Florida State officially opened game week Monday, and head coach Mike Norvell met with local media for the first time since fall camp wrapped up, previewing Saturday night’s season opener against New Mexico State.
With the preseason firmly behind them, he said his focus is squarely on his own team’s first chance to show what it’s built.
“This is our first opportunity to put on display the 2026 Florida State football team,” Norvell said. “We’re excited for all that’s in front of us. And, definitely,
proud of the work they put in, grateful for the staff and their continued preparation. But it’s time to go play a game.”
Asked about quarterback Ashton Daniels’ confidence heading into his first game as the unquestioned starter, Norvell pointed to how he’s carried himself since spring.
“You want to see a guy that’s going to continue to grow, take the reins of an offense, make the guys that are out there better by how he communicates, how he plays, the decisions that he makes,” Norvell said. “I think he’s had plenty of those moments and opportunities that this team is excited to follow him, push and fight for him. He’s playing at a high level in his operation of the things that we’re asking him to do and the things that he’s making happen. Excited to watch him play.”
Norvell also addressed the news that FSU football wouldn’t be releasing a depth chart ahead of the game, saying that it’s currently the plan not to release one throughout the entire season. He said the approach isn’t about withholding information so much as it is about accuracy — with FSU operating out of four different personnel groupings on offense alone, he said a traditional chart wouldn’t reflect how the roster is actually being used.
“Right now, you guys know where they are. Every player wants more. That’s what it should be,” he said. “You should want to be the starter. You should want to be the guy that plays the most plays….but also, on the flip side of it, if we come out with a depth chart today that says, well, this is what it looks like. Throughout the course of the week, there’s ups, downs, whatever that might be. Somebody puts themselves in position, well, the best players are going to play.”
“Just, go have a great week. Whatever personnel groupings, if you’re a starter in, then you’re a starter. If you’re not, then continue to work and get better and put yourself in that position.”
Beyond the starting lineup, Norvell pointed to several freshmen he expects to factor in immediately once the games start counting.
“I think Jason Lopez is going to be a guy that’s just consistently showed up and been able to make plays, been able to grow through mistakes that have been made,” Norvell said. “I think Isaiah Williams is a guy that you can definitely see — you’re definitely excited about what he’s been able to do. Jordan Crutchfield is another young guy that’s very excited about the things that he’s shown early.”
Norvell, asked if he felt concerns the previous two seasons during camp that came into fruition during the season and if he’s seen the same this year, said that he feels “as good as I felt in a few years of what it’s going to look like.”
“In 2024, what was going to happen in the moment of truth when maybe something didn’t go well, that was a big concern. We did not handle that very well throughout the course of a season, faced plenty of factors that also contributing to what that year was,” he said. “Last year, I had my concerns in certain areas…there were some times, early in the season, we had a lot of excitement and guys answered the call when things were going well. I mean, we played at a really high level. There was times that we had some opportunities and some missed opportunities where it came down to some discipline things, some areas where we just had true, missed opportunities to make the play in that moment of truth. When you look back at it…you lose 5 1-score games and that comes down to details, it comes down to coaching, it comes down to everything that we all have to do and we have to be a part of to be on the better side of those close contests.”
“There are some positions that, we know that we’re going to need to stay healthy. I like the depth, the first two deep, but then, there’s some positions where you might have to rely on some really young inexperienced players, if certain things happen. So, that’s where I like this group. I like the work ethic. I like some of the newcomers that have shown that they can be capable and have put themselves in a position and go into week zero, that they could be able to play and make their mark for this football team. But this is a group that I’m definitely confident in what they’re going to be able to accomplish.”
Kickoff against New Mexico State is set for 7 p.m. Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium.
The full interview and transcript is available below.
