Ask Farrell: Can Mike Norvell bring Florida State back?
When Florida State hired Willie Taggart a few years back, he was known as a program rebuilder.
Taggart made Western Kentucky respectable again. He quickly took South Florida from 2-10 to 10-2. He had a 7-5 season at Oregon before moving on to Florida State.
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Supporters overlooked his overall losing record and pointed to the job he had done revitalizing programs and making them relevant again. The idea was that Taggart was going to do that quickly with the Seminoles.
Instead, Taggart did not even last two seasons as he was fired after 21 games, a 9-12 record and a 6-9 number in ACC play. Some criticized the move, some supported it, but it was clear Florida State was showing no real signs of improvement with Taggart on the sidelines.
So, in comes Memphis coach Mike Norvell.
The 38-year-old has only four years of head coaching experience, all at Memphis, but he has developed a reputation as an offensive mastermind. The Tigers have scored points against all competition and during his stint there, Norvell has gone 38-15, 24-8 in conference.
He’s developed transfer quarterback Brady White into a major threat, Memphis has been able to run the ball and put together elite receiving corps as well. All of those aspects are desperately needed at Florida State.
The quarterback position has been poor for various reasons, one is because no one can seem to develop elite offensive linemen to dominate ACC competition. Confidence on both sides of the ball had to be completely drained.
A national power, a program that at times has dominated college football and has produced some of the game’s best players lost to Boise State in the season opener. Almost lost to ULM. The Seminoles got whipped by Clemson - more on that later - and got owned by Miami and Florida.
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Recruiting has slipped because of the coaching uncertainty and Florida State finds itself with the No. 28 class nationally with just 14 commits.
So, here are some of Norvell’s challenges: From a recruiting perspective, close out the 2020 class and start on 2021 in earnest. Hold off Florida and Miami for elite in-state kids and hold back Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State and others from poaching the state’s top talent. That’s all easier said than done.
On the field, quarterback development is key. Offensive line development is paramount. Bringing back Florida State’s confidence while reinforcing disciplined play is crucial.
And there’s the beast: Clemson. Trevor Lawrence is there for one more season and then five-star quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei could take over. Skill players are coming out the wazoo. The defense is tough as nails. The Tigers have beaten FSU five-straight times with the beatings getting worse as Clemson has become a national power and the Seminoles keep sliding to mediocrity.
We ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell whether he has confidence that Norvell can turn this program back into a national powerhouse especially since he’s such a great offensive mind, if the FSU administration will give Norvell the time to get that job done and how Norvell and his new staff can attack recruiting to stave off elite teams in the state or from the outside from coming in and taking all the best players?
FARRELL'S TAKE
“Recruiting will take care of itself if Florida State can get back to winning and I think Norvell is a step in the right direction. He’s a very good offensive mind and he can develop players which has been the problem at FSU. There is always talent on the Seminoles' roster but many of the program's players have underachieved over the last few years. I don’t think that will happen under Norvell. Clemson is a long way away and the Tigers are clearly the team to beat in the ACC but Norvell will close that gap. How far remains to be seen but this is a good hire.”