This Florida State coaching staff knew the opportunity in front of them when they arrived in Tallahassee ahead of the 2020 season.
They may not have known how long it would take them to harness it, but they are enjoying the fruits of their labor with a passionate FSU fanbase that is as collectively invested as it has been in years due to FSU’s first 4-0 start since 2015.
For the first time in Mike Norvell’s tenure, there’s a palpable buzz around the FSU football program. And a ranking next to the Seminoles’ name, to boot.
“There is a great expectation and a great sense of pride in our program. I love that,” Norvell said Monday. “It is about the people. I'm so blessed for the opportunity to be the head coach here. The good Lord brought me here for a reason and every day we're trying to represent the program the way the program needs to be represented.”
For proof of that improved commitment from the fanbase, look no further than the crowd in place at last week’s game. FSU announced it was the team’s first full-capacity sellout since 2015, with 79,560 fans packed into Doak Campbell Stadium.
Those fans weren’t there for a high-profile game. Those more prominent home games are coming later in the season when the Seminoles will host Wake Forest (Oct. 1), Clemson (Oct. 15) and rival Florida (Nov. 25). Those fans were there both because it was FSU’s first home game in nearly a month and because the Seminoles have proven to be a team worth supporting heartily early this season with a highly unlikely 3-0 start, which included wins away from home against LSU and Louisville.
That anticipation led to one of the more active crowds in recent FSU memory, despite the fact the game was over well before the clock ran out on FSU’s 44-14 win.
“When we first hit the kickoff return to start the game, that was about as loud as I remember hearing a stadium at least in real time,” FSU special teams coordinator John Papuchis said. “I’m excited for our guys, especially the ones that have been here for a couple years, because they’ve been through their share of doubts. They have the opportunity and at this point now, there are so many people who are excited about the games and the atmosphere that you try to eliminate all the distractions that you can.
“But you do like the fact that our guys have the opportunity to be on that stage in front of so many people there to watch them. It was a very cool experience and great environment.”
It extends beyond just the stadium, though. FSU defensive coordinator Adam Fuller may be more impressed with the change he’s seen when he’s out and about in Tallahassee during his time away from campus.
“I think the thing that impacts me as much as the gameday atmosphere is just how it makes people around Tallahassee feel,” Fuller said. “Listen, I'm a dad. I have kids that go to schools and my wife lives in this community, we're part of the community. To hear people, how excited and appreciative they are of how we're playing and the impact that has on others, that's what means the most to me. Yes, 80,000 (fans) crowd noise, I love it. When we return the kick, yes, I'm excited. But all I'm caring about is the kickoff team and D and 10. That's where my mind goes in the moment…
“I go back to that game down in New Orleans. When you can't get in the hotel the night before a game because the fans just want to see your team, that's what Florida State is. That’s what this whole fan base, the university and all of it is all about. Yes, it's a special place and something I don't take for granted.”
The crowd for the BC game was impressive. But it still wasn't what Doak Campbell Stadium can be at its best when two of the best teams in the country meet in Tallahassee.
If the Climb continues at its current rate, we may see a crowd like that before very long.
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