Florida State left Clemson with a lopsided stat sheet and an even tougher postgame message from Mike Norvell.
The Seminoles’ coach didn’t sugarcoat what he saw after the loss, saying, “There’s no part of tonight that was good enough.” He pointed first to the basics that never held up: Florida State lost the turnover battle 4-0, kept putting Clemson in short fields, and spent too much of the night trying to dig out of bad field position.
“Extremely disappointed with the result….high expectations coming into it from the work the last couple of weeks, did not play to the standard needed to win college football games”.
Norvell said the Seminoles did show some life late, clawing back to a one-score game in the fourth quarter, but the comeback never fully materialized. The defense couldn’t get the stops it needed, and Florida State gave up too much across the board.
“Proud of the fight into the fourth quarter. Got it to a one-score game, but not enough.
Didn’t get the stops when we needed them. Gave up things in all phases.
“Guys got banged up. Didn’t play clean enough or good enough to win….disappointing result.”
A big part of the night came down to Ashton Daniels’ mistakes, and Norvell didn’t dodge that either. He said the quarterback had a few misses, including a throw with the wrong trajectory and a sequence late in the first half where Daniels forced a ball into coverage.
“Made a couple misses… one was the trajectory on a ball. One-on-one, put too much on it trying to give Duce a chance, safety got over the top.
“Poor decision at the end of the half. First-down scramble, corner fell off. Last play, showed a house look, corner fell off.
“We emphasize ball security and creating takeaways every day. When that doesn’t show up, it pisses you off.
He puts the work in. Not a lot of poor decision interceptions this season, but tonight it was a difference.
We needed takeaways.”
Special teams also drew Norvell’s wrath. He called that phase “Extremely poor,” saying Florida State couldn’t flip the field and had too many mishaps with the depth it had available.
“Extremely poor. Couldn’t flip the field.
Mishaps with the depth we had. Can’t have that.”
The coach also zeroed in on Clemson’s 79-yard run by the quarterback, a backbreaker in a one-score game.
“Can’t have that on third and 12 in a one-score game. Moment of truth….finish the rush…make the open-field tackle.”
Even with the frustration, Norvell said he liked the way his team kept competing. He said he told the players to keep believing and take things one play at a time, and he noted that they still managed to make a few plays and get a couple of stops after the long run.
“I like the fight. Told them keep believing, one play at a time.
Guys made some plays…got a couple stops. Still believed after the long run.
“Didn’t finish, appreciate the work, but need the application. Things showed up that aren’t what we coach or how they work….young guys got thrown in.
Still responsible. Saw the fight, but got to get the job done.”
Norvell also singled out the running backs room, saying he was proud of Amari in his first extensive action and that he made plays with his hands.
“Proud of Amari in his first extensive action, made some plays with his hands.”
He added that Florida State had expected a loaded running backs group early, but injuries have changed that picture.
“Thought we had one of the best rooms in the country early. Top guys out, then Trey goes down.
Guys have to be ready…. Injuries happen.”
When asked about the fans, Norvell kept it simple.
“Got to win. That’s what it comes down to.
“This team rallied and still believed, understand the frustration. Believe in these players, they’re going to fight. Tough schedule, wins will be coming, that’s the focus.”
Inside the locker room, he said the mood was obvious: disappointment, frustration, and a feeling that the team had more to give.
“Everybody’s down…. Frustration when you know you have more.
Got good leaders….. Team believes.
“It sucks, saw the fight when we were down multiple scores. Don’t just need to be in position, got to finish.
Guys fight for each other, they’re pissed, mad, all of it. Willingness to keep pushing, block the other crap out and focus on improvement.
If we do that, we’ll rise up.”
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Now the Seminoles are staring at a decision that would carry one of the biggest financial consequences in college football if they move on after the Oct. 31 game against Clemson. The buyout would land around $47.1 million, a figure that could still change if Norvell lands another job, but it leaves Florida State weighing performance against a massive contract commitment in a way few programs ever have to. [Read more 🡒]