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Following a dramatic 43-35 double-overtime defeat to No. 1 Miami, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell is determined to make necessary adjustments as his team enters a bye week. The Seminoles (3-4, 1-3 ACC) are coming off a game that ended with controversial calls, including a holding penalty Norvell labeled an "absolute joke" and a near-Hail Mary that was ruled an interception. Despite the frustration, Norvell sees the bye week as a valuable opportunity for his coaching staff to assess personnel packages and strategic approaches.
"The attitude and expectation for what this team is going to do here as we move forward, building off some of the good, correcting the bad that showed up to this point of the season," Norvell said. "We're going to utilize this bye week to make some adjustments that I think are necessary when it comes to our personnel and the positions we put guys in. We have some guys in some positions that are really thin just due to injury. But you know, excited about some opportunities for some younger players that get to emerge." Those adjustments will be implemented before the Seminoles return to action against Clemson on Halloween at 7 p.m. on ACC Network.
One major area of focus during the off week is the running back room. The Seminoles lost Ousmane Kromah to a season-ending ankle injury against the Hurricanes, and Samuel Singleton Jr. was hurt against Alabama and will not be available in the near future, according to Norvell. That leaves Tre Wisner, Amari Thomas, and Zay Parks as the active running backs, with Thomas and Parks having seen minimal reps this season. Wisner stepped into the primary role against Miami and recorded 63 rushing yards on nine carries, adding 56 receiving yards and a touchdown, though he also fumbled once.
"I've got the utmost confidence that Tre will take on even more of a role than he has. He's shown the last couple weeks, getting opportunities that he can bring a lot to the table," FSU offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. said. "Now Amari is gonna get his opportunity. Zay has been a guy that's been here for a few years, working hard, has done a really good job. All these guys are here waiting for an opportunity to play, and unfortunately, sometimes it takes injuries for them to get them. But I'm really excited to watch these guys run with it."
Defensive Adjustments Also Critical
On the defensive side, evaluations will be equally important. The Seminoles defense has struggled with misalignments and execution issues, compounded by injuries, and fixing these problems is essential if the program hopes to position itself for a bowl game. Both Norvell and defensive coordinator Tony White have pointed to self-inflicted mistakes, and White indicated he will review his play calling to better set up his unit for success.
"We've got to eliminate the self-inflicted. We've got to make sure that we have adjustments in personnel. Maybe guys are having to play a different position, that we're putting those guys in the best position," Norvell said. "That's a big reflection for us this week. You work week to week, but then also make sure that if there are adjustments, more big-picture-wise, that it's tied to the strengths of our guys."
Florida State's 2026 schedule continues with Clemson on October 31, followed by road games at Boston College on November 7 and Pittsburgh on November 13, home contests against NC State on November 21 and Florida on November 27. The Seminoles currently hold a 3-4 record overall and 1-3 in ACC play.
Originally reported by yahoo.