Mike Norvell era at Florida State brings optimism and questions as 2020 season looms
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College football 2020 season preview
The Miami Hurricanes hope the hiring of new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, coupled with dynamic transfer quarterback D’Eriq King, helps vault the Hurricanes back into the national picture during a season where a pandemic has already seen the Big 10 and Pac-12 opt out of competition during the fall. Plus, a look at the other teams across the state, as all seven Florida FBS teams will be playing.
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The college football offseason was anything but quiet. COVID-19, the respiratory illness from the novel coronavirus, caused a global pandemic that put sports on hiatus and lingered throughout the summer months to put college football’s season in jeopardy.
But football is happening, and it’s just around the corner.
The Florida State Seminoles had their own eventful offseason under first-year head coach Mike Norvell.
In early June, star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson threatened a team-wide boycott after The Athletic reported Norvell said he spoke to players individually following the death of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, leading to worldwide protests.
The players and Norvell worked that out quickly, and then a group of wide receivers voiced their opinions about the program’s COVID-19 testing policies. Warren Thompson posted a letter to social media questioning the lack of transparency with COVID-19.
That, too, was quelled.
And now the Seminoles are heading into the Norvell era looking to improve from two consecutive losing seasons under former head coach Willie Taggart.
Taggart was dismissed in November 2019 as FSU was heading toward missing a bowl game for two years in a row. The Seminoles had played in a bowl game in 36 consecutive seasons, prior to a losing record in 2018.
That prompted FSU to bring in Norvell, who turned Memphis into a conference title contender in the American Athletic Conference.
Facing conference powerhouse UCF, the Tigers earned their first conference title last season.
Norvell’s teams averaged more than 40 points per game on offense the past two seasons, and his style wasn’t dependent on solely the run or pass.
In 2018, Memphis averaged more rushing yards than passing yards per game, and that was flip-flopped in 2019 showcasing how Norvell isn’t married to one style and tailors his offense to his personnel.
Redshirt senior James Blackman is expected to be the Seminoles’ starting quarterback to begin the season.
Tamorrion Terry is expected to be Blackman’s top target in the passing game. Terry led the team in receiving last season as a redshirt sophomore. He was the lone wide receiver to tally more than 1,000 yards. Terry finished 2019 with 1,188 receiving yards on 60 catches with 19 touchdowns.
Jashaun Corbin, a redshirt sophomore, is expected to be the featured running back and is on the Doak Walker Award watch list entering the 2020 campaign.
However, a major question mark remains the same coming into 2020 as it did the past couple seasons: the offensive line. The starters aren’t locked in yet, according to the Tallahassee Democrat, and new offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham explained how the unit has improved since spring ball to now.
“From where we were back spring ball day three to right now there’s unbelievable improvement,” Dillingham told the Tallahassee Democrat. “It’s a remarkable improvement. I think those guys know what is going on, they know what we want to get accomplished, but now I think it’s the reps and the detail of it. When you talk about two eyes and shades, they know it, they know what they need to get accomplished. Now they need reps doing it.”
Defensively, Wilson anchors the defensive line. The senior is on several watch lists for college football awards, including the Bednarik Award, Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy and Maxwell Award.
The Maxwell Award is given to college football’s best player. Wilson isn’t the only defensive player getting preseason love. Hamsah Nasirildeen is on several watch lists, too, including the Thorpe Award given to the best defensive back.
Two seniors, Emmett Rice and Leonard Warner III, are expected to take two of the three linebacker starting slots.
Jaiden Lars-Woodbey, who was a prized recruit and started as a true freshman in 2018, is partnering with Nasirildeen at safety.
FSU’s season starts Sept. 12 at home against Georgia Tech, before a trip to face the Miami Hurricanes in South Florida takes place the following week, giving fans an early look at the Norvell era in Tallahassee.
This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 11:08 AM with the headline "Mike Norvell era at Florida State brings optimism and questions as 2020 season looms."
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