“It’s not about them, it’s about us.” That’s been the mantra of Florida State’s head football coach Mike Norvell all season long in Tallahassee. Now, as our community comes to grips with the sting of an undefeated conference championship team being left out of the playoff, it’s a good time for us Seminole fans to think about what those words mean.
Coach Norvell does a marvelous job inspiring his players. As a storyteller, I admire his use of clear, memorable, and repeatable phrases to build culture both in the locker room and in the stands. When he talks to his team, as we’ve all been able to see so many times via the wonderful content shared by the school, his focus is always about controlling what they can control. As much as it hurts, his advice is now something the whole fan base needs.
Norvell’s pursuit of improvement is relentless. His locker room speeches have become must watch TV for hungry Seminole fans weary from some tough years and less inspired coaching recently. He tells his team to work hard, get better, and never stop climbing. They listened.
In fact, the only obstacle that could stop this year’s climb was a committee full of bureaucrats who somehow believed they knew better than what the Seminoles had proven on the field. Unfortunately, in their eyes, being unbeaten wasn’t enough. However, knowing Coach Norvell, his players, this university, and our fans, the climb our coach has inspired will most certainly continue.
Novell’s pre- and post-game speeches this season now read like a prophecy. His instructions for overcoming challenges reflect a stoic ethos that we can all benefit from practicing. From star player injuries to trailing in games and ultimately a playoff committee snub, his team has had to face adversity at every turn. He pushed that team to respond and respond they have. As fans, now it is our time to follow suit.
After FSU was deemed unworthy by the committee, there’s been a lot of chatter about legal actions and no shortage of sniping on social media (Lord knows I’m guilty). Most of that will settle down in time. However, we shouldn’t forget about this team, what they accomplished, or the pivotal role they played in reshaping the Florida State football program. Instead, we should respond how only Seminoles know how to. With an unconquered spirit.
That response is well underway across our community and beyond. Since the snub was announced, approximately 2,000 fans have become members of the Florida State NIL collective known as The Battle’s End. In a release last week, the leaders of that group declared “we are going to build a juggernaut.” I believe them and I think it won’t be long before the rest of the country sees those results.
What happens from this point isn’t about the playoff committee, ESPN, or the SEC. It’s about us. We have an opportunity to respond and the ability to control how Seminole Booster programs, NIL collectives, and other support for the team are funded. Coach Norvell is right, it’s about us and how we choose to respond to adversity.
There’s not much else I can add to make Coach Norvell’s calls to action better, but I’ll leave you with a date to ponder. August 30, 2025. That’s when Alabama, the team we were snubbed for, will come to play our Seminoles in Tallahassee. Our team can prove its ability on the field that night and the response we have today will be what helps them win that game and more. Until then, let’s show the college football world what unconquered really means by investing in the next phase of the climb.
