Florida State head coach Mike Norvell made some boneheaded decisions against Notre Dame, including an inconceivably bad fourth-down attempt.
The return of college football in 2021 means the return of terrible decisions by head coaches around the country.
Mike Norvell may have had them all beat this weekend with his choices in Florida State’s game against Notre Dame.
Twitter destroyed Mike Norvell for his coaching decisions vs. Notre Dame
Most of the criticism of Norvell revolved around one third quarter sequence. The Seminoles tried to pull off a halfback draw out of the wildcat on third-and-five to no avail. With 5:39 remaining in the third quarter and the ball at their own 33-yard line, Florida State opted to go for it on fourth-and-two.
The context of that decision made no sense. The execution didn’t make up for it, as Jordan Travis threw an interception.
Mike Norvell committing coaching malpractice tonight.
— Patrick Schmidt (@PatrickASchmidt) September 6, 2021
What was that by FSU?
— Marcus Spears (@mspears96) September 6, 2021
— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) September 6, 2021
Talk about your all-time backfires.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) September 6, 2021
Running wildcat on 3rd and 5 to do that is grotesque.
— Adam Kramer (@KegsnEggs) September 6, 2021
FSU … huh?
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 6, 2021
3rd & 5 and it’s a HB draw? FSU on the edge of implosion.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) September 6, 2021
Mike Norvell calling plays like when you’re about to quit in Madden but will give it one last drive
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) September 6, 2021
What a horrible decision by FSU. If FSU was going to take a chance on 4th down, at least run a punt-rooskie to honor Bobby
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 6, 2021
Notre Dame got the ball back and promptly scored a touchdown to go up by 18.
At that point, the Seminoles were still in the game. They didn’t need to panic and act like it was four-down territory. It absolutely wasn’t.
Instead of punting and giving the defense the chance to hold off the Irish again, they basically let the game come down to one play. It was entirely unnecessary.
Norvell is going to have a lot to answer for in his postgame press conference if the Seminoles can’t pull off a fourth-quarter comeback.
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