Florida State will soon break the rock to symbolically wrap up preseason camp. But other than that, there's not much of a clear delineation between camp and game week: The days are hot and they run together ahead of the Seminoles’ opener.
But when Mike Norvell spoke with the media on Thursday morning for the last time before his game week press conference on Monday, there was a sense of ease and a looseness. Coach on the hot seat? Maybe to those on the outside. Norvell expressed his comfort with the 2026 team and exuded that sentiment with his answers, too.
"I've been really pleased with this camp," Norvell said. "Very few coaches are coming here, 'Well, I hate what we just did.' In different teams, different areas of confidence that has been built through their preparation ... I've been really pleased with this football team and just their mindset, the production, the growth, how they responded to the back and forth."
FSU indeed has more than 60 new players (transfers, high school and junior college). But the Seminoles also have a wealth of experience across the various position groups, players who perhaps arrived during the victories of 2023 and have handled the challenges of back-to-back losing seasons. There are exceptions, like receiver (no homegrown juniors or seniors) and the offensive line room has been led by Andre' Otto (going into his fourth year at FSU).
The perspective that maturity brings could help the Seminoles, who must navigate a challenging schedule that includes four AP top 25 opponents in the first seven games. And it hits right away after the Week Zero game with New Mexico State, as FSU faces No. 19 SMU on Labor Day and travels to No. 13 Alabama on Sept. 19.
Norvell twice mentioned "emotional maturity" on Thursday when discussing how the Seminoles handled the camp battles of offense vs. defense as well as the dog days of the heat in practices.
"You can usually get a pretty good sense of the emotional maturity of a team through how they handle the ups and downs of fall camp," Norvell said. "If you have one side that is just dominating every day and then some unknowns are going to show up as you get into a season. But as you see guys whether the defense has a good day, what's the offense's response (and) vice versa.
"I've been pleased with the emotional maturity that these guys have showed throughout fall camp."
Injury report
Norvell was optimistic about the injuries that kept a few Seminoles from practicing for chunks of camp. Losing safety Karson Hobbs was a tough one as he had been making a push and it impacts depth.
But linebacker Mikai Gbayor and receiver Jayvan Boggs are both back.
"Mikai Gbayor, Jayvan Boggs, those guys getting back, truly I was anticipating that being a game week decision in week 1," Norvell said. "But both guys have shown they're going to be fully ready to go. They got cleared to be able to participate. We're getting two guys we expect to be major contributors for us."
Norvell said Tre' Wisner, who missed both scrimmages, returned to the practice field earlier this week. He mentioned cornerback Nehemiah Chandler was limited in some practices but also has returned. And Otto, who had missed some time, is also back in the mix.
There won’t be an official injury report ahead of the opener as it’s not an ACC game, but Norvell’s comments are encouraging in that the Seminoles will have what appears to be a relative full depth of the roster available to start the year.
Coming up
Norvell didn't say who he has chosen to break the rock, or which day, but he remarked that the discussion is a tough one. The Seminoles will practice on Friday, hold a mock game on Saturday and jump into game week preparation on Sunday.
FSU won't hold interviews on Friday, Saturday or Sunday with Norvell, assistant coaches or players. (Don't worry, the Osceola has stories planned through the weekend.)
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