Mike Norvell hasn't done a whole lot of winning in 2020, that's for sure.
But on Monday afternoon, facing a barrage of questions about Saturday's postponement as well as incendiary comments by the head coach at Clemson, Norvell picked up an important 'W' for a program in desperate need of any it can get.
He was measured. Unlike Dabo Swinney.
He was rational. Unlike Dabo Swinney.
And he continually brought up the fact that this year's game can still be played on Dec. 12, "in Tallahassee."
On Sunday night, Swinney said he felt Florida State had "forfeited" its chance to host the Tigers after it had the audacity to not feel comfortable playing a team that had a player test positive for COVID-19 the day before the game -- a player who had showed symptoms during the week and also practiced.
Swinney said if Clemson was going to have to travel back to Tallahassee that it should be up to FSU to pay the travel expenses.
Norvell offered this reply on Monday: "If contributions need to be made, I'll sign up to make one."
He also had this gem: "Football coaches are not doctors. Some of us might think we are."
But a few little jabs aside, Norvell was steadfast and serious during his media session Monday. At the same time, you could tell he was more than a little miffed at Swinney's contention that Florida State did not want to play the game for reasons unrelated to COVID-19.
Not just because it was completely untrue. But because his team HAS sacrificed so much to make this season a reality.
It was his team, certainly not Dabo's, that stayed in Tallahassee during its bye week because as Norvell pointed out, that's where a lot of these cases come from -- kids going back home and spending time with family and friends who haven't observed the same protocols as the football team.
He said that was not an easy meeting with his players -- to tell them they couldn't go home during an off-weekend but would practice on one of those days instead.
It was Norvell's team, certainly not Dabo's, that has twice kept players and coaches from traveling to away games if they showed any symptoms at all throughout the week (even if they continued to test negative). They also kept symptomatic players away from the facility. Completely. Even if tests were negative.
