Jameis Winston: 'No doubt' Norvell will get FSU Football on track

Jameis Winston hasn't been back to Florida State often since his playing days ended.

The 2013 Heisman Trophy winner has been more than a little busy between playing quarterback in the National Football League, starting a family and taking part in a number of philanthropic endeavors.

But when he returned to Tallahassee last week for FSU's spring graduation ceremony -- Winston earned his bachelor's degree in social sciences nearly a decade after leaving college early for the NFL -- he also got the opportunity to spend some time with head football coach Mike Norvell, quarterback Jordan Travis and others in the program.

And Winston definitely seemed impressed.

"I know what Mike Norvell is doing in Tallahassee right now is something special," he said. "It's just finding the right guys to believe in your system. Finding the right guys to believe in you -- believe in him like we believed in Coach Jimbo [Fisher]."

Winston made his comments during a one-on-one interview with Warchant's Jeff Cameron; it will air today on the Jeff Cameron Show (93.3-FM in Tallahassee, 1-3 p.m. ET), and it can also be seen below on Warchant TV.

While the current Seminoles haven't enjoyed anywhere close to the level of success FSU had when Winston was the quarterback -- the 2013 and '14 teams were a combined 27-1 -- he knows what it's like to be part of a team trying to change a losing culture.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were 2-14 the year before Winston was the No. 1 overall pick in 2015, and they went 6-10 and 9-7 in his first two seasons.

"You're gonna have your ups and downs," Winston said. "You're gonna have your highs, you're gonna have your lows. But staying consistent every single day, being the same person every single day will eventually lead you to the path where you want to go.

"And Mike Norvell has been successful everywhere he's been. So it's no doubt in my mind that he's gonna get things going, trending in a positive direction, for our university again. And get some great players ... because, you know, we had some great players at Florida State. We had some great leaders at Florida State."

As much as Winston likes what he sees and hears from Norvell, the New Orleans Saints quarterback believes improving the roster will be what truly turns around the Seminoles' fortunes.

And Winston should know. He was part of a 2012 signing class that featured a slew of future NFL players, including Eddie Goldman, P.J. Williams, Ronald Darby and Mario Edwards Jr.

But Winston added that it's not just about upgrading the talent level, but also bringing in players who share the head coach's vision.

"Coaches coach," he said. "But we've got to get players that are dedicated to playing. Because the players play. And the players have to believe in him and go all the way with him for them to win. And I think that's going to happen."

While getting to see some new and familiar faces during his return was nice -- as was checking out the Seminoles' new locker room and other facility renovations -- the biggest highlight for Winston, of course, was walking across the stage and receiving that degree.

It was the fulfillment of a promise he made to his mother several years ago.

"I love finishing. I love completing things," Winston said. "That's definitely a goal that I had to finish for my mother. So shout to Loretta Winston for that inspiration in me."

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