What a difference a week can make for Florida State head coach Mike Norvell.
After spending much of the past week at the center of speculation surrounding his job security, Norvell is now receiving national recognition following the Seminoles' convincing 38-7 victory over Virginia. CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz released the outlet's conference coaches of the week, with Norvell earning the ACC selection after guiding FSU to its first Power Four victory of the season.
The recognition represents a dramatic shift in the conversation surrounding Norvell. Just days earlier, CBS Sports included him among the coaches facing mounting pressure and a clear hot-seat candidate, suggesting that a victory over Virginia was critical to his chances of remaining in Tallahassee
beyond this season.
Instead of simply surviving the matchup as many expected, Norvell's Seminoles dominated a Virginia team that entered Saturday as the favorite, scoring 38 unanswered points after falling behind 7-0.
Quarterback Ashton Daniels delivered a historic performance, rushing for 136 yards and a program-record five touchdowns as Florida State accumulated 464 yards of total offense. The defense was equally impressive, recording 10 sacks and holding Virginia to just 205 total yards, including only 37 on the ground.
Saturday's victory improved Florida State to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in ACC play, giving Norvell a much-needed positive result amid growing scrutiny of the program's direction. Although one dominant performance won't silence questions about his future, Norvell's recognition offers a remarkable contrast to the criticism he faced entering the weekend.
The Seminoles will now look to build on that momentum when they travel to Louisville on Friday, Oct. 9, for another critical ACC matchup. The game is set to start at 7 p.m. ET and will be on ESPN.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU's Mike Norvell earns major honor amid growing scrutiny