Mike Norvell August 24, 2026 Media Availability
MIKE NORVELL: Good morning, everybody. Appreciate you being here. Definitely excited for game week. It’s been a lot of work leading up to this season. The guys, really did a good job, throughout their fall camp. Week one, right? We had, I mean, week, now we’re week 0. Week 0, week 1, we’ll have a couple or 2 for 1s that might be advertised, might not. We’ll go with it and see where it all, all goes. But, no, guys, guys did a good job, through fall camp and, like I said, very few coaches were gonna stand up and “boy, I hated fall camp,” but no, I mean, it really, It, it looked the way we wanted it to look, saw growth, saw improvement, great, great deal of competition, across the board at, at, at positions, but then, you see, guys that have showcased playmaking ability, throughout, throughout the practices, throughout, throughout spring. Guys that have, in-game, in-game experience, you’re doing the same thing that you’re looking forward to the best version of them showing up here Saturday and, you’re excited to, to see this team continue to come together. You got to have a great week of practice. As I told them, best is expected. And, this is our, our first opportunity to put on display the 2026 Florida State football team. And, we’re looking forward to what that’s going to be. And, definitely, proud of, the, the work they put in, grateful for the staff and, their, their continued preparation. But it’s time to go play a game and, guys have, have done a really nice job. Last night was, You, you, you felt urgency. Mock game was probably as clean as we’ve had, since I’ve been here, but, we got to go carry that into, into game week and, and our prep and, obviously, it’s got to show up, at an elite level come Saturday night, but excited for, for all that’s in front of us.
QUESTION. Just with the mock game stuff last night, where does Ashton [Daniels]’ confidence level sit with that stuff heading into this week?
MIKE NORVELL: I think it’s been, it’s been great throughout the course of this fall, fall camp. He’s had the moments that, as a football team, he was named the starter coming into fall camp, actually exiting spring ball, seeing how he carried himself throughout the summer, you want to see a guy that’s going to continue to grow, gonna take the reins of an offense, make the guys that are out there better by how he communicates, how he plays, the decisions that he makes. He’s had plenty of, of those moments and opportunities that this team is, is excited to, to follow him, push and fight for him, definitely proud of all the investments that he’s made. He’s playing at a high level in his operation of the things that we’re asking him to do and the things that he’s, just making happen. Excited to watch him play.
QUESTION. Not that you want to live in the past or worry too much about the past, but you talk about how good you feel about this team right now. Were there things coming out of camp last year or the year that you were a little concerned about that came to fruition, or did you feel the same way coming out of those camps?
MIKE NORVELL: As a coach, you try to point to the things, the positive things that you see, the areas of strength of what you believe, and then, I’d say that in every group, there’s always an area of concern of. I know, in 2024, what was going to happen in the moment, in the moment of truth when maybe something that didn’t go well, that was a big concern. We did not handle that very well throughout the course of a season, faced plenty of factors that also contributing to what that year was. Last year, I had my concerns in certain areas. The moment where the leadership and it’s got to be the players and everything’s got to go and, where it’s not going as good as maybe you wanted it to, where are we going to be able to rise up in some of those situations. There were some times, early in the season, we had a lot of excitement and guys answered the call when things were going well. I mean, we played at a really high level. There was times that we had some opportunities and some missed opportunities where it came down to some discipline things, some areas where we just had, had true, missed opportunities to make the play in that moment of truth. When you look back at it and for all, for what was a team that showed some great capabilities, you lose 5 1-score games and, that, it comes down to details, it comes down to coaching, it comes down to everything that, we all have to do and we have to be a part of to take that, to be on the better side of those, close contests. This year’s team, I mean, I feel as good as I felt in a few years of what I think it’s going to look like. We still get to go do that. There are some positions that, we know that we’re going to need to stay, stay healthy. I like the depth, like the, probably the first two deep, but then, there’s some, some positions where you might have to rely on some really young inexperienced players, if certain things happen. So, that’s where I like this group. I like the work ethic. I like some of the newcomers that have shown that they can be capable and, have put themselves in a position and go into week zero, that they could be able to, to play and make a, make their mark for this football team. But, this is a, this is a group that I’m, I’m, I’m definitely confident in what they’re going to be able to accomplish, but that’s, the fun of going and playing the game.
QUESTION. Just how do you use this week as an opportunity to kind of build momentum take that into an early start to conference play the week after?
MIKE NORVELL: We’ve got to go be our best this week, that’s the, that’s the message of the team, we gotta start with best, that’s the expectation. It’s been the expectation in January. It’s been the expectation in spring practice, everything building up, that is what we want to see. Does that mean it’s gonna, guys are gonna play a perfect game? No, I’ve never been around a perfect game. Our guys, are they capable, are they capable to be able to go out there and play to the best of their ability. To be able to learn throughout the course of, what shows up on Saturday, to be able to apply the, the lessons, the fundamentals, the techniques, the, the, the unexpected things that we’re going to see, which shows up in every first game of the season. How are they going to be able to handle that and adjust, throughout. I want their, I want their best effort. In, in the mental, the physical, obviously the, the emotional, man, I want to go have fun playing this game. You, you, you put all your sights on, on what’s in front of us here this week, then, the next week, the expectation is going to be better. That’s what we have to continue to, to grow through, in, in the course of the season, but, it all starts here with this week.
