‘This Is Not the Standard at FSU,’ ‘Such a Bad Look’ — Calls Mount for Mike Norvell’s Firing After ‘Embarrassing’ Collapse vs. Louisville
The Florida State Seminoles had a 14-0 lead and a chance to make it three touchdowns. By the end of Friday night, fans were discussing whether Mike Norvell should even make the flight home.
Louisville’s 44-20 victory supplied another miserable chapter in FSU’s road struggles. An encouraging opening quarter quickly became a familiar argument about how much longer the program can keep doing this.
Fans Demand Mike Norvell’s Firing After FSU Blows Early Lead
One fan reached for the comparison that carries the most weight in Tallahassee.
“Bobby Bowden had 1 losing season in 34 years leading FSU football, his first, in 1976. Mike Norvell has had 4 in his last 6, and is eyeing his 5th in 7. This is NOT the standard at FSU. Fire this [expletive] in Louisville and make him buy his own ticket home,”the fan wrote.
FSU’s collapse also tested the patience of those willing to give Norvell some benefit of the doubt.
“As much as I’m trying to defend Mike Norvell, it’s just such a bad look to fall apart like this,”Dan Wolken wrote.
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“It’s one thing to make the wrong 4th-down call. But it’s probably worse, from a coaching evaluation standpoint, that the team just collapsed at the first adverse moment.”
Another reaction outlined a similar criticism of how Norvell’s teams respond when things go wrong.
“Mike Norvell-coached teams are just mentally weak. They fold at the very first sign of any adversity,”one user wrote.
Thepressure surrounding Norvell’s future was already substantial. Friday gave frustrated supporters another game to add to their case.
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Florida State’s Road Win Drought Reaches 1,049 Days
FSU has not won a true road game since Nov. 25, 2023. Friday marked 1,049 days since the Seminoles’ last true road win, and Louisville extended the true road losing streak to 11 games.
The missed chance near the goal line made this loss especially painful. Louisville followed FSU’s failed fourth-down attempt with a 97-yard touchdown run and eventually scored 35 unanswered points.
Former NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz reacted while that turnaround was unfolding.
“Florida State was up 14-0. Had 2nd and goal at the 3. Didn’t score a point. Louisville has now scored 28 straight points. Probably the last night Norvell is the coach,”Schwartz wrote.
Former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert sounded thoroughly finished with trusting the Seminoles.
“I will not touch FSU ever again, I will not touch FSU ever again, I WILL NOT DO IT,”Benkert wrote. “No matter how enticing it looks, no matter if they have a 14-0 lead about to go up 21-0 on the 1-yard line, I WILL NOT do it.”
Florida State fell to 3-3, with another road game at Miami next. A 14-point cushion had briefly offered hope that the streak would finally end. FSU left Louisville still waiting.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
