Florida State coach Mike Norvell was named the recipient of the 2023 Dodd Trophy, presented by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc.
Press release from the foundation:
The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted coaching award, honors the head football coach whose program embodies the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also having success on the playing field throughout the season. Winners of the award from the previous two years and first-year coaches at an institution are not eligible to win the award.
Norvell led the Seminoles to a perfect 13-0 record this season, highlighted by an ACC Championship title, both firsts for the program since 2014. He secured only the third 13-win season in Florida State history, joining the 2013 national championship team and the 2014 team that played in the inaugural College Football Playoff. Norvell and the Seminoles led the nation with eight wins this season over bowl-eligible Power Five conference teams and tied for the national lead winning four games after trailing by at least 10 points. Under Norvell’s leadership, Florida State also placed a program-record 25 selections on the All-ACC teams, including at least one at every position, led by Player of the Year quarterback Jordan Travis.
Now in his fourth season in Tallahassee, Norvell is 31-16 overall and was named the 2023 ACC Coach of the Year for his efforts this season. Coach Norvell now becomes the second Florida State head coach to win The Dodd Trophy, joining Seminole coaching legend Bobby Bowden, who won the award in 1980.
“I am thrilled to be this year’s recipient of The Dodd Trophy," Norvell said. "The values of athletic success, academic excellence and character represented by this award align with what we emphasize in our program. Those characteristics have been on display through some truly challenging circumstances this season, but I am so proud of how our team responded each and every time. For that to be recognized in this way is an honor. I am incredibly thankful for the support we have here at Florida State to help us develop young men to be impactful on the field, in the classroom and in their community.
"From President McCullough to the Board of Trustees chaired by Peter Collins, to athletic director Michael Alford, everyone has been in alignment with these goals and that has been huge in propelling us forward. I am thankful for our entire football staff and the tireless approach they have to helping us reach our best, and I am thankful for our players who have accepted the challenge of pushing to reach their best in everything they do. This is truly a team award, and I’m honored that Florida State University has this recognition.”
Florida State has excelled off the field under Norvell as well. In the classroom, 35 of Norvell’s student-athletes received Academic All-ACC honors for the 2022-23 academic year. This group also had an impressive 983 Academic Progress Rate (APR), which tied for the 23rd highest mark in the FBS and held a Graduation Success Rate of 63. Overall, the 2023 season featured 69 players who have graduated, earned a 3.0 cumulative GPA or finished their previous semester with a 3.0 GPA.
Before the 2020 season, Norvell placed an emphasis on the program’s commitment to academics by creating the ‘Seminole Scholar’ patch on Florida State’s jerseys to reward players who achieved a certain level of academic success. To date, a total of 253 Seminole Scholars have been recognized since the program’s implementation.
“Coach Norvell’s relentless commitment to establish a winning culture both on and off the field within the Florida State program was evident throughout this season. He prepared his teams thoroughly to take care of business on the field and continues to push his student-athletes to be successful off the field as well,” said Jim Terry, chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “Coach Norvell truly carries on coach Dodd’s legacy in the modern era of the sport, and we are honored to name him The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year.”
In the community, Norvell has dedicated time to giving back and introducing his players to various charitable efforts. Florida State football formed a partnership with John G. Riley Elementary School in 2020 where players and staff assisted with several campus beautification projects that included building rock gardens and conducting book drives with the school. Norvell and his wife, Maria, also established the Keep Climbing Family Foundation as an action-based organization built on faith and service, focused on meeting the needs of others. He recently participated in the 2023 Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament where he then donated his winnings to his Keep Climbing Family Foundation.
Five of the nation’s top head coaches (Mike Norvell, Kalen DeBoer, Eliah Drinkwitz, Jedd Fisch and Nick Saban) were named finalists for this year’s award by a panel consisting of all previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member. Coach Norvell was then selected as this year’s recipient by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation.
