9/24/2022 football Edit

EJ Manuel, Mark Richt excited to witness a sold out Doak in returns to FSU

Curt Weiler • TheOsceola

Senior Writer

Mark Richt and EJ Manuel both have fond memories of how exhilarating full-capacity crowds can be inside of Doak Campbell Stadium.

Come Saturday night at 8 p.m. when that capacity crowd is in attendance to see the Florida State football team (3-0) hosts Boston College (1-2), Richt and Manuel will have two of the best seats in the house.

They’ll get to experience the environment in the stadium that helped build both of their careers from the field as ACC Network on-air personalities.

The ACC Network descended on Tallahassee this weekend and Richt, Manuel, Jordan Cornette and Eddie Royal will be broadcasting their “The Huddle” show from the field before and after Saturday’s game as well as during halftime.

“It’s so exciting to be back. The weather is perfect, not a cloud in the sky…” Manuel said Friday. “I’ve been bragging to Jordan Cornette, Eric Mac Lain, Eddie Royal and all those guys telling them how Florida State is a real college experience. I’m happy they set up a game for us to come to…For me to come back, it’s always nice.”

Richt and Manuel return to Tallahassee with distinct and extremely fond memories of their time here from two completely different eras. Richt was on Bobby Bowden’s staff, first as a graduate assistant and then as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator all but one season between 1985 and 2000. He had a first-hand look at the true dynasty period of the FSU football program, helping win a pair of national titles.

Manuel was a quarterback at FSU from 2009-12, bridging the gap between Bowden and Jimbo Fisher’s tenures and helping lay the groundwork for the success that followed the ensuing two seasons.

The commonality between their different experiences is an understanding of what a raucous Doak Campbell Stadium can sound like.

“It’s going to be wild,” Richt said. “There will be times where we’re on the air where we won’t be able to hear a thing…In studio, it’s a lot easier to do your job, but it’s not as much fun as when you get to come on campus…

“Florida State fans are awesome, but let’s face it, all fans are better when you’re winning and you’re playing the kind of football everybody can be proud of. That’s what they’re doing right now.”

Impressions of Norvell

As ACC Network analysts, both Manuel and Richt spend a decent amount of time diving into all things Atlantic Coast Conference and remaining at least marginally unbiased about the schools they played or coached at.

But even Manuel couldn’t contain himself from a bit of excitement when he was caught on video in the ACC Network studio running around in excitement after Shyheim Brown’s blocked extra point clinched the win over LSU on Sept. 4.

“Obviously, I have to be objective in the job, but my allegiance will always lie here,” Manuel said.

How closely Manuel has to monitor all things ACC, including his alma mater, has led him to seeing the strides FSU has made under Norvell the last few seasons.

“I definitely see it. Sometimes it takes three, four years, it takes a couple recruiting cycles to get kids to buy into what you’re preaching, to get those types of guys in your program,” Manuel said.

“I think we’ve seen that. Coach Norvell, I feel like, has done a great job…I think the things he’s been preaching, the program is trending the right way. You go back to the LSU game, all odds were against them. Pretty much a neutral-site but it was a home game for LSU and I felt like the entire game Florida State was locked in. They weren’t making boneheaded mistakes, the moment wasn’t too big for them. That’s why I feel like the program is starting to make that curve.”

Richt didn’t have as drastic a rebuild when he took over as the head coach at Georgia or Miami. However, he did walk into situations in need of some growth and delivered upon that. Knowing what it takes makes Richt comprehend the job Norvell has done winning eight of his last 11 games since the Seminoles started the 2021 season 0-4.

“What he inherited was not locked and loaded and ready to go. There were some things that he had to get to done,” Richt said. “A lot of times, the pain comes before the glory. There’s been some painful times for sure, but it’s to be expected. Rarely do you get a job where the program is humming at 100% and there’s nothing to do but keep staring. There’s some heavy lifting that had to get done and I think he’s done it well. I think he’s a genuine human being and (the players) trust him. If they didn’t have that trust, they wouldn’t be having the success they’ve had.”