Full comments from Mike Norvell and Brent Venables at the Cheez-It Bowl opening press conference
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Florida State was named to the Cheez-It Bowl on Sunday, the first trip to the postseason for the program since 2019. The Seminoles will be matching up with a national brand in Oklahoma, led by a familiar face in first-year head coach and former Clemson defensive coordinator, Brent Venables.
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Shortly after the matchup in Orlando became official, Venables and FSU head coach Mike Norvell spoke with the media to open up the bowl game. Their full comments are transcribed below courtesy of FastScripts by ASAP Sports.
MIKE NORVELL: We are so excited and grateful for the Cheez-It Bowl and the committee to select us to be able to stay home in the State of Florida and to play this game. You know, and two storied programs, very explosive football teams and the opportunity for our group to be able to play one more game together for this season.
You know, try and go get our tenth win, really proud of all of the steps that our team has taken. You work hard through the year, and these guys have responded throughout, and to now have an opportunity to play in such a great bowl game, against a very explosive and talented Oklahoma team and just really proud of our guys and the work that's gone into it. You know, excited about the experience that's ahead.
Q. I know you've been on the road this week. Do you have any clarity about who you may or may not have in the Bowl game?
MIKE NORVELL: We will continue to evaluate that as we go through the Bowl practices. I know a couple guys have already come out with statements of their availability, and you know, it's things that we'll continue to discuss. I'm excited about the way the guys have been working, and how we'll continue to work leading up through our bowl prep.
Q. You talked about when you took the Florida State job, it was iconic, and Oklahoma is, as well. When you heard there was a possibility for this matchup, how excited for you about the matchup?
MIKE NORVELL: It's a great matchup. It's a great opportunity with two of the great storied programs in all of college football history. To be able to link up in a great game and a great place, great atmosphere, I'm glad we have been able to play here in our home state.
This Oklahoma team we are playing has a lot of great players. They have recruited well over the years, and it's going to be a challenge for our guys. They have had some close contests throughout the season, but it's going to be -- it's what you want towards the end of the year.
You work hard to earn a bowl game, and then to be able to have a matchup against a very talented team is something that I know our players are going to be excited about.
The destination for our fan base is great being in Orlando. We have so many great Seminoles there, throughout the state but especially there in Orlando, for them to be able to come. I know it's going to be a wonderful atmosphere, and to be able to have these two programs matching up, it's definitely going to be one of the most exciting Bowl games I think of this Bowl season.
Q. How far back did your relationship go with Brent Venables? And as a first-year coach, what do you remember about your first year as a head coach, some of the growing pains or some of the learning you've had in year one that just set a foundation to get to where you are right now?
MIKE NORVELL: Coach Venables, he was at Oklahoma when I was at Tulsa, and you watch his career and all of things he's accomplished. He's a great coach. Very passionate. Does a great job with the schematic part and putting his guys in a wonderful position to achieve success.
All the great teams and defenses he led there at Clemson; had to go against him there a year ago. But when he got the opportunity at Oklahoma, that is a great place, and it's a place that he was familiar with, but also now, being a head coach, it's that transition.
It's about establishing the foundation of your values and the things that you want your program to be built upon, and there's no manual for what to do and how to do it. But you know, just being able to stay true to who you are throughout that journey.
I think back to all of the decisions, whether it's the first year at Memphis or even coming here to Florida State, every decision impacts on such a grand scale, and it's one of the things I actually love about the position of being a head coach because it's impacting people. I know Coach Venables has done a wonderful job with that and establishing that foundation.
In today's age, it's unlike any ever before in college football with some of the different dynamics, whether it's the transfer portal or different things that we have to face. But you know, it's definitely a unique time and he'll do a great job with that.
Q. Talking with Brent a few minutes ago, he said that he noted that this is your third year, but it's your first bowl game and he said, "Mike has built that program the right way." Could you expand on some of the foundational principles you just mentioned, what those were, and how you got to this point?
MIKE NORVELL: Coming in, there had been quite a bit of change at Florida State over the years prior to being able to come. You know, it was important that we set those values and really establish an understanding for our players and what to expect, because there had been different leaders. With every leader, there's going to be different languages and different expectations.
