Norvell Blinded by QB Loyalty Ahead of Central Arkansas Game
· Yahoo Sports
Florida State (1-2, 0-1 in ACC) battled a top ten ranked Alabama team (3-0) valiantly on their home field at Bryant-Denny Stadium last Saturday.
However, the Seminoles came out on the short end of the sticks in a 14-point loss to the Crimson Tide. Turnovers and a non-existent defense in the second half were the culprits of their demise in Tuscaloosa.
Visit mchezo.life for more information.
In front of gathered media, Coach Mike Norvell continues to praise his starting quarterback, Ashton Daniels, who passed for 377 yards and accounted for four touchdowns vs. the Crimson