Mike Norvell has a much bigger problem than Florida State being 0-3 on the season

The Florida State Seminoles were an obvious regression candidate entering this college football season, but did you see them getting into a quagmire of an 0-3 hole? No, way! We may have overlooked the importance of offensive coordinator Alex Atkins quite a bit. He is the straw that stirs the drink for this team. While D.J. Uiagalelei should not start again, what about Mike Norvell's status?

It has gone to hell in a hand basket for Norvell faster than you can say Dan Mullen, but I am not about to Willie Taggart the poor guy. Apparently, he has trusted the transfer portal way too much since taking over for Taggart in Tallahassee. What Norvell inherited was the worst I have ever seen this Florida State program. Using the portal initially did help this team out, but it has come at a great price.

One of the biggest downsides to losing to Georgia Tech, Boston College and now Memphis in succession is it is doing a number on Florida State's recruitment out of high school. Norvell seems to have missed the boat when it comes to recruiting the blue-chippers prevalent in The Sunshine State. Florida may be down and UCF is transitioning, but Miami seems to be cooking with napalm right now.

Even more damning, this seems to have impacted Florida State's recruiting efforts in the 2026 class.

Atkins will be back after serving a three-game suspension, but the effects of his show cause remain.

Mike Norvell has to flip the script in high school recruiting yesterday

All things equal, Florida State should be the best program in the ACC every single year. The Seminoles have a winning tradition in a talent-rich state with a wide array of degrees available to get players into school and keep them enrolled. Clemson does not have the recruiting base. Miami is a private school. Virginia Tech has struggled to find itself in a post-Frank Beamer world in Blacksburg.

What I am getting at is this program should be paying out in dividends, not canceling its dividend payments to investors due to atrocious internal management. Like, Florida State new its first three games of the season were not going to be easy. They knew Atkins would not be available. They knew they had to replace Jordan Travis entering this season. Now look at them... What a sad bag of crap!

Besides the fact you are dealing with players whose brains haven't fully formed yet, recruiting is the other part of college football we often overlook. The teams with the better players usually win. Yes, you can out-scheme a poorly coached team, but that game-day tactic has diminishing returns. I suspect Norvell will survive the season, but what happens if they lose at home to Cal on Saturday?

Momentum may be hard to quantify in sports but it is a real thing when it comes to college football.