Florida State remains winless in ACC play this year as a 34-31 loss to the Pitt Panthers dropped the Seminoles to 3-3 (0-3) on the season.
Head coach Mike Norvell, who is now 1-11 in his last 12 conference games, took to the podium postgame to discuss the loss with the media.
“You know, we had our opportunities,” he said. ‘We found ourselves in situations to be able to capitalize and then obviously found ourselves in some challenging spots throughout the course of the game. We didn’t do enough to overcome
the negative plays. Obviously had some missed opportunities and some self-inflicted mistakes that cost us big in this game.”
“At the end of the day we got three straight weeks finishing the game with a one-possession loss, and there is too many things that have showed up that have kept us from that.”
When asked about the defensive woes against the true freshman quarterback who had his way, Norvell said that the Seminoles “absolutely didn’t play very well on that side of the ball.”
“[Pitt] had multiple fourth down conversions that they were able to get. The quarterback, we lacked getting pressure on the quarterback enough, and when we did he stepped up and had big runs and scrambles, which we got to be better integrity in our rush lanes.”
Norvell, asked about players declaring that this season was “different” and wouldn’t allow one loss to turn into multiple, said he doesn’t the Seminoles’ losing streak as “carryover.”
“It’s about when you play teams that have talent and ability and guys that are — go out there and execute, and if you do things that put yourself in competitive disadvantages, you can get exposed.”
“I don’t think this team has stopped fighting. I don’t believe there is pull-back in it. Got three one-score losses and we’ve earned every one of them. Pisses me off.”
Asked about the frustration felt by the fanbase, Norvell said that every bit of it was validated.
“You should be frustrated with the results. We lost three straight games. I’m frustrated with the results. Ultimately we got to get it fixed. We got to go make it better and show the potential of what this team is, you know, on a consistent basis…no fan out there is more frustrated than I am. There has been a lot of work and investment and push with this team, and we got to get the job done. That’s what it comes down to.”
“But I understand their frustrations. We’re going get it fix and going to get it right.”
FSU returns to play next Saturday, heading to California to take on Stanford in Palo Alto at 10:30 p.m. (ESPN).
Mike Norvell postgame transcript: Pitt
MIKE NORVELL: Unfortunately, you know, coming out of today, the things that expected to see, you know, coming off the week of work, coming off the challenge, you know, not applied well enough.
You know, ultimately, still too many mistakes. You know, we had our opportunities. We found ourselves in situations to be able to capitalize and then obviously found ourselves in some challenging spots throughout the course of the game.
We didn’t do enough to overcome the negative plays. Obviously had some missed opportunities and some self-inflicted mistakes that cost us big in this game.
We did have some injuries, guys that went down, but we had plenty of opportunities. That’s a team that you would say it’s a good enough team that if you put yourself in those situations they can take advantage of it.
There are some things coaching, player-wise, things that are emphasized, things we have to get fix and applied to be able to come out victorious.
At the end of the day we got three straight weeks finishing the game with a one-possession loss, and there is too many things that have showed up that have kept us from that.
You know, ultimately, it all falls on my shoulders that we’re not getting it done. So we need to, as a group, talking to the guys in the locker room, it’s a pissed off football team. You can be pissed off, but we got to see application and execution in the moment from all of us, every one of us, of what we want it to look like, what we want it to be, and to get the job done to come out on top.
And so, you know, this team, I believe they will continue to fight. I believe they you’ll get everything they have and we will get it right. Obviously everything that’s in front of us, you know, with this week, and it is a game we got to go on road, got a long trip ahead, but we’ve got work that needs to get done and work that needs to get applied.
Like I said, watching the intent of last week’s practice, that’s one of the things that just probably most disappointing to me, is there were things I thought guys did a great job throughout the week and then still we had our moments in this game. You know, either lack of focus, some communication issues or just missed opportunities showed up.
We’ve got to be better than that.
Q. You mentioned having some guys out, but I know most of that was on offense. How surprised are you by the defense not being able to get off the field throughout really the whole game?