So trying to establish just that overall mindset of the willingness to work, being able to push to that standard of being your best day-in and day-out, and being able to do that in all aspects, not just in one area, maybe on the field, but being able to carry that over into the weight room, into the training room, into the classroom, into the community, and all the things you do pushing yourself to that expectation. You know, it takes time to build trust.
And you know, obviously, our first year coming in, we had another challenge with COVID and not being around the guys and just having to do a lot of that virtual, which was unique to itself. I'm grateful for every step in the journey we've had, and even through those challenges.
The experiences, we've been able to gain confidence in, like I tell our team, sometimes you have to go through what you need to prove you can get through. And we have proven that we can get through some of the adversity that showed up and some of the unexpected bumps that we've had to face.
But it's all about that continued growth, but being able to be consistent and to have continuity and for our players to now take ownership in that and really help us accelerate that process is a lot of things that we're seeing this year and I'm really proud of them for all the work that they have put in.
Q. Obviously, you had some history with Dillon Gabriel. I don't know if there's any question about whether or not he's going to play, but how talented is he, and what do you expect to face against him?
MIKE NORVELL: He's an extremely talented quarterback. You see the way that he's played this year. He just continues to get better. He is just -- his vision, his talent, the things that he can do, he just has that natural play-making ability that shows up throughout the course of the game.
I think they do a great job in their offensive scheme and try to utilize their personnel with Coach Lebby, I've known him and watched his teams over the years.
And so it's a very well-coached team, and they have a great quarterback, and they have some very talented skill players. They have been able to do some great things there offensively throughout this season, so it's going to be a wonderful challenge for our defense, and I know those guys will be excited to go to work in our preparation.
Q. How challenging is it getting ready for a bowl game? You haven't had to deal with this for a couple years, but how challenging is it with recruiting and transfer portal everything and going on over the next couple weeks as you try and prepare for this Bowl game?
MIKE NORVELL: It's something I've put a lot of thought into in trying to create a schedule that will allow us to prepare but also make sure that our focus right now is the personnel that's on our team and that's currently there and then continuing to build that through recruiting and whichever -- whichever area, whether it's high school recruiting or the transfer portal or continuing evaluation, trying to find those best fits for Florida State.
You know, we are going to be able to have more times put aside for our bowl prep and I've had many different models for depending which bowl we would go to, just to be able to implement that and maximize all the time that we have for the coaching staff and our players to prepare our players to go play our best game. That's the objective. We have one more opportunity as a football team, and this has to be our best.
I thought we got off to a great start this last week with practice coming up this next weekend, and every one of them, we are going to count on putting us in the best position to go achieve our objective, and that's to be the best we've played throughout the course of this season. I believe our players are bought into that, and now we just have to go put in the work.
Q. What does playing in an in-state bowl game, two national brands? What does that do from a recruiting standpoint and just a branding standpoint?
MIKE NORVELL: I mean, I think it's a great match-up. This is a team that obviously has a great tradition and has been among the elite in college football over the last, you know, decade-plus. You know, for us to -- some of recruiting battles that we'll face, some of the things that -- we know this is going to be a game that this is going to be well-viewed, and to be able to be in our home state and to be able to play there in Orlando, it's great in all ways for us.
We are definitely excited about it, and we've taken a lot of positive steps as a football team this year; and now to be able to go against another very talented football team and a great brand, a great logo, it will be a showcase game and one I know our guys are going to be excited to go put forth their best effort to put ourselves in a position to go be our best. Like I mentioned, that is our key focus as we end this season and show that those continued steps of where we are going to make sure we put a stamp on this year and try to go get that tenth win.
Q. You talked about having a plan, a couple plans in place with bowl preparation, what do you want the players to focus on the practices?
MIKE NORVELL: It's a simple objective, but it's been our year objective. Each day that we go out there to improve upon the experiences that we've had, to continue to make sure that in all things, functionally, communication, the overall execution, that we grow from that.
I like the setup of kind of Bowl practice because we have some of those developmental days where there's not a whole lot of focus on the opponent, it's on the toughest opponent we face; that's ourselves. That's the great challenge that our guys have to overcome is that even with a little bit of time and you have that human nature that wants you to relax and be able to go through it. But still, to fight against yourself to go push to be better than what you've been.
