Florida State is burning with urgency for 2025, desperate to shake off the nightmare of their 2-10 season—their worst since 1974. Coach Mike Norvell is at a crossroads, tasked with rebuilding after a stunning fall from grace. From undefeated ACC champions in 2023 to a national laughingstock in 2024. Despite a strong returning core, key offensive departures messed up the team’s rhythm, and both veterans and new transfers struggled under pressure. This dramatic fall wasn’t just embarrassing; it painted a massive target on Norvell’s back as he tries to pull the program out of its slump.

This time, a lot is at stake. It’s not just analysts scrutinizing Mike Norvell, but FSU’s own fanbase. Only 1 in 5 Florida State fans still backs Norvell. Josh Pate explored this on his College Football Show, looking at head coach approval ratings from their own fanbases. While Penn State’s James Franklin sits high at 85%, Mike Norvell’s numbers are on the opposite end. Pate didn’t hold back, delivering a tough reality check.

Josh Pate said, “It brings me no joy to tell you Mike Norvell is polling at a 20% approval rating amongst Florida State fans one season after winning the ACC and, in their own minds, being screwed out of a playoff spot. But it fell off a cliff because Florida State fell off a cliff.”

So, what’s behind this shaky trust? Josh Pate laid it out perfectly: “And here’s the problem. Many Florida State folks will tell you this: as disastrous as last year was, if they had loaded recruiting classes incoming and they had a ton of momentum on the recruiting trail, they would be skeptical, but they’d be ready to buy back him. But Florida State doesn’t have that. Talent acquisition’s been a problem here. Not killing it at the high school recruiting level, just doing okay at the high school recruiting level, has been a big problem. And because of that, it’s hard for a fan to look and say, ‘I see stability returning.'”

That makes perfect sense. Florida State’s 2024 offense often stalled on third down. Poor early-down execution, a weak quarterback, and a shaky offensive line led to too many third-and-long situations. Their third-down conversion rate cratered to 28.75%, a sharp drop from 36.26% in 2023 and far from 2022’s impressive 51.19%. This also highlights their past recruiting issues. And looking at their 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes? They’re not even in the top 10, while top Big Ten and SEC programs are making huge strides in recruiting the right talent for their roster.

Let’s be real: if it wasn’t for Mike Norvell’s $64 million buyout, FSU might have already shown him the exit door. Josh Pate didn’t sugarcoat it, saying, “But we’re not polling what reality brings us. We’re polling how fans feel about the program and about the head coach. And because of that, 20%—look, 20% is high. If you go 2 and 10 at a major program, most of the time you’re fired. No equity. But Mike Norvell had equity because just one season ago he did what they did. And so I got him at 20% right now.”

Even CFB experts like ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg didn’t shy away from highlighting Mike Norvell’s uncertain future. “Norvell is entering his sixth year at FSU, but doesn’t it feel like longer?” With his job on the line, Norvell is making huge changes, starting with stepping back from play-calling duties for the first time in his career to focus on the bigger picture. He brought in Gus Malzahn as the new offensive coordinator, who could potentially take over his role, and Tony White to lead the defense. Norvell’s vision for success this season is crystal clear.

Mike Norvell must win

Facing a crucial juncture, Coach Mike Norvell guides a team striving to regain national prominence. FSU’s offensive woes stemmed from a collapsing run game, a cornerstone of Norvell’s system. After averaging 5.47 yards per carry in 2022 and 4.54 in 2023, that plummeted to a dismal 2.85 last season. Injuries to quarterback DJ Uiagalelei meant he couldn’t run the ball, which allowed defenses to focus solely on stopping the pass. This imbalance disrupted FSU’s offensive flow and rhythm. And Mike Norvell acknowledges the significant challenges ahead.

The HC didn’t sugarcoat the road to redemption: “We got to go do it. And everybody’s going to talk about feeling good about where they are, but I really do think this is a group that’s done the things up to this point that we needed to do. Obviously, we have work in front of us. But I’m excited,” Norvell said. That enthusiasm is tempered by caution since the program assesses both high school recruits and transfers using identical standards—talent, character, and mindset.

Enter Gus Malzahn with his proven rushing attack. The former Auburn coach consistently fields top-10 rushing offenses, and that won’t change. Expect plenty of misdirection, quarterback keepers, and inside zone runs with Thomas Castellanos, who’ll play a Jordan Travis-like role. Castellanos’ running ability alone will force defenses to respect the run, unlike last year. His impressive stats—3,689 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and 1,427 rushing yards—suggest great potential. Then there are receivers Squirrel White (Tennessee) and Duce Robinson (USC) aiming to revitalize the offense.

With the Alabama game looming on August 30th, Norvell knows his offense must deliver under pressure. They’ll need to perform not just for national glory but to satisfy their restless fanbase. And for Norvell? He needs to keep his seat from getting scorching hot.