MIKE NORVELL: Yeah, absolutely didn’t play very well on that side of the ball. There are things that I would say as coaches we got to look at and matchups and positions and obviously how things are — we’re getting it done throughout the course of the game. Then obviously some opportunities where we got to be better with the guys that are on the field.
But they had multiple fourth down conversions that they were able to get. The quarterback, we lacked getting pressure on the quarterback enough, and when we did he stepped up and had big runs and scrambles, which we got to be better integrity in our rush lanes.
There were a couple times with communication where we have to be better in our coverage. You know, even though we were able to create a couple takeaways, still a couple missed opportunities that we had that were critical in that game.
So obviously was not to the standard of how we expect to play. You give credit to a team that — running back did a great job. There were some times we were probably in some unfavorable matchups with him. You know, we have to be able to get that corrected and then there were still times where we’re right in position to make the play but you have to go finish.
You kept hesitate. You can’t wait for somebody else. You got to go take advantage of those times. Really it’s a collective effort in all things. I was surprised.
Q. When there are pass rush issues with the Lane discipline, is that guys trying to do too much? Is it communication? Is there a general theme?
MIKE NORVELL: Yeah, I mean, there are some moments whether it’s a game or twist or, you know, there is the urgency and the overall continued — understanding the importance of where you have to be. You know, you can’t — sometimes you have a desire. You got to be relentless to get there. We have to make sure that — there were some of those situations that showed up. There were times maybe a lack of communication or guys that need to be a little bit cleaner in understanding things that we worked for that to show up in the course of the game.
There were a couple times where they got us on — did a good job on their offensive line or quarterback, where he worked to — that allowed it to extend. Yeah, it’s unacceptable to have as many just I guess easy yards with the quarterback stepping up and scrambling the way he did. We have to be better in our rush lanes.
Q. When it comes to stuff, particularly in the middle of the field, is that a communication breakdown defensively between the guys in the secondary, the linebackers? Is that just the other offense scheming up things well?
MIKE NORVELL: There were some things that were schemed today that were good. I mean, we knew the running back, he can be a challenge for the receiver that he is out of the backfield. They did some good things in trying to isolate that. Man, they caught us right in a few coverages.
In those situations, we did have a couple of times where it was either a tempo or a motion that we weren’t clean enough in our communication and there was just a little bit of hesitation, a step behind or didn’t get the communication echoed whether it was one or two players that were operating together.
So it was big — there were susceptible to space and we allowed way too much space.
Q. I know a lot of guys on staff coached with each other at different places. This is such a new staff. Is everybody comfortable enough pushing each other at practice and in the heat of the game to pull these wins out?
MIKE NORVELL: You mean you’re talking just within the staff or…
Q. Yeah, assistants being able to go back to each other and communicate?
MIKE NORVELL: Yeah, that’s an expectation. We all have a job to do. I mean, at the end of the day what you see, it shows up on the field. What shows up on film, that’s us. You know, it’s not been good enough. It starts with me. You know, offense, defense, special teams. Obviously plays in every phase that did not allow us to get a victory today.
So I know my expectation for the staff and I know my expectation for the players, everybody that — that’s why I said a week ago you talk about the application of things happening at practice. We need to grow up and get it done in the game. If it’s not happening in your position, take ownership of it and get it fixed.
That’s part of it. I mean, got to take full ownership to everything you had to just watch out there and get it fixed. You know, the work is in front of us. The work is there. What needs to get done is with the application, and it’s everybody. So I know what it needs to look like, what it needs to be, and we got to get it done.
Q. After I guess the first loss this season, the feeling was everybody we talked to in the program was this year is different. Not going to let this one loss turn into two, three. How do you get these guys to turn things back around?
MIKE NORVELL: You know, I don’t know how much of it is a carryover. I don’t necessary feel a carryover effect. It’s about when you play teams that have talent and ability and guys that are — go out there and execute, and if you do things that put yourself in competitive disadvantages, you can get exposed.
We have to make sure that in each week, our focus, our — being able to translate the week of work into the game and then be able to deal with the ebbs and the flow of the game. There will be good and bad moments. I thought there late in the first half guys did a good job being able to handle that to be able to go up at halftime.
