Mike Norvell Recaps FSU's win over Florida
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00:00 Alright, just first off,
00:04 so proud of our team.
00:08 Talked about it all year, just the heart that this group has.
00:12 They're a resilient group. I mean we challenge them every day and everything that they do
00:16 for nights like tonight. Plenty of things that
00:20 the adversity was there, it was present.
00:24 We experienced it did not start very well in that game.
00:28 But our guys battled. Touchdown before the
00:32 first half, being able to get that drive put together,
00:36 coming out, being able to get a good start
00:40 there to start the second half. And then it's the Novus football. They made some good
00:44 plays, rivalry game, all the emotion. Hostile environment
00:48 for us, but our guys, there was extreme confidence.
00:52 Both sides of the ball, when the offense was struggling there
00:56 a little bit early, defensive guys, I mean
01:00 they were playing with poise, they just had a great sense.
01:04 Continued to stay focused on the things we could control that we put ourselves
01:08 in a position to be able to win this game here in the second half.
01:12 Our guys did that. I told them they're in the locker room and that's just
01:16 each opportunity that shows up, I mean they just answer the call.
01:20 There was a lot of things that
01:24 we're going to get to correct, but to finish the regular season
01:28 12-0, undefeated regular season is big.
01:32 Back-to-back state champions,
01:36 that's huge. To be able to come here on the road
01:40 with a new quarterback starting for the first time this season,
01:44 it was definitely an impressive
01:48 rally for our football team. You just saw Jordan there in the locker room
01:52 and I just told him how much I appreciate him
01:56 because he's been a part of this as much as anybody.
02:00 Just for him doing everything that he could to be here
02:04 tonight, to be a part of that. Our team, we knew that we
02:08 were going to have a fight on our hands and it was going to take 60 minutes, but
02:12 how much they care about each other, how hard they're willing to push for each other,
02:16 I think that showed up and I'm just grateful for every one of those players.
02:20 The staff did an awesome job. They did a good job with adjustments throughout the course
02:24 of the game and what we were seeing. Then the players
02:28 rose up and made the plays when necessary.
02:32 It's an awesome experience and I'm excited
02:36 for the opportunity next week to go compete for an ACC championship.
02:40 We've answered the call every week up until this point
02:44 and we're going to have to go get better next week and continue to improve.
02:48 I'm proud of our team and proud of everybody associated with the program
02:52 because this is a long time coming.
02:56 We had a heck of a journey and the great thing about it, it's not done yet.
03:00 -How good was the defense, especially in the second half?
03:04 -They were huge. I thought they did
03:08 the first two drives, the third downs,
03:12 we were getting off the field early, had some extended drives.
03:16 We got the penalty that was called.
03:20 I've got strong feelings of how terrible that was.
03:24 That was their perspective.
03:28 It is what it is. Our players are probably a lot more calm than I was.
03:32 It's just one of those
03:36 things that you've got to respond and rise up above.
03:40 That was their early touchdown. Our defense
03:44 even in times where they had bad field position to start,
03:48 they really just bowed their neck.
03:52 Some good players offensively. NFL running backs,
03:56 a couple of receivers have been very productive throughout the course of the year.
04:00 I was just really proud of our defense and the defensive staff for
04:04 what they were able to do, especially in the second half. It was incredible.
04:08 -Mike, I know we've asked you a lot about the comebacks, but tonight in particular
04:12 with a backup quarterback on the road, hostile environment,
04:16 how much did being in those types of games previously help?
04:20 -I think every... I was going to say this is a
04:24 year-long game. It's 365 days
04:28 of every experience building you for the moment.
04:32 I think that's what you see. I think you see a team that we've had
04:36 challenges, we've had adversity, we've had success. Our response to it has
04:40 been a daily approach to work, to continue
04:44 to draw closer together. I think you see a team that trusts
04:48 each other. Trust is the hardest thing in the world to earn. It's the hardest
04:52 thing in the world to be able to have, and you see that
04:56 in good times and in bad because of what they've been through.