QUESTION. In response to Ira, you said there’s some young inexperienced players that you feel have put themselves in position to contribute. Who are some of those guys and how do you know before you put them out there in the bright lights how they’re gonna respond, or do you just not know?
MIKE NORVELL: For me, you look for just the, the consistency through fall camp, through their, whether it’s a scrimmage, whether it’s, the way that they’ve handled themselves consistently through practice whenever they see, things that are expected, unexpected, the mental maturity that they show. Then the availability. I mean, that’s be a part of, we have, we have a couple of freshmen that I absolutely think are going to be, impacts for this team this year, that, might have had some bumps and bruises that have missed a little bit of time, and they’ve got to, they just got to show with more consistency. What they, what they will do with those opportunities. And that’s where some of this will be, throughout the course of the year. But I mean, I think, Jasen Lopez is going to be a guy that, he’s just consistently showed up and, been able to make plays, been able to, grow through the, grow through mistakes that have been made, grow, grown through some, some of the, the challenging, looks or, or, things that we put him through, but, he’s, he’s just continuing to answer the call. I think Izayia Williams is a guy that you’re gonna definitely see, you’re, definitely excited about, what he’s been able to do, even coming off of a slight injury, he’s just, hit the ground running, coming back in, what that looks like throughout the course of a, a game, how many plays, we’ll get a, we’ll get a better sense of that as we continue, as it continues to unfold. Jordan Crutchfield is another young guy that, very excited about the things that he’s shown early. We’ll see where that emerges. And then we’ve had some guys that, I think, in, in special teams have shown a lot of confidence in, in what they’re being asked to do, how they can do it, just, allowing themselves to go and be impactful. So I think we will have a, a good number of, of, your freshmen that’ll have a chance to, to impact in a variety of ways and, we’ll see those guys continue to emerge as, as the season progresses.
QUESTION. Looking through the game notes, it looks all the on-field coaches are supposed to be on the field. I believe you mentioned Tom Herman up in the box earlier and even looking through the game notes, many players, a lot of turnover. How do you lean on guys like Duce [Robinson] and returning guys who have been part of this to go through the operation? I know you mentioned the mock week.
MIKE NORVELL: I mean, that’s, we’ve tried to operate as best as possible, with the scrimmages, obviously. We got one scrimmage in Doak, we got the mock game there, but we try to work through just a communication operation, with coaches. Even in the other scrimmages, how we worked with that, just the headset communication. I think all that’s been really clean. We’ve got a great group of coaches that understand the roles, responsibility, eyes, where they need to be, the communication of what we want to hear and what needs to be said, we’ve even worked just sideline adjustment times where our players get to sit with the coach and understand the kind of the sequence of what we want to do, how we want to do that, where you’re going to sit, where you’re going to stand. Not overlooking any detail. The good thing is, just about every position, we have an experienced, we have experienced veterans that can help guide anything that might be new as well. It’s not like we have a position where just nobody understands expectations of what it could look like. That has really kind of helped as we’ve tried to sequence those things in practice as we’ve done it in scrimmages in a mock game. There’s not 70,000 people going wild, that you get to maintain all that focus and be able to apply it. That’s what you build towards, but then we get to go do it on Saturday.
QUESTION. Both quick questions. Theoretically, I know we’re supposed to find out on Saturday night, but is Jasen Lopez the starting punt returner?
MIKE NORVELL: Going into this week, I’d say he’s in a great spot to be able to do that, him and [Jayvan] Boggs, I mean, those guys are, have both done a really good job, but definitely excited about what Jasen could do.
QUESTION. And will Tre Wisner, do we think he’s gonna be available?
MIKE NORVELL: He’ll be available.
QUESTION. It sounds like you guys aren’t putting out a depth chart, if you could just talk about that decision, is it a year-long thing or…
MIKE NORVELL: It came from your question last week. I mean, when you said it, I was just why do we actually do that?
QUESTION. Will that be season-long?
