Mike Norvell tries to earn goodwill from FSU fans by paying for NIL with his own money

Mike Norvell is trying his hardest to get back within the good graces of Florida State and the Seminoles fan base. But not even forking over some of his salary for NIL purposes will be enough to convince even the most staunch Florida State fan, he’s going to turn this program around. 

According to On3, Norvell pledged $4.5 million of his salary to the school as part of his contract getting restructured. The story added he contributed it as part of the Vision of Excellence campaign, outlined to help with revenue sharing. 

It’s a step in the right direction as Norvell and the Seminoles do everything they can to put the 2024 season behind them. 

Seminoles, Norvell going full steam ahead as they rebuild for 2025 season

Norvell has been taking all the necessary steps to get Florida State back on track. They’ve been active in both the transfer portal and signed the No. 20 recruiting class in the country. It’s the best way to prepare for a better 2025. 

The biggest addition has to be adding Thomas Castellanos as their quarterback. That seemed to be where all of the Seminoles’ problems stemmed from. DJ Uiagalelei was extremely underwhelming in 2024. 

Norvell’s unnecessary loyalty to him probably cost them their early struggles. And with Uiagalelei gone and Luke Kromenhoek entering the transfer portal, Florida State needed help imminently. 

Castellanos left Boston College early, declaring for the transfer portal before the season officially ended. He led Boston College to a 5-4 record before he was benched. He left the game against Syracuse with an injury, which ultimately ended up being his final game with the Eagles. 

That covered a big need for the Seminoles as they had a lot of questions about their quarterback. But it’s just the beginning of the issues they have to address. Their defense ended up being one of the worst in FBS for a Power 4 school. 

Opposing teams averaged 385 total yards, including 185 rushing yards against. They also averaged 28 points per game. Their only FBS win was against California. Florida State is at rock bottom. 

But Norvell cares enough to start making things right. He’s built a roster that should have a better year than last. And his initiatives to contribute to a fund that’s aiding revenue sharing for athletes means he’s truly invested in turning things around.