Nobody has ever been through what Mike Norvell went through last month.
Because nobody has ever had the commitment of the No. 1 player in the country, for almost two full years, only to lose him to an FCS school on National Signing Day. (An FCS school coached by one of your most famous alums, no less.)
Nobody other than Florida State's head football coach can know what that truly feels like, and it's likely nobody will ever know it again.
He's one of one in that regard. He stands alone.
But here's what seems to have happened since Travis Hunter shocked the world: That change of heart from the five-star recruit has awoken a sleeping giant and filled him with great resolve.
It's as if Norvell decided, following one dismissive hat toss from a stage at Collins Hill High School, that he will not go quietly into the night! He will not vanish without a fight! He's going to live on! He's going to survive! Today is our Independence Day! (OK, this last part doesn't really fit, but man that was a great speech in an otherwise not great movie).
And while I'm not going to continue quoting famous speeches from movies throughout this whole column, I do think they are fitting here.
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Mike Norvell took an all-time gut-punch on National Signing Day, but he didn't crumple to a knee. He's come back swinging. Like Balboa did in the Spectrum when Creed knocked him down.
Think about what this dude has done in a month: He signed the No. 12 recruiting class in the country (without the No.1 player in America) and has now gone out and turned the transfer portal into a video game with its own build-a-roster mode.
"Let's see, what do I need? A linebacker? OK, I'll get the leading tackler in the portal. Had over 100 last year alone. Done."
"What else, what else? Ahh, that's right, I need some offensive linemen, preferably at least one who can play right away. Oh, there's a dude from Wisconsin -- that was on the RImington Award Watch List before last year. Ok. That should help. Awesome. Next!"
"I know we're losing a couple of talented defensive ends, let's see if there's any ... oh, here's a guy that's been offered by just about every major program in the country. Looks like a freak of an athlete. And he's got multiple years of eligibility remaining. Cool. I'll sign him, too."
"Oh, and of course, I've got to get MUCH better at wide receiver. We are nowhere near good enough there. We've got to get some dudes. Let's see, let's see ... OK, I'll take him. And I'll take him. And I'll take him. And oh, yeah, I'll take him too. Sweet. All set at wide receiver now. That was fun!"
When West Virginia's Winston Wright Jr. committed to the Seminoles on Sunday night, that gave Mike Norvell and his staff four portal transfers at that position alone, and nine overall.
As bad as Florida State fans were feeling on National Signing Day -- and I get it, that one really stung -- understand that there are only a handful of teams in the entire country who have had a better offseason than the one you cheer for. And none of them are coming off a 5-7 season.
If transfers were included in recruiting class rankings, where would FSU be now? Top 10? Top 8?
What Norvell has landed in the portal -- the best defensive lineman available, a starting offensive lineman, a starting linebacker and four receivers from Power 5 schools -- is about as impressive a feat as you can have at this time of year.
I know it was a bummer to not land Marvin Jones Jr. on National Signing Day. But I'm going to go ahead and make a prediction right now: Jared Verse is going to be much more impactful for the Seminoles in 2022 than Jones Jr. would have been. That's not even going out on a limb. Freshman defensive linemen, even really good ones, almost never make immediate impacts their first year on campus.
But transfers do. Right, Jermaine? Right, Keir?
This portal barrage truly changes the entire perception of National Signing Day. Because Norvell is changing the roster. Not with guys who might contribute a few years from now, but guys who will contribute right now. All over the field. At virtually every position.
For now, though, let's concentrate on these receivers.
Because I think that has been the weakest position on the team each of the last two seasons. No offense to the players currently on the roster, but the production the last two years has been embarrassing. Anemic, really. And moreover, nobody on the field -- with the possible exception of freshman Malik McClain -- even looks like what you want an FSU receiver to look like.
I love Keyshawn Helton the person. I'm not sure he's the guy that should be running post routes in 2022.
I think Pokey Wilson has had some nice moments, but we know what he is by this point. Maybe he can take a big step in 2022? Or maybe he just is what he is.
And the rest of the receivers have been nearly non-existent.
It was imperative, especially after the Seminoles signed zero receivers in the early signing period, that Norvell and his staff go find some dudes in the portal.
Well, they went and found four: Oregon's Mycah Pittman, Arizona State's Johnny Wilson, Illinois' Deuce Spann and West Virginia's Wright. All of whom can and should contribute this fall.
All of the sudden, FSU has gone from maybe the worst receiving corps in the ACC (as much as it pains me to type that, it just might be true) to one with legitimate Division-I receivers all over the roster.
Including, perhaps, a go-to guy in Wright, who led the Mountaineers in receiving each of the past two seasons and has 129 catches in his career.
*ALSO SEE: FSU picks up WR transfer No. 4: West Virginia's top receiver Wright commits
Here's all the perspective you need: The quartet coming into Tallahassee next season has caught a total of 190 passes for 2,252 yards and 12 touchdowns in their careers.
The five receivers on the FSU roster not named Keyshawn or Pokey have combined for just 73 catches and 931 yards in their careers to date. Only Ja'Khi Douglas has more than 200 yards receiving.
The reason I bring these five guys up is because they were the ones who were going to be counted on to make huge strides if the Seminoles were going to have any ability to pass in 2022. And there was no evidence, at all, it was going to happen.
Well, now, those same five guys are going to have to make huge strides just to get on the field. Or stay on the roster (don't be surprised if one or two look for opportunities elsewhere after this influx of talent).
And I do think this has been a serious influx of talent. Pittman and Wilson could very well be on the verge of breakout years -- they've made plays at this level already and have shown flashes of potential, even if they didn't put up monster stats (kind of like Jermaine Johnson did at UGA on the other side of the ball) -- and Wright is already a proven commodity.
Pittman also happens to be a quality punt returner, and Wright has returned a couple of kickoffs for touchdowns. So you've also upgraded your special teams in a big way.
There is speed. Height. Physicality. Competitiveness. And experience.
In a matter of weeks, FSU has gone from having one of the worst receiver groups in the Power 5 to one that could be an actual productive unit in 2022. We'll see. It still has to be proven on the field, and other than Wright, none of these guys have proven they are a No. 1-type of receiver.
But they have all proven they're at least FBS-caliber football players, that they belong in the ACC.
That in itself is a huge step up.
And this roster, when it's all said and done, and it's not done yet -- there are still more portal commits and high school commits coming -- is going to look more like an FSU-caliber roster than any other in recent memory.
Because Mike Norvell didn't take that Signing Day stunner sitting down.
He stood up.
Shook it off.
Splashed some water on his face.
Looked at himself in the mirror and said, "Get busy living or get busy dying."
Contact senior writer Corey Clark at corey@warchant.com and follow @Corey_Clark on Twitter.
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