Jeff Kupper wasn't sure what to make of Mike Norvell when they first met nearly five years ago.

Kupper had served as Memphis' director of football operations under two different head coaches, and he wasn't sure if he would be better off staying with a third, leaving for Virginia Tech with then-head coach Justin Fuente or searching for a new opportunity altogether.

It wasn't until the two talked over a series of dinners that Kupper realized staying put would be his best option. As successful as the Tigers had been in recent years, Kupper got the sense Norvell might elevate the program even higher -- in a number of ways.

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When Norvell talked about his vision for Memphis Football, his focus wasn't solely on winning as many games as possible, as quickly as possible. He also wanted to make sure each player, coach and staff member would be provided opportunities to grow on a personal and professional level.

More importantly, Kupper said, Norvell quickly proved he wasn't merely paying lip service to those ideals. In the ensuing weeks and months, the first-time head coach approached every decision with one overriding principle in mind:

"He was trying to enhance each individual as part of the program," said Kupper, who came to FSU with Norvell eight months ago and now serves as the Seminoles' director of player development and operations.

On Wednesday evening, Florida State's players got their latest opportunity to see what that means.

As the Seminoles neared the end of their second week of preseason drills, Norvell's staff wrapped practice up early that day and took the players to SouthWind Plantation in Bainbridge, Ga., for an array of team-building exercises. The players got to take part in outdoor activities, they worked together in competitions and they learned more about each other and themselves.

The night concluded with the team split up into position groups, with players and coaches sitting around campfires and sharing details of their personal journeys.

"It's amazing how much time we spend together as a football team, but sometimes the story gets left out," Norvell said Thursday. "I thought it was an extraordinary evening, and I'm glad we got to do that."

Norvell took players on similar excursions during his four years at Memphis, but it was likely never more important than it was for this particular Florida State squad.

Back during the summer, Kupper explained that Norvell's staff was very much aware of everything the Seminoles' players had been through the past few years.

Coaching changes. Scheme overhauls. Disappointments on and off the field.

“Think about the stress that these guys have been under for the last three years,” Kupper said. “Some of them were recruited by Jimbo [Fisher]. They have success, and then they have abandonment. They get a new staff, and they have to learn new processes and protocols. Then they don’t have the success they may have been expecting … they have been on a roller-coaster.”

The twists and turns continued, of course, after the team reconvened from quarantine in June.

First, there was the Marvin Wilson social media controversy. Then there was another dust-up featuring wide receiver Warren Thompson. Both were smoothed over quickly by Norvell, but there is clearly room for the Seminoles to grow when it comes to team chemistry and camaraderie.

Wednesday night apparently was a very big step in the right direction.