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FSU's Mike Norvell has plan for coaching hires, promises change from 'unacceptable' year
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- FSU's Mike Norvell has plan for coaching hires, promises change from 'unacceptable' year
Florida State football head coach Mike Norvell said Monday he knew change was needed after the Seminoles' 52-3 loss to Notre Dame .
Norvell called it a hard weekend for him and the team as FSU fell to 1-9 after a 49-point loss and made the decision to release three coaches. Defensive coordinator Adam Fuller, offensive coordinator Alex Atkins and wide receivers coach Ron Dugans were fired Sunday evening.
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"It's been a really hard weekend, obviously from the game I told you afterward I'm extremely disappointed in the performance and how we played," Norvell said. "Ultimately we're not good enough in our performance and that's in all three phases and everybody involved in the program."
"Yesterday with the decision to change three coaches, obviously it's hard. Those are great men and great coaches. Obviously this season and where we are is not to the standard of anyone and ultimately not to the standard of them either."
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"The decision to make the change was one I deemed was best for the program and obviously we are going to bounce back, we are going to bounce back quickly."
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Classified ads: Whom will FSU football hire?
Part of the recipe for change is identifying and hiring new coaches and coordinators. While the results on the field this season have produced diminishing returns for the Seminoles , Norvell said there is heavy interest in the coaching vacancies.
Since the decision to fire the staff members, Norvell said he's heard from interested coaches both at the college and NFL level.
With the early signing period for recruits on Dec. 4, Norvell said he'd love to have his new staff in place before then but he knows that he has to respect the process of hiring staff, especially if it's from another program competing in the postseason.
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"In a very short period of time, had some tremendous interest in positions and roles even from guys at the next level," Norvell said. "We're going to evaluate all things just to be right. Obviously we want to make sure that in all decisions that we want to be able to expedite the process as much as we can, but as long as it's right."
Filling in: Who is taking over for fired assistant coaches?
In the interim, FSU will split coaching roles between current members of staff with linebacker coach Randy Shannon handling defensive coordinator responsibilities.
Offensive line support staff member Gabe Fertitta will lead the offensive line duties and assistant wide receivers coach Guy Lemonier will help the receiver room for the final two games.
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Norvell will handle offensive play calling and a share of the offensive coordinator's role. Norvell is always heavily involved with his offense, but he said he is open to a new face coming in and implementing their own style.
"We haven't been good enough offensively this year, it's been awful. We all know it, we've all watched it," Norvell said.
"There's been plenty of reason for that and plenty of things where we have to improve and be better. My job is to evaluate every part of our program, what we are doing, how we are doing it, and then make the best choice of where we are going to take the biggest steps, obviously as fast as possible to be able to go be what I know we are capable of becoming."
"I will evaluate all those things. Everything is on the table."
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'There will be no letup': Norvell focused on turning Seminoles around
Norvell said that he respects the work the three coaches did in helping FSU reach the heights of an ACC title last season and winning 19 games in a row. However, he knew it was time to make a change as he called this season "unacceptable."
The firings became necessary as the Seminoles ranked last in the country in scoring offense , in part due to the inefficiency of the wide receivers. Defensively FSU had regressed throughout the season, allowing over 400 yards of total offense in the five of the last six games.
Norvell said he informed his players last night and that there were some hard discussions. He said there is accountability between coaches, players and staff members for how the season played out and the firing of the coaches.
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"Anytime there's change, and you couple that with it's change because of results and the results on the field, there's joint accountability to that," Norvell said. "It's players, coaches, everybody involved. It got real yesterday. Three great men that have poured a lot into this program. Their families, I love their families. They poured a lot into this program."
Looking to the future
Norvell said his message to his team and potential recruits and new coaches is that there has to be improvement. He wants to rebuild the program to be at the top of college football and said he has a plan in place to make it happen.
He said it doesn't matter who it is, there is only one way forward for FSU.
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"Our choice now is to go fight for our improvement, to believe in each other, to believe in what the standard and the expectation is to be a part of this program because there will be no letup, and there will be no pull-back. It doesn't matter who it is," Norvell said.
"To be a part of this program, there's going to be one way that we're operating moving forward, and I can promise you, it's going to be with everything that I've got and all those that surround me."
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football's Mike Norvell has plan for new coaches after firings
