Florida State finally got some wins, just not actually on the field

Mike Norvell is finally getting a win this season at Florida State. No, not on the field, as those are hard to come by, but a win off the field. And it’s a win that could be a win that starts turning around a program that reached the depths of the basement of college football this year. 

It was reported that Norvell was planning on poaching defensive coordinator Tony White from Nebraska, and that White might bring defensive line coach Terrance Knighton with him. This would be a nice haul for Norvell as the defensive side of the ball was one of the many deficiencies with the 2024 version of the Seminoles. 

The good thing is, Norvell could have pointed to two better coaches to turn the Seminoles around for 2025. Maybe Florida State’s turnaround isn’t too far away after all. 

Mike Norvell retooling his coaching staff is a step in the right direction, but just a start

White took over as Nebraska’s defensive coordinator when Matt Rhule took the head coaching job two years ago. Over the last two seasons, Nebraska’s defense has been one of the best. 

In 2023, the Cornhuskers had the fifth best defense in the Big Ten. They allowed 92.9 rushing yards per game and averaged 18.3 points per game against.

White and the Cornhuskers defense had some similar success this season as well, holding teams to 105.8 rushing yards per game. They had the eighth best total defense in the Big Ten. It’s an upgrade Norvell will appreciate. 

And adding one of White’s top assistants in defensive line coach Terrance Knighton is that much better for the Seminoles. This past season, they didn’t just have one of the worst defenses in the ACC, it was one of the worst in all of college football. 

This season, their opponents averaged 386 yards per game, including 184.7 rushing yards. White and Knighton will surely drop that number closer to the 100 yards per game mark.

Norvell is doing what he’s supposed to as he looks to once again rebuild Florida State. They weren’t supposed to be the worst team in the ACC. They were supposed to prove why they shouldn’t have been left out of the College Football Playoff last season. 

The next step for Norvell is getting the offense back on track. Then he’ll start convincing people maybe he can bring the Seminoles back to the top... eventually.