes it easy to be in and say, ‘OK, if this is what they say it takes to win, we’re going to do it.’ It’s not that hard of a transition.”
DB Hamsah Nasirildeen: “It definitely feels positive around. Everybody’s trying to buy in to what he’s doing. There’s a good vibe around here. Everybody is close, still. We’ve got good chemistry on the team.”
QB Jordan Travis: “Really different than last year. (Practice) was very organized. We’re out here working hard, the coaches are pushing us hard and we’re just going full speed. …
“It’s very different, but everything is different. The whole organization of the practices is totally different.”