Mike Norvell backed by FSU administration: 'I'm not going to let them down'

Promising a "comprehensive evaluation" at the conclusion of the 2025 season, Florida State's decision on head coach Mike Norvell's future came earlier than expected.

In a release which featured comments from university president Richard McCullough, athletic director Michael Alford, and BOT chair Peter Collins, the Seminoles announced Norvell would be back in Tallahassee for a seventh year.

While the move doesn't feel like much of a surprise, the timing is confusing. Florida State is coming off a dismal 21-11 road loss to NC State and won't make a bowl game if its defeated in Gainesville this weekend.

At the very least, the Seminoles have answered a big question surrounding the program, even if it's the answer no one really wants to hear.

Mike Norvell 'Not Going To Let Down' FSU's Administration

On Monday, Norvell expressed his gratitude for Florida State's administration. According to the head coach, the Seminoles will take a 'broader scope' of the program this offseason to make positive changes.

Norvell didn't exactly specify what those changes will entail.

"Obviously I'm grateful for the administration and their belief in myself and what's ahead for us. As I've mentioned throughout this year, I've got an elite level of confidence in where we're going and what we're going to be able to accomplish," Norvell said. "At the end of the day, you're always evaluating. You're evaluating when it's good. You're evaluating when you see disappointing and experience disappointing results, and that's what we've done."

"There's a lot of things that we'll continue to take a broader scope, you look at as we get into the off-season, after we get through this year, but I'm always evaluating throughout the course of the year week to week obviously in every part of our program just to be able to push it and to be able to take the proper steps for us to be the best that we can be," Norvell added.

"Like I said, we've had conversations, but this week all of our focus is on going to Gainesville and doing everything we can to go get our sixth win for the season."

Norvell chose not to reveal when he was told he'd be returning as head coach.

Instead, he's trying to keep Florida State's focus on the final week of the regular season.

"There's constant conversations with myself, the administration. There's a great presence around our program and understanding of what we're doing," Norvell said. "To know that the decision has been made, the release is going out, that's something that I'm grateful for. I'm grateful for all the process leading up to that."

"My focus and concern has been trying to help pour into these players for us to go be better. I've seen positive response," Norvell added. "We weren't good enough Friday night in what needed to be done, but that's my focus, and it's going to be my continued focus. I'm grateful for the announcement yesterday, excited about it, moving forward with clarity for recruits, for our players, for our staff, for everything that's there."

"We still have a job to do. It's about the job. It's about going to get the job done this week to being the best we've been throughout this season, and then we move to the next phase of it," Norvell continued. "I know what I want that to be. Going to get a sixth win, that's the focus, and then you get to carry it to the next part of it."

With the blessing of the university's leadership, Norvell claims he will do everything in his power not to let them down.

That's good to know, since neither he or Florida State can afford the continued failures.

"I was grateful when I did get the call that the release was going out and that it was just the decision of timing, but I've been confident that, if I could keep my head down and just continue to work, even though it wasn't the result we wanted there Friday night, that the opportunity would be there," Norvell said.

"I'm not going to let them down, and I mean that in the sense of like I believe in what it's going to be, and I know what we have to continue to do, and we're going to get it done."

FSU and Florida will kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 29. The contest will be televised on ESPN2.

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