05:00 We have a brotherhood, a family that
05:04 supports each other in all moments. It's what makes
05:08 this team special. I've been asked a lot about what do you
05:12 need to do this, that, and that. Just go be themselves. Go put that on display.
05:16 I know the team that we have. All three phases,
05:20 the punt return from Keona gave us a nice spark.
05:24 It was big.
05:28 It's a heck of a team. -Ted was put in some pretty tough situations, especially at first.
05:32 How did he handle... -There's some things he's going to learn from.
05:36 We had some early mistakes just with the play clock.
05:40 Communication, he was on point with
05:44 what he needed to see. Just the efficiency of that.
05:48 That's one of those things that we all get to be better at.
05:52 I've got to be better in those situations.
05:56 You never feel him
06:00 go up or down. He is always going to be the same. He's going to do the things necessary
06:04 in the moment. I thought he made some really big throws. He had
06:08 some plays he'd probably like to have back. He was
06:12 what we needed tonight. -How good was it to see the running game do what it did there
06:16 early in the second half and then late in the second half to ice the game? -We needed that.
06:20 Something coming in. We missed some opportunities there early
06:24 in the contest where we had some negative runs.
06:28 I talked to the entire team before the game. I said
06:32 there's going to be the emotion. There's going to be the ups and downs. There's going to be the
06:36 swing. I go I know what you're made of and I know what the second half's going to look like.
06:40 It goes back to their training. It goes back to just the way
06:44 they practice. The way that they work. They did what
06:48 we talked about this morning. When it came to that time that we needed to be able to run the ball in the second
06:52 half, they showed up and got the job done. -Can you talk about the sequence
06:56 late in the first half? They get the safety. You guys have been struggling to move the ball
07:00 but you get them off the field and then Benson scores. -I thought that was
07:04 a huge thing. It started with our defense.
07:08 We had to kick off after the safety. Didn't get the
07:12 best of kicks and they had a good return. We had a short
07:16 field. Defense was able to hold them
07:20 in that moment and be able to
07:24 get the ball back and have a touchdown drive right before half.
07:28 That was just what we absolutely needed. Backs against the
07:32 wall. You have to answer the bell in that situation.
07:36 Tate made some really good throws. Was able to get a couple
07:40 chunk plays. Got into rhythm. Great finishing in the end zone.
07:44 -You talk a lot about Jordan's toughness. Seeing Tate's toughness taking that
07:48 big hit and then being back out there three plays later to hand off what would be the touchdown to
07:52 Isaac. What's that say about him? -If you're a part of this program, you're going to be
07:56 tough. We have tough individuals. I don't care what position you play.
08:00 Quarterback, kicker, offensive line, defensive line,
08:04 all of them. It's not just
08:08 what you do in a weight room. It's not just what you do in a practice field.
08:12 There's a mentality in all things that we get placed
08:16 in front of us. How we're going to respond. What the standard is.
08:20 Every day we want to push to be our best. When you find yourself
08:24 in difficult, uncomfortable moments, you get
08:28 to put that identity on display. I think
08:32 Tate was able to do that. Jordan's done that for the last three years.
08:36 Anybody can have a good attitude and put a smile on their face when
08:40 everything's working for them. When you find yourself with your back against the wall,
08:44 what's your approach? This team, they burn it.
08:48 We continue to push and challenge. It's not going to stop.
08:52 -You called Jordan stubborn when he came to practice during the week.
08:56 Is there any question he would be here? Did he talk to the team?
09:00 -He told me
09:04 for a transparent Saturday night when I went to see him after the game. He said, "I'm going to be in Gainesville."
09:08 I said, "I just care about him."
09:12 I want him to... All the things of who he is.
09:16 The player is one of the best players in all of football in my opinion.
09:20 I love that kid just who he is. It's a person.
09:24 It's how much he cares about his teammates.
