EL PASO, Texas -- Mike Norvell was officially named Florida State's head football coach three weeks ago, but he won't really take control of the team's day-to-day activities until the Seminoles return from Tuesday's Sun Bowl game.
In preparation for that moment, Norvell held one-on-one meetings with every player on the FSU roster before they left Tallahassee for the holidays. He talked to freshmen through seniors, scholarship players and walk-ons.
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The goal was to tell them a little more about himself and his motivations, and to learn what he could about them and what they hope to accomplish.
"When we sat down, he really just asked me about myself, trying to get to know about me," junior tight end Tre' McKitty said.
"When I first met him, I could tell he was all about business," sophomore defensive tackle Robert Cooper said. "He kept everything straight with me, asked me who I am, what are my goals, my background and why I chose Florida State. That was one of the questions that kind of threw me off -- when he asked me why I chose Florida State.
"But yeah, he's really about business. I like him."
As he did in his initial conversation with the team as a whole, Norvell told the players that he understood they've been through a lot -- now playing for their third head coach since 2017 -- and assured them he will work to earn their trust.
"I just want you to allow me to show you that I deserve your time and your effort," linebacker Emmett Rice said Norvell told him. "Just let me show you."
Judging from several interviews with FSU players on Sunday, the Seminoles were receptive to Norvell's message.
"I just told him this is my third head coach," Rice said. "I've seen a lot, and I'm just ready to work. As long as you're ready to work, I'm ready to work."
"We can complain about the situations that we've been in," McKitty said. "But now, it's just like looking forward. So really, our conversation was just in the future, not too much in the past."