We are going to jump back into this here next weekend and continue to push in all areas where, whenever we get back on that field, to get better as a team. That's my commitment to our guys is that I'm going to push them with every opportunity and every snap that we get to take on that practice field to go be our best.
I expect that same effort, and I've seen that up to this point and I'm just really, really proud of the work that our guys have done throughout the season, and you know, what a great way and a great place to be able to finish the year with the opportunity there at the chit Bowl.
BRENT VENABLES: Yeah, first and foremost, we would like to thank the Cheez-It Bowl committee for choosing Oklahoma; what an honor. We're thrilled to have an opportunity to play against a great football in Florida State on December 29.
Coach Norvell has done a terrific job. I've been a fly on the wall, if you will, for the last several years since he got the job three years ago, and what a transformation make and his staff have done. What a terrific job of building the program foundationally the right way. You know, 9-3 this year, 5-3 in the ACC; they have had a great year. Their three losses were three ranked teams all by a single score; I think their last five games, they have won by an average score of 44-15. They are top 20 in offense, top 20 in defense and have premiere players in all three phases of the game.
Jordan Travis is as dynamic and explosive as an offensive player as there is in the country and then he's got Tre Wilson and Johnny -- or Trey Benson and Johnny Wilson at both running back and wide receiver amongst a stable of receivers and backs and tight ends. Defensively, Jared Verse, Jammie Robinson, amongst others. They are long; they can run; they are physical, and they play with great, great confidence.
Great, great opportunity for our team. The Bowl game is an opportunity to reward our team for their hard work. It's been a challenging season, but I know one in which our players are looking forward to getting down to Florida and to Orlando and getting a chance to play in this great venue.
Q. Appreciate you taking the time.
BRENT VENABLES: You bet.
Q. Do you have a sense of what your roster and play availability is going to be like for this game? We've seen a couple players already announce whether it's entering the portal or entering the Draft and just what's that process look like for you in the last week since we talked to you last?
BRENT VENABLES: I told y'all going into last week, had a lot of exit meetings and a lot of talks in regards to -- on both our seniors that are on our team and some of the opportunities that they have. There's three of our guys that have been chosen for Senior Bowl, Eric Gray and Wanya Morris, as well as -- whom I missing here.
Q. Turk was the Shrine Bowl; right?
BRENT VENABLES: Yeah, I'll think of it in a second. You know and Anton Harris as well as Jaylen Redmond, those guys are not going to play in the Bowl game. And Jalen Redmond is playing in the Senior Bowl as well. Eric Gray was banged up for most of the last part of the season and fought through it, and proud of him and thankful for him.
Anton also had a lower-body injury in that loss to Texas Tech, and then Wanya obviously missed our last game. Had a concussion and still recovering from that.
But I'm excited about all of the guys that will be a part of the team that are not in the portal, and we have a great opportunity sitting in front of us. And again, that group of guys that will get on the airplane to go down to Orlando, can't be more excited about this opportunity.
Q. You talked about exit meetings. What has the last week been like getting ready for this Bowl prep season. And mentioning how big this is for the younger players, not only the practices of getting that experience of playing in a Bowl game like this to build and spring poured to 2023?
BRENT VENABLES: Yeah, obviously, we have been preparing for the end of the season, and this is the last year that you can have the opportunity to sign more than 25 guys and so building the roster the way we see fit and where our needs are, things that need to transpire transactionally in the -- you know, with guys looking for other opportunities, and for us to continue to add value to our roster, this is something that -- it's complicated in many ways but something that we as a staff have been working on for several months now in preparation for this opportunity.
We feel like it's going to be great for everybody in regards to guys finding a fresh start and for us to continue to fill the holes and the needs of our roster and add the depth where we need and see fit.
It's going to be a great opportunity for the -- this is a developmental game; the way that you improve and get better is by playing. This is going to be a great opportunity for our guys through practices, and they are doing skills and abilities drills on their own right now with some of our graduate assistants. They have been in the weight room and had a great week in the weight room last week, and had a few skills and abilities drills practices last week just to stay sharp with our schemes on both sides of the ball.
And now, this will be an opportunity for us to continue to develop those things as well as an opportunity to start up practices next weekend in our bowl preparation and then playing in the bowl game. What an awesome opportunity that's going to be, really, with spring ball, just really several weeks away once we get back.
