CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- After two straight seasons of massive disappointments, expectations for Florida State weren't high at the ACC's annual Kickoff event Wednesday, which featured a gauntlet of " hot seat " questions for embattled coach Mike Norvell.
But if the outsiders are concerned, the folks inside FSU's program are focused on changing the narrative. "They feel the urgency," wide receiver Duce Robinson said of his FSU teammates after a 2-10 season in 2024 and a 5-7 finish last year.
"We can't be down anymore. It's not in my DNA to lose this much." Robinson, who finished with 56 catches for 1,081 yards last year before passing up the NFL draft to return to Florida State, said his decision to play another year for the Seminoles was predicated entirely on a belief that this team was ready to break through.
"I came back to restore Florida State to its rightful place at the top of college football," Robinson said. The biggest key, Robinson said, is a different personality among the players.
After a 13-1 campaign in 2023, Florida State returned for 2024 with lofty expectations but far fewer proven commodities. Norvell said the investment in potential over accomplishment was a mistake.
Norvell insisted the team had learned lessons after the lost campaign, but after beating Alabama in a shocking Week 1 upset last year, the Noles folded after a double overtime loss at Virginia, finishing the season with losses to rivals Miami and Florida and an embarrassing defeat to Stanford, wrapping the year with an 0-5 record on the road. "What do you feel in those moments?" Norvell said.
"Well, you don't have the overwhelming support of people pushing, and it magnifies any fracture, any bad play, anything that doesn't go exactly as you want. So it takes a mentality, a certain mental makeup, to better respond in those situations, and the guys having confidence in that together." This offseason, Norvell said his roster construction focused on finding players with a proven track record of overcoming adversity, including new QB Ashton Daniels .
"I think everyone on this team has seen so much adversity," Daniels said. "Obviously with what's happened at Florida State the last few years -- but with my experience, the adversity I've faced my first four years of college, it's kind of out of this world.
And being able to express that and what we need to do to get through this adversity -- using my experience and knowledge, you can already see a change. We have all the skill and talent in the world." So yes, Norvell said, he's aware of the hot seat.
But he's not expecting this season to end with him out of a job. "I believe we have a team that can compete at a very high level," Norvell said.
"We did a nice job of bringing the right guys in, guys that have shown throughout their career to be resilient. Yes, they have talent and ability, but the mental makeup of a work ethic, a passion, a love for the game."