Mike Norvell’s résumé at Florida State has a glaring problem, and it starts at the game’s most important spot.
Quarterback play has been the separator for Norvell when things have gone right, and it has been the source of plenty of frustration when they haven’t. The one clear exception in Tallahassee was Jordan Travis, who powered a 23-4 run across the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Outside of that stretch, Norvell’s track record evaluating and developing quarterbacks at Florida State has been uneven at best.
The contrast with his Memphis days is stark. In four seasons with the Tigers, Norvell had Riley Ferguson from 2016-2017 and Brady White from 2018-2019, and the two combined for 15,265 passing yards, 129 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. White is now an assistant coach on Norvell’s staff at Florida State, and that Memphis production helped drive a 38-16 record and a .704 winning percentage before Norvell landed the Florida State job after Willie Taggart.
Since then, the Seminoles have lived through far more misses than hits at quarterback. In six seasons, Norvell has guided Florida State to four losing campaigns, and his overall record in Tallahassee sits at 39-34, a .534 winning percentage entering his seventh year.
The high school pipeline hasn’t solved the issue. Norvell signed four four-star quarterbacks - Chubba Purdy in 2020, AJ Duffy in 2022, Brock Glenn in 2023 and Luke Kromenhoek in 2024 - and all four were ranked among the top 25 quarterback prospects nationally. None stuck as a power 4 starter in Tallahassee, and each eventually transferred out.
There was also Wyatt Rector, a quarterback prospect who produced and flashed real talent in high school before Norvell moved him to tight end. That was another evaluation that didn’t land.
The portal hasn’t been much kinder. McKenzie Milton arrived from UCF in 2021 and tried to come back from a brutal knee injury and a string of painful surgeries, but he went 0-4 as a starter with three touchdown passes and six interceptions.
DJ Uiagalelei followed after stops at Clemson and Oregon State, but his Florida State stint in 2024 produced four touchdown passes and six interceptions in five games. Glenn, then a freshman, took over for the other seven games and finished with four touchdown passes, five interceptions and a 44.7 percent completion rate as Florida State stumbled to a 2-10 record.
Last season brought another swing with Boston College transfer Thomas Castellanos. Paired with offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, he put up more than 3,300 yards of total offense and 24 total touchdowns, but the results still didn’t turn into wins, and Florida State finished 5-7.
Now the Seminoles are turning to Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels, who comes in with 27 collegiate touchdown passes and 22 interceptions. He is the third straight transfer quarterback to start for Florida State, a sign of how often the program has gone back to the portal searching for an answer.
With SMU on deck on Labor Day, the scrutiny around Norvell is only getting louder. The question hanging over Tallahassee is whether he gets all season to sort this out, or whether the pressure finally catches up before the year is done.
In Other News...
Florida State May Have Found Its Next Difference Maker At Running Back
Florida State opened its 2026 season with a performance that should keep the backfield conversation lively, because the Seminoles got a clear lead runner right away. The sophomore running back paced the offense with 115 yards and a touchdown, giving Florida State the kind of early spark that can shape how a season feels before conference play even settles in.
For a team always looking to establish balance, that kind of outing matters beyond the box score. It also puts a spotlight on what comes next, because the Seminoles now have a strong first answer at running back and a chance to see whether one strong opener turns into something more lasting as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Heads Into SMU Week With One Lineup Battle Still Unsettled
Florida State heads into its conference opener still sorting out one of the quiet but important questions on the roster: who will hold down the starting offensive line spots. Mike Norvell said the group remains competitive even though the Seminoles used the same five players in the season opener, a sign that the staff is keeping the door open rather than locking in a permanent five just yet.
Norvell made clear that the evaluation will continue through practice and game action, with performance driving the final call. He pointed to areas that need improvement while also praising the effort of specific players, leaving SMU week as a real test for a line that is still trying to turn consistency into certainty. [Read more 🡒]
Ethan Pritchard Gave FSU An Opening Night Moment Nobody Will Forget
Nearly a year after a devastating August 2025 shooting left Ethan Pritchard fighting for his life, the Florida State freshman linebacker made an unforgettable return to Doak Campbell Stadium. Pritchard, who spent weeks in the ICU and in rehabilitation relearning basic functions, walked onto the field on opening night in a moment that carried far beyond football and gave Seminoles fans a powerful reminder of how much he has already overcome.
Florida State honored Pritchard with the Doc Fauls Rise Above Adversity Award, recognizing the resolve it took to reach this point. Mike Norvell called him a walking miracle and pointed to the mental toughness and faith that helped carry him through the recovery, a journey still unfolding but one that already stands as one of the most moving stories around the program. [Read more 🡒]