For coaches, we're excited. I'm not sure how excited the players will be, but that's the nature of the beast. Actually, they will have, give or take, six weeks off of matt drills and rest and recovery and then we'll get started with our initial spring ball preparations.
Q. So with all the guys leaving, transfer portal, I assume there will be some opt-outs at some point possibly in addition to the NFL guys. How do you prep your team with all the young guys, the freshmen, the red-shirts, the guys who have not really got a ton of time this year, how do you prepare them to get ready for this one Bowl game?
BRENT VENABLES: Well, again, I think the guys that are in the portal and will get in the portal, we had Theo Wease; he's looking to be a starter somewhere. The other guys have not really been able to carve out a niche and did not contribute in any way in regard to on-the-field play.
So the guys in regards to playing will be guys that have played all year. J-Red on defense is the one that is -- he's going to get ready for Senior Bowl, and he was in a group of guys that rotated all year.
And then on offense, you know, fortunately, we've been able to get Jovantae Barnes, really good time, and Marcus was a little bit banged up late, and we are hoping to have him back there at running back as well.
And again, the young offensive lineman, along with Tyler Guyton, we'll have a good group of guys right there at tackle that will be able to step in. They will do a great job. They are just looking for opportunities.
So they will have almost a spring ball's worth of practices, give or take around 17-plus practices to be able to refine their skills and abilities and get ready for this game. And they are going to have a great, great challenge. They are going to get baptized quickly. Jared Verse is one of the premier pass rushers in all of college football, and you're going to have length and speed and experience everywhere on both sides of the ball.
Q. The season that the Big 12 had, and just looking at the way things shake out here at the end, even though you guys don't have the record you were hoping for, do you feel like the competition you guys played in the conference this year maybe tilts that a little to show that you are better than people might think based on the record?
BRENT VENABLES: Yeah, you can look at it however you want. There's tremendous parity in this league. Excellent quarterback play. Really good coaching on both sides of the ball. It's a very -- to me, it's like having a good NC State team every single week. It's got high-end talent, tough, disciplined, both sides of the ball.
Years and years ago, Big 12 was known for just offense, but there's a lot of people playing really good defense as well in this conference.
Again, again, we've been competitive and had all of our starting players available, and we have been really competitive. We had four losses that came down to one score and the things that it takes to win, we weren't good enough to do that.
But I think we are good enough when we put it all together, we can play with anybody. But we are going to need to continue to improve where we left off, and this will be a game that will challenge us with both discipline, physicality, speed. We're going to have to be fresh, excellent schemes on both sides of the ball, really good coaching from Florida State as well. It will be a great, great challenge, but one our guys in this conference, the season has prepared us for the postseason.
Q. Last time you played in this game, it was two teams that went on to kind of be dominant in college football playoffs, both Clemson and then Oklahoma. Is there maybe a lesson in that for your guys going in that, hey, this is a program that may not have wanted to be here at one time, but it really springboarded them into being one of the top teams over the next several years?
BRENT VENABLES: Yeah, we'll use any type of parallels that you can. I think that was 2014 that we played in the game. It's like the end of any season, though. It is an opportunity to continue to build your team, to try to create momentum, improve, develop confidence.
Certainly be on a stage where you can continue to sell your program and a vision to both your current players and certainly, recruits that will be watching. Obviously, this will be just a little over a week post-signing day for a good group of guys that will be signing in the early signing period.
So we'll be giving them a snapshot of something to look forward to, as well, as they embark on their careers here in January.
So can it be a springboard for both programs? Certainly. Again, Mike's been there for three years now, and this is their first bowl game that they are going to, and the way he's done it the right way and he's used the transfers with the right guys, when it's all fit and he's developed guys through signing guys out of high school. And then he's had, for the most part, he's had good continuity on his staff and he's had an opportunity to build through his vision what he wants his program to look like.
So for us, it's a great, great opportunity, and just to be able to match up with a team with the speed and the talent and certainly the history and tradition. I think we've played maybe seven times.
The last time that we played as the 2000 National Championship down in the Orange Bowl, and so that was a great -- actually we played in 2010, didn't we, I think we played home and home -- maybe 2010, 2011. Neither here nor there. Again, a great, great opportunity. Two tradition-rich programs and, again, going to be a great challenge for our guys.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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