If you think things are different for the Seminoles just because college football has figured out how to navigate around the over- emphasized pandemic you would be wrong. There's much more to it at Florida State. Head Coach Mike Norvell and his staff were robbed of their very first set of spring drills last year due to COVID, but more important than the drills were the opportunities to learn about the character and attitude of their young charges.
As it turned out, not everyone was onboard with the more buttoned down approach Norvell takes versus previous head coach Willie Taggart. In simple terms there were cancers on the team which needed to be removed. It does not mean they were all bad kids, just some of them. Some were not good teammates and infected the team with bad attitudes.
The good news is FSU football, by all accounts (players, coaches, observers) is cancer-free.
I am of the opinion that Jimbo Fisher's "style" wore old quickly. Willie Taggart came in with the dead opposite approach. From inappropriate music being played in practice to absolutely no discipline (which showed on the field) it was an epic failure. For the record - I think Taggart is a great coach for a program which is happy with an eventual 7-5 and an occasional 8-4 record. That will not work at Florida State, not anymore.
Mike Norvell is the perfect fit. Demanding, yet personable and very likeable. It is clear talking to players (and their parents) that this set of Spring practices is a whole new world. Norvell has a year under his belt. He has had good success recruiting, great success with transfers.
I'm excited to see year two on the field this Fall.
This is a look at the second scrimmage of the season.
Enjoy and Go Noles!