Mike Norvell highlights bravery of Ethan Pritchard, what he means to Florida State

The early season was marred by a tragedy for the Florida State Seminoles. Freshman linebacker Ethan Pritchard was shot in the head while visiting family, forcing him to begin a long road to recovery.

Thankfully, Pritchard has made strides in his recovery. In October, he left the hospital and moved to a rehab facility. Now, in mid-November, he’s once again been able to rejoin the Florida State team. That included participating in the Legacy Walk before Saturday’s game against Virginia Tech, making a recent appearance at practice. Pritchard would even receive a large round of applause on the jumbotron, and after the game, Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell praised him, sharing what he’s meant to the team.

“He’s just such an incredible young man,” Mike Norvell said. “Obviously, it was an awful tragedy that happened to him. You never know why. But nothing that he did, it was just really wrong place, wrong time. But he is the one — he lives the effects of it. He has fought throughout this process. Not once has he ever said anything negative about the situation, other than he was going to work.”

The Virginia Tech game marked Pritchard’s first appearance at a Florida State game since Week 1’s win over Alabama. It was shortly after that when the shooting occurred. It nearly killed him, but on Thursday, he was finally able to leave the rehab center he had been in.

“I’ve talked to him a lot. I Facetimed him a good amount. Most of the times I’m Facetiming him he’s in the middle of a workout or his rehab. He has sweat going down his forehead. He goes, ‘Coach, they’re pushing me.’ I said, ‘It’s alright, buddy, you’re built for it.’ He said, ‘Yes, I am. Yes, I am.’ He’s going to go do all that he desires to do,” Norvell said. “Because of what’s in his heart and just the passion that he has. You feel his spirit just around, anybody that’s around him. And he’s just a great teammate, a great friend and somebody I love deeply, just for all that he stands for.”

A native of Sanford, Florida who played at Seminole, Pritchard was a three-star recruit in the Class of 2025. He had been the 555th-ranked recruit overall and the 61st-ranked linebacker in that recruiting cycle.

“I have absolute no doubt that he will accomplish all that he puts his mind to. He’s led with the heart. I remember going to watch him play in high school,” Norvell said. “And it was after — I got to watch him live a few years back. He was one of those guys you just felt on the football field. Size, measurable speed, he’s got some great qualities. But just the mentality of what he brought, he was not going to be denied. And from the day that he’s been here, he brings that passion.”

The shooting itself would turn out to be a case of mistaken identity. Pritchard was in a car that looked like another one, which the alleged shooters were actually looking for. Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the shooting.

“And even the night that he got shot, I mean, we were sitting there. We just came off a big win. After each win, we celebrate our scout team players of the week. And I swear to you, he came into that practice that Sunday night and, man, he was so determined,” Norvell said.

“Because the first week he didn’t get the scout team player of the week, and he goes, ‘What do I gotta do? What do I gotta do?’ It’s funny because the week prior, he had a couple of bad plays, and I said, you just keep it — I know, I got it. And Sunday it was everything he was determined, this was going to be his week to get it done. When you can bring all the passion, all the energy to be the best that you can be, then the circumstances you find yourself in is not going to define you. It’s what you do through those circumstances that’s going to show the world what you’re all about.”

Florida State would go on to beat Virginia Tech 34-14, moving to 5-5 in what has been an emotional season for the program. With Pritchard around the program to act as a kind of inspiration, not just to his teammates but to Norvell himself.

“I hate — hate — what happened to Ethan Pritchard. It should never happen to any person. You watch him. If you need inspiration, you need motivation, you want to understand how to go about doing things in life, watch him,” Norvell said. “Because I know where he’s going, I know what he’s going to be able to accomplish. He’s an inspiration to me. And I just love the young man.”