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For the first time in 15 years, every football coach at Florida’s seven FBS schools is returning.
The turnover may sound unusual but it’s pretty much standard in this volatile industry, which gets more pressure packed by the year.
Back in 2009, staples such as Bobby Bowden (FSU), Urban Meyer (Florida), Howard Schnellenberger (FAU), George O’Leary (UCF) and Jim Leavitt (USF) were roaming the college football sidelines. Randy Shannon was trying to hold on at Miami and Mario Cristobal was in his third season at FIU.
This year’s group includes two coaches headed into Year 2 at their current school, three into Year 3, one into Year 4 and the dean of state college coaches, Mike Norvell, entering his fifth year at Florida State.
Norvell’s ACC title and undefeated regular season was far and away the biggest state success story in 2023. Other than Alex Golesh improving USF by six wins, the other five programs were stagnant or took a step back.
Expectations in 2024 range from FSU being part of the 12-team playoff — a spot the Seminoles deserved in the final year of the four-team playoff but were snubbed — to Florida trying to save Billy Napier’s job.
Here are the seven FBS coaches in the state and how we rank them:
1. Mike Norvell, FSU
After leading FSU to an undefeated regular season and ACC championship in 2023, Norvell was a finalist for every coach of the year award and was named Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year. The Seminoles ended 13-1 after being left out of the playoff. Norvell has taken the program from eight wins his first two seasons and 23 the last two, including its first ACC title in nine years. FSU is back to being the standard bearer in the state and has restored its brand nationally. But has it reached the point where it just reloads and stays at the top? With high expectations for 2024, we will soon…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/fsus-mike-norvell-tops-ranking-100556640.html
Author : Palm Beach Daily News
Publish date : 2024-08-16 10:05:56
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