Former FSU Football QB Very Concerned About 2026 Season

For former Florida State quarterback Danny Kanell, the situation surrounding Tallahassee, Florida, is dire, to put it lightly. Self-described as an optimist, the CBS personality did not hold back when commenting on his experiences communicating within the fanbase.

He wants head coach Mike Norvell to succeed, but sees the mounting pressure on both Norvell and athletic director Michael Alford. He also feels that the mood around Tallahassee is the worst it has been for a while.

Kanell Understands the Mood Around Tallahassee

More than 60,000 fans filled Doak Campbell Stadium to experience the Savannah Bananas play against the Texas Tailgaters in Banana Ball on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. | Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"My expectations are low, and I would say that my expectations are higher than most fans I talk to," Kanell said on the upcoming season. "If you wanted to talk about positive vibes only, the vibes around Tallahassee are as bad as I've seen them in the last decade.”

Kanell has been a strong advocate for FSU after playing for the Seminoles under Bobby Bowden in the 1990's. With his finger on the pulse of an already unrestful FSU fan base, questions have been sent his way, and the boosters funding the Norvell era are becoming wary.

"The vibes around Tallahassee are as bad as I've seen them in the last decade." - @dannykanell is struggling to find reasons to be optimistic about his beloved Florida State Seminoles pic.twitter.com/0mC2uby06X
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) May 28, 2026

"It is bad, and I think a lot of the fans wanted to move on from Mike Norvell. I think they realize the financial situation that Florida State is in, and I think the boosters who would potentially be able to step up and write those checks have not cut those checks because they're kind of waiting for what feels inevitable," Kanell continued.

"That is not a healthy environment to be in, and it pains me, and I don't want to see that. When I talk to fans, I try to encourage them because I am an optimistic person by nature. I am rooting for Mike Norvell, and I would love for him to prove everybody wrong."

A Fan Base Looking for Proof

Dec 5, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; A Florida State Seminoles fan cheers after defeating the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in a 2025 NCAA Women’s College Cup semifinal match at CPKC Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Kanell isn't far off. Fans are worried, almost to the point of becoming exhausted, as they wait for an opportunity to wear a winning football logo with pride around the capital city once again. A 2-10 season doesn't scream Garnet and Gold, and a 5-7 follow-up did little to restore confidence in a fanbase wanting more.

A winning season is more complicated than it appears from the outside. At the same time, many of the people most eager for results are the same ones who invest their time, money, and emotion into the program through season tickets, donations, and support.

The financial situation carries its own set of variables, including the football-only facility and stadium renovations completed under Norvell and Alford. Those investments are difficult to ignore when evaluating leadership and the program's trajectory. The expectations are substantial, but so is the financial commitment behind them.

The results haven't been good enough. The frustration is justified. But there are legitimate reasons why Florida State hasn't made a coaching change and why decision-makers may believe 2026 deserves a chance to play out.

Fans have every right to be frustrated after consecutive losing seasons. At the same time, constantly operating from a place of inevitability can become counterproductive for a program trying to climb out of a hole.

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