MIKE NORVELL: The thought is, let it be season long. Obviously, as we get to the game, there’ll be game, the game notes and all those things that you’ll have. But, for us, the practice matters. There are competitive situations for a guy to sit there on Monday and, if, How, how he plays, that’s a huge evaluation that’s gonna go into what the next week looks like. If a guy has a bad play, it’s not always that, oh, this other guy is gonna start. Then I mentioned, for us to list, and we got 4 main personnel groupings that we can live in offensively. I mean, we could put, 15 positions up there and say, well, this guy’s a starter and this and this, defensively, same thing. Right now, guys know where they are. Every player wants more. And that’s, that’s what it should be. You should want to be the starter. You should want to be, the guy that plays the most plays. Well, it needs to show up and we’ve got to produce, we got to go play. But also on the flip side of it, I don’t, if we come out with a depth chart today that says, well, this is what it looks like. Throughout the course of the week, there’s, there’s ups, downs, whatever that might be, Somebody puts themselves in position, well, the best players are going to play. They’re going to start, they’re going to be the ones that find themselves with those opportunities and then they got to do the right things with them. Just, in all things, you look at, is everything, is everything we’re doing, obviously beneficial for you, for us, for the information that’s out there. But also accurate for our players. They know they live it. Just, go have a great week, the, Whatever personnel groupings that if you’re a starter in, then you’re a starter. If it’s, if you’re not, then continue to work and get better and put yourself in that position.
QUESTION. I think going into 2022, there might not have been really sky-high expectations for you guys. The following season, 2023, you still were underdogs to the same team that you beat the year prior then last year, obviously all the noise going to last season. Is there anything about who you are the way you coach that sometimes it seems maybe your teams respond play really well when they are counted out kind of looked at as an underdog?
MIKE NORVELL: For who I want us to be, is really to, regardless of what outside perception is, that, that our best shows up, whether we’re highly favored, whether we’re, seen as, the unexpected, just to be able to, to show up and, allow that, allow your identity, allow your best to be what’s put on display. Do I, do, do I want a team that is, that is absolutely, hungry to, to go, get after whoever’s in front of us, yes, I mean, that’s, that’s, that’s what it should be. That’s what playing this game, what it’s all about. We’re, we’re part of, an incredible, incredible university football program, tradition, expectation, let’s, let’s represent it the right way. Let’s, let’s, let’s respect, those that have come before us. Let’s respect the, the, the job, the game, and every bit of it by pouring all that we have into it. I can say that, I don’t. I don’t want a team that’s just fed by outside motivation, but, it’s the opportunities, the opportunities now. Let’s go write our own story.
QUESTION. You mentioned in practice having competition guys still fighting for spots stuff like that. Is, is that something that’s still going on along the offensive line? Do you feel comfortable and confident with where guys are heading into this week?
MIKE NORVELL: I’m confident in the guys that we have. I still do think that there’s some questions that, what different potential groupings could show up and how guys could be utilized if it’s, if there’s certain things or certain tandems that might work in different ways. I think we’re still evaluating that, but I feel very confident in that group. I think we do have 7-8 guys that they can go out there and play high-level winning football. As they’re still growing together. I mean, this week is another great week to see those guys execute, but I do feel good about the group.
QUESTION. I think Tony Sanchez, the head coach at New Mexico State, said, I think he told reporters last week that he thinks he might have the best defensive front they’ve had there at New Mexico State in the 5 years he’s been part of the program. I guess that, their linebacking corps, I mean, what have you seen from them? What are you kind of alerting your guys to keep there and get their attention engaged for this game?
MIKE NORVELL: There’s no lack of attention for our guys. Our guys are, this is, this is our moment, our first game, obviously, New Mexico State, brings back a good group, defensively that, has some experience. You know that a couple of guys that, that transferred out, but, they feel, I think, very confident in, the guys that they’ve had. They’re replacing them and they’re, they’re gonna play hard, they’re gonna play physical, they, they’re aggressive defensively, they’re gonna move upfront, show you a couple of different, variations in, in what they do. I really like, I think their linebackers. I mean, they’re, they are physical football players that, you, you’re gonna have to bring every bit of what you got and, how they play. But, this is, like I said, this is game one, there’s not, not, not, not a whole lot of people, you truly know, what our, what our group’s all about. This is our first, our first opportunity, we, we’re going to prepare at an elite level to go, be our best come Saturday night.
QUESTION. How does the 5 for 5 rule change in terms of not having to worry about that redshirting things? How does that affect you guys?