09:28 We do a video one game day and he actually did the voiceover
09:32 for it. I thought that was pretty
09:36 incredible. He came down last night, was there at our Friday meal,
09:40 got a chance to be in with the team talking to our guys. That's the
09:44 best thing about our team. You don't have to give a speech.
09:48 You feel his presence. You feel the impact.
09:52 It's because of all the actions that he's had over the last three years that's what makes him
09:56 special. Plenty of guys could get up and just say
10:00 some words. When he talks, everybody listens.
10:04 He's just remarkable. I'm so glad that he could be here.
10:08 Seeing him in that locker room
10:12 afterwards, pretty special. -Every game starts with the air
10:16 of searching for perfection in college football. You hit that perfect 12-0 mark.
10:20 I know you said the journey far from perfect getting here, but to reach that.
10:24 What does that say about this team and maybe the way they handle success, embrace success?
10:28 -You can find moments of success
10:32 and one of the hardest things to do is to be able to sustain it.
10:36 Our focus is just getting better. It doesn't mean
10:40 we haven't played a perfect game. We've had ups and downs.
10:44 We've all embraced the work that's necessary to
10:48 rise to the occasion. That's what this team has done.
10:52 They've answered the bell. They've showed their heart. We came in with big
10:56 expectations and sometimes that can be a challenge. A few years there we weren't
11:00 very good. We have to balance the swing
11:04 of building the confidence there early to what you can do and then
11:08 now it's still about holding the standards so that not only
11:12 do you continue to have success but you continue to see growth. I think
11:16 our team has done that. I'm just really proud of them. That power chant sounds
11:20 really good. [laughter]
11:24 -Defensive line, linebackers, safeties. What do you see from
11:28 the quarterback? -Those guys were so very aggressive. Huge plays
11:32 in the moment, especially there late.
11:36 It was all phases. There was a defensive back.
11:40 Coach Fuller had a great pressure package to be able to attack them and there were times
11:44 that we had four man rush that we were able to get home. Our guys, they knew
11:48 it was gonna take explosive plays and they
11:52 answered the call. -How excited are you to take the field with this group next week and play for a championship?
11:56 -It's another step. Every
12:00 opportunity I get to be around them, I'm excited about it. I'm excited about work
12:04 tomorrow. I'm excited about practice, meetings, learning from the things that happen
12:08 tonight. I know we'll have a great week of preparation
12:12 and we're gonna go do everything in our power to put ourselves in the best spot
12:16 to have a chance to bring home an ACC championship. -Who broke the run?
12:20 -Trey Benson and Tate got a good swing at it.
12:24 -Was that Jared's best game? -He was so impactful.
12:28 Oh my gosh. In the run game, in the passing game, there were plays
12:32 that the quarterback got the ball out much faster
12:36 than what he wanted to just because of Jared's presence. You could tell.
12:40 You could tell throughout the course of the week. He was a man on a mission this week.
12:44 He's prepared. I'm gonna say that with all due respect to everything
12:48 he's done because he's worked his butt off this year. I do think he's gotten better.
12:52 Sometimes this is a world that we always look at the stats. What does the stats say?
12:56 Sometimes the stats don't tell the full story. He has done such an
13:00 incredible job and he's faced every combination of block and chips and
13:04 the whole of that. Tonight he got his opportunity. He was ready to answer
13:08 the call as well. He was huge for us tonight.
13:12 Him and Jordan are really close.
13:16 I think they start every day
13:20 in practice. They'll move around a little bit and have
13:24 their little semi-wrestling match. Even when Jordan
13:28 wasn't there you saw Jared out of respect of keeping their tradition
13:32 going through it. He doesn't have to do that.
13:36 He's got his brother that he cares about that he
13:40 wanted to make sure that we had the proper result. They talked about finishing for
13:44 Jordan. This was a good step. We get an opportunity next week
13:48 to go try to win a ring.
13:52 Thank you guys.