Coach Mike Norvell says he failed to prepare players as Florida State goes 0-2

Sept. 3 (UPI) — Coach Mike Norvell says he failed in preparing Florida State after the No. 2 Seminoles dropped their second consecutive game to start the 2024 college football campaign, but still believes in his players.

The Boston College Eagles (1-0) dismantled the Seminoles 28-13 on Monday at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla. The loss gave the Seminoles their fourth 0-2 start in the last eight years. They played 27 consecutive seasons without an 0-2 start from 1990 to 2016.

“I’m sick to how this season started,” Novell told reporters Monday. “I failed in preparing the team to go out and respond.”

The Seminoles, who were 13-0 in the 2023 regular season, but experienced a major roster turnover, were outgained 263-21 in rushing yards Monday. They have been outgained 453-119 on the ground through their first two games, including a 190-98 margin in their 24-21 loss to Georgia Tech on Aug. 24 in Dublin, Ireland.

They averaged more than 150 rushing yards per game last season.

“It comes down to me and comes down to me being able to prepare this team to go out and play to the capabilities that I believe that they have,” Novell said.

“You’ve got a football team that’s hurting. You’ve got a football team that nobody envisioned ever being where we are, having disappointment and having failure, but I do believe in what this team can do.”

Last season, quarterback Jordan Travis carried the Seminoles offense, completing 63.9% of his throws for 2,756 yards, 20 scores and two interceptions. New Seminoles quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei completed just 40 of 69 (58%) of his pass attempts for 465 yards, one score and an interception through his first two starts.

With Travis and fellow former Seminoles stars Keon Coleman, Trey Benson, Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, among others, now in the NFL, Norvell must find a way to kickstart the offense and improve the defense, which is giving up nearly seven points per game more than it did in 2023.

And he must do that quickly to lift his Seminoles from the quicksand of a sinking season.

“We need leaders to rise up,” Norvell said. “We need to continue to push in all areas of what we’re doing and we’ve gotta do it together.

“There is going to be plenty of negativity around this program. I understand that. When you perform the way we did, that’s all part of it. But for our football team, you’ve gotta stay together and you’ve gotta make sure you are there for each other.

“We’ve been knocked down. We know how to get up, but we’ve got to go do that.”

The Seminoles will host the Memphis Tigers (1-0) at noon EDT Sept. 14 in Tallahassee. The Tigers beat North Alabama 40-0 in their season opener Saturday in Memphis.