MIKE NORVELL: I mean, I think it does open the door, especially earlier, we’ll have some guys that are still growing in certain areas. Daylen Green is a guy that has really showed up as a freshman that I think he’s gonna have an opportunity in some special teams units to do some good things for us. Right now, defensively, he’s still working through, growing, but I’m not, I don’t have to sit there and worry, well, if we play him early, then we might get to 4 games and maybe not, but, or let’s hold him to see where he goes throughout the course of the season. But, if a guy shows to be the best at a position, we can have confidence to play him and knowing that we’re just, those are just great opportunities for him to go out there and help the team and you’re not worried about a time where you might pull somebody back or even have to accelerate pushing somebody forward, we can kind of really play it as the season goes.
QUESTION. You had guys last year who obviously had to end their seasons prematurely like Ja’Bril [Rawls], like Deamontae Diggs, and others for them, obviously you have new faces coming out on Saturday, but for those guys who are building something, especially Ja’Bril. To get that opportunity to get back out there. What do you want to see from —
MIKE NORVELL: Have fun playing the game. Ja’Bril, Q [Quindarrius Jones], Tae, all those guys that missed 6 or more games last year. I mean, it’s, it’s, when you lose, when you lose time, Caleb LaVallee is a guy that he has missed the better part of almost 2 years just of dealing with some just crap that’s showed up and it’s just, to, to see. See these guys, their work, their, their investment in it, some of the guys who were injured through camp just to see the urgency when they get back, go have fun. I mean, this is a, you work hard year-round, you work hard throughout the course of your career to, to be able to get, limited opportunities. When playing a game of football, you only get, you only get, so many guaranteed, you get 12 guaranteed every fall and you could see that in the midst of one play, it can, it can be, there will be some devastating results in that. You make the most of every, every opportunity that you get. You go, you have fun. Put your best on display and just continue to work to be better.
QUESTION. How do you feel about the blocking of the tight end unit and do you use a variety of people there for different jobs?
MIKE NORVELL: I think that’s a group that probably hasn’t got just an overwhelming amount of attention, but there’s a group that I’m really excited about. I think Landen Thomas, he’s playing his best football right now. Desirrio Riles was a great addition. His versatility, Chase Loftin, Chase last year played receiver, as he was continuing to physically develop, he’s over 230-something pounds right now. He dealt with a little bit of injury during fall camp, but has really come back well here this last week. I see that those guys really being able to be quite interchangeable also provides a lot of flexibility. They’re all willing blockers. They can create space. They’re going to be tough, physical, we’ve, I think I mentioned Greyson [Labiad] there a few weeks back, Xavier Tiller is a freshman that I’m really excited about. Corbyn Fordham is a guy that maybe as the season progresses. I do think there’s going to be some unique opportunities in regards to your question about roles and how they can be utilized. But it’s also a group that I think is very interchangeable and the things that we’re going to ask them to do and being able to be really good blockers in creating space there.
QUESTION. It felt when Malachi [Marshall] committed, it felt there was talk that he might come because he was not coming until the summer this might be even a redshirt year back before that when that was a thing then have two years to really compete. Has he exceeded what you guys thought and how’s that look in terms of him and Kevin [Sperry]?
MIKE NORVELL: He’s done a great job, coming in, I think, just anybody coming in In June, late May, June, it’s a tidal wave of information, and just for all that he’s had to consume, the work that he’s had to put in, learning a new language, obviously, the repetition, making sure that you can go out there and just operate the way that he has, is, it’s been impressive. I like the way that he’s performed. I think Kevin is continuing to grow and continuing to show his ability. He’s had, there were some up and down days there for him, there early in camp, which I kind of alluded to, but I think those guys have really helped pick each other up, and it’s, I like that quarterback room of how they are together, it is competition and ultimately, we know Ashton, Ashton’s the starting quarterback and he’s going out there everything that he can do to put us in a position to win. And if something happens, obviously, guys are battling to see, that they’re showing the trust, that they’re showing the capability that they’re going to have a football team that’s ready to rally behind the things that they’ve shown in practice in preparation and what they’re doing. I think we had a great group in that. But to answer your question, I think Malachi has actually, I mean, he’s come in and to say he exceeded expectations. I just, I’ve been, Really pleased with what I’ve seen, even his physical development. That’s one of, he’s not the biggest guy in the world. He’s already gained 18 pounds since he’s been here, being able to help some of the concerns that I had when he first came in, but now that you don’t have the redshirt and there’s 3 years and I, the, he’s put himself in a position to be able to play, and I’m definitely excited about his continued growth.