You know, but then we get into the fourth quarter and obviously the fumble was huge. I mean, we had some huge plays and penalties that cost us. You know, when you sit there and talk about accountability, talk about work, emphasis, we got to do it in the course of a game. Just we’re not doing that consistently enough. Each game you get one shot at it.
So yeah, I don’t think this team has stopped fighting. I don’t believe there is pull-back in it. Got three one-score losses and we’ve earned every one of them. Pisses me off.
Q. Coach, as I was walking over here through the crowd you heard several fans say, well, we beat Alabama. What can you say to those fans that think this team peaked in week one?
MIKE NORVELL: I believe in what these guys can do. I think we’ve shown flashes, even in some of the losses we’ve shown flashes of capability. But if you don’t put it together, it’s still about the one game that you have. Today we had our opportunity; we came up short.
You know, I don’t doubt this team. I don’t doubt the ability and capability that they have. Once again, we have to be able to transition that from week to week so our best shows up.
You know, obviously that’s what needs to get done.
Q. I know you wouldn’t make excuses for a loss but how much does the offense change? I know this is probably a dumb question, when you’re down essentially three starting wide receivers and a starting tight end, you guys didn’t pass much at all in the second half until the last drive. Is there an update an Deuce? Do we know if he’ll be ready or good to go?
MIKE NORVELL: I don’t have much updates when it comes to injuries. We had guys who tried to push throughout the week. Even Randy came out in pre-game and tried to give it a go; just wasn’t able to be able to do that.
Yeah, I mean, obviously you have a group that has worked to go and I mean, I think there are some commendable performances. Micahi Danzy showed up at really high level. We’re down two receivers, you know, that are starters. One of our other guys that started the season that was out. You mentioned Randy at tight end. Starting right tackle was out. There were plenty of new faces that were in there.
But I think they’re guys that are capable. Now as we got further into the depth, made a little bit more challenging and those guys got to — when you get your opportunity you got to show that you’re ready and be able to transition that into making plays in the moment.
There is guys still even within couple of those rooms that have talent and ability. We just need the consistency of where to be, what to do, how to do it at a high level. You know, we have to continue to coach and develop them.
It’s not in a lack of want-to of our coaching staff or the players. It’s that application. Yeah, it has its effect but I still believe there is plenty of capable playmakers within those groups to be able to get the job done.
Q. There is a segment of fan base that’s frustrated with the results. I guess what would your messaging be to them?
MIKE NORVELL: You should be frustrated with the results. We lost three straight games. I’m frustrated with the results. Ultimately we got to get it fixed. We got to go make it better and show the potential of what this team is, you know, on a consistent basis.
Yeah, every bit of frustration, and no fan out there is more frustrated than I am. There has been a lot of work and investment and push with this team, and we got to get the job done. That’s what it comes down to.
But I understand their frustrations. We’re going get it fix and going to get it right.
Q. Seems like a pretty common theme in a couple — maybe all of losses; definitely this one and Virginia — where you guys had opportunities to maybe push the lead out or make a stop that could turn the game and just not coming through in those moments. Is that something that can be learned or is that something maybe just not enough ability on this team to do it?
MIKE NORVELL: Well, I mean, it’s not a consistent person or group in that moment. It comes down to where you get — if you got an opportunity to make the apply, you got to go finish it. As coaches we have to put these guys in the best space to be able to accomplish that, whether it’s adjustments we make, whether it’s the people that are out there. I mean, all those things are evaluated.
You know, as things consistently show up because there are some consistent issues that we’ve had that have to get better. It’s our job as a coaching staff to be able to minimize some of the limitations that might have shown up and to still be able to go out and be productive with each drive, or some of those critical situations that we’ve got to go either stretch the lead or respond and get a stop.
And so like I said, I do believe in the playmakers that we have and I do believe that there is a path of that getting done immediately and it needs to show up. Everybody is accountable for it. We have to get the job done. It’s not just been one issue that’s constantly showed up. We’ve had our moments.
