Mike Norvell reveals his reaction to Monday statement from Florida State AD Michael Alford

Amid rampant speculation about his future in Tallahassee, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell began his Wednesday press conference this week with a lenghty 5 1/2-minute opening statement explaining how he intended to turn things around. This comes two days after FSU athletic director Mike Alford released a statement of his own announcing his full commitment to Norvell finishing the season strong.

After his opening statement, Norvell revealed his reaction to Alford’s vote of support while providing a frank assessment of the Seminoles’ program amid a 0-4 start to ACC play this season. This comes after FSU struggled through a disappointing 2-10 campaign in 2024. Norvell and the ‘Noles (3-4, 0-4 ACC) are on a bye this weekend before returning Nov. 1 against Wake Forest (4-2, 1-2 ACC).

“Ultimately, I try to focus every day as the day, and obviously I’m always in constant communication with Michael (Alford), with the president and the board (of directors), and I understand the expectations. And for all things, there’s no higher expectation than what I have, and I know it’s not been good enough,” Norvell said Wednesday. “With every day I get to come on this campus and be a part of this program, I’m going to give all that I have. There’s not (a day over) the last six years that’s (not) occurred. The results have not always been what I wanted them to be, but I think when you go through all the different aspects of where we are and what it looks like. I mean, we’ve got to get better.

“I appreciate the belief in what that is and what that belief is throughout our future and what’s ahead. But the statement wasn’t for me, ultimately, because I know every day that I show up what it’s going to be and what it’s going to look like,” Norvell continued. “But I’m grateful for the opportunity to be the head coach here at Florida State, and I’m not going to take that for granted. I’m also not going to sit there and just hinge everything off of what the messages are. I’ve got a job to do and I’ve got to go do my job, and we’ve got to be better at it.”

FSU jumpstarted its season with a statement win over Alabama. After winning its next two games, the Seminoles soared as high as No. 7 in the AP Top 25. Now, sitting at 0-4 in conference play, FSU fans are wondering what went wrong. Norvell has a career 36-31 overall record in six seasons at Florida State, including winning an ACC championship amid a 13-1 record in 2023. But since then, the ‘Noles are a combined 5-14 overall and 1-11 in ACC play.

“I know we have to win games. And I take great ownership in our results, and it’s not been good enough,” Norvell continued. “And I hate it for Michael, I hate it for our players, I hate it for the program, I hate it for the university, the city of Tallahassee in general. I hate it for everybody that’s had to deal with and experience disappointing outcomes. But that’s on me and this staff and this football team to get this right. I know Michael’s belief in us, and what it can be.”

FSU AD Michael Alford remains ‘fully committed’ to Florida State coach

After a 3-0 start to the season, Florida State has lost four consecutive games, most recently falling 20-13 to Stanford. On Monday, Florida State athletic director Michael Alford released a statement addressing the program’s shortcomings and Mike Norvell‘s status as head coach.

“Florida State football benefits from unmatched passionate support from the entire FSU family, and the commitment to our football program is unwavering,” the statement read. “We rightfully have high expectations in everything we do to represent Florida State in the manner that built our reputation as one of college football’s best programs, cultivating an extraordinary group of supporters nationally and globally.

“We embrace those expectations while also sharing the deep disappointment when results on the field are short of that standard. As we continue to move forward this season, our comprehensive assessment of the football program will be completed at season’s end. Meanwhile, we are fully committed to helping Coach Novell and the 2025 Seminoles strongly rebound in the coming weeks.”

— On3’s Grant Grubbs contributed to this report.