Florida State is set to kick off its 2026 season on Saturday vs. the New Mexico State Aggies. Head coach Mike Norvell took to the podium on Monday to speak on where the Seminoles are heading into their first game.
A plethora returned from last season, but there are also quite a few new faces on the roster. Norvell mentioned that things in fall camp went smoothly.
"The guys, really did a good job, throughout their fall camp," said Norvell. "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."
FSU is coming off two disappointing seasons, and they need to show and prove coming out of the gate. Norvell spoke on his
satisfaction with how his team has gotten ready for this campaign.
"As I told them, best is expected," said Norvell. "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."
Norvell would also talk about Ashton Daniels, which young players can contribute immediately, not releasing a depth chart, and much more.
Where is the confidence level in Ashton Daniels heading into this week?
I think it's been, it's been great throughout the course of this fall, fall camp. He's had the moments that, You know, 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.
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
Is the feeling about this team the same as teams in the past after fall camp
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.
How will the season opener prepare the team for ACC play next week?
You know, we've got to go be our best this week, that's the, that's the message of the team, you know, 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, you know, that is what we want to see. Does that mean it's gonna, you know, guys are gonna play a perfect game? No, I've never been around a perfect game. You know, 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, you know, what shows up on Saturday, to be able to apply the, the lessons, you know, the fundamentals, the techniques, you know, the, the, the unexpected things that we're going to see, you know, which shows up in every first game of the season, you know. How are they going to be able to handle that and adjust, you know, throughout.
You know, I want their, I want their best effort. You know, in, in the mental, the physical, obviously the, the emotional, man, I want to go have fun playing this game. You know, you, you, you put all your sights on, on what's in front of us here this week, then, you know, the next week, you know, the expectation is going to be better. That's what we have to continue to, to grow through, you know, in, in the course of the season, but, you know, it all starts here with this week.
Which inexperienced players have a shot to contribute early
For me, you look for just the, the consistency through fall camp, through their, whether it's a scrimmage, whether it's, you know, the way that they've handled themselves consistently through practice whenever they see, you know, 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, you know, might have had some bumps and bruises that have missed a little bit of time, you know, and they've got to, they just got to show with more consistency, you know, What they, what they will do with those opportunities.
You know, and that's where some of this will be, you know, throughout the course of the year. But I mean, I think, you know, Jasen Lopez is going to be a guy that, you know, he's just consistently showed up and, you know, 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, you know, 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, You know, 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.
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.
I mean, that's, you know, we've tried to operate as best as possible, you know, 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.
On Jasen Lopez being the starting punt returner?
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 Jason could do.
On the availability of Tre Wisner
He'll be available.
On not releasing a depth chart before the season opener
It came from your question last week. I mean, when you said it, I was just why do we actually do that?
On if that will be a season-long thing
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.
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
On why the team responds well to being an underdog
For who I want us to be, is really to, you know, regardless of what outside perception is, you know, that, that our best shows up, whether we're highly favored, whether we're, you know, seen as, you know, the unexpected, you know, just to be able to, to show up and, you know, allow that, allow your identity, allow your best to be what's put on display. you know, do I, do, do I want a team that is, that is absolutely, you know, hungry to, to go, You know, get after whoever's in front of us, you know, yes, I mean, that's, that's, that's what it should be.
That's what playing this game, what it's all about. You know, we're, we're part of, you know, an incredible, incredible university football program, tradition, expectation, you know, let's, let's represent it the right way. Let's, let's, let's respect, you know, 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, You know, I don't. I don't want a team that's just fed by outside motivation, but, you know, it's the opportunities, the opportunities now. Let's go write our own story.
On confidence in the offensive line
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.
On New Mexico State's defense
There's no lack of attention for our guys. Our guys are, you know, this is, this is our moment, you know, our first game, you know, obviously, New Mexico State, you know, brings back a good group, defensively that, has some experience. You know that a couple of guys that, that transferred out, but, you know, they feel, you know, 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, you know, they, they're aggressive defensively, you know, 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 know, you, you're gonna have to bring every bit of what you got and, how they play. but, you know, this is, like I said, this is game one, you know, there's not, not, not, not a whole lot of people, you truly know, you know, what our, what our group's all about. this is our first, our first opportunity, you know, we, we're going to prepare at an elite level to go, be our best come Saturday night.
On the 5-for-5 rule change
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.
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
On what he wants to see from players who missed time last season
Have fun playing the game, you know, Ja'Bril, Q (Quindarrius Jones), Tae, you know, all those guys that missed 6 or more games last year. I mean, it's, it's, when you lose, when you lose time, you know, Caleb LaVallee is a guy hat 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, you know, to, to see. See these guys, you know, their work, their, their investment in it, you know, some of the guys who were injured through camp just to see the urgency when they get back, you know, 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, you know, limited opportunities. When playing a game of football, you only get, you only get, you know, so many guaranteed, you get 12 guaranteed every fall and you could see that in the midst of one play, you know, 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. You know, put your best on display and just continue to work to be better.
On tight end blocking
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 Grayson (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.
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?
On quarterbacks Malachi Marshall and Kevin Sperry
He's done a great job, you know, 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 (Sperry) 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 (Daniels), 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.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Everything Mike Norvell said at FSU's season-opening press conference
