Chris Thomsen set to take big stage for FSU football on Saturday night

"It's going to be exciting," he said. "I've been a part of some really great rivalry games as a coach. Growing up in Texas, following Florida State, being a huge fan of Coach Bowden ... Coach Gladden (longtime FSU assistant coach Jim Gladden) used to come out to Texas and recruit, and he would come clinic us on some different things. So I've got kind of a little bit of an insider feel of some of the old rivalry games with Florida State and Miami, just watching it from afar.

"And I'm really excited to be a part of that. I can't wait to feel the energy of that game, the competitiveness of that game."

With Florida State head coach Mike Norvell sidelined with COVID-19, the 51-year-old tight ends coach will be the man in charge on the sidelines tonight for the Seminoles. One game into his FSU career, and he's now on center stage for one of the biggest rivalries in the country.

Thomsen was the head coach at Division-II Abilene Christian for six years earlier in his career, compiling a record of 51-26, and he coached in the Big 12 and the Pac-12 at TCU and Arizona State respectively. But with all due respect to those programs, nothing they play in is quite like FSU-Miami.

Thomsen understands that. And he also understands he's not Mike Norvell. He's not as boisterous or as energetic as the FSU head coach.

He doesn't have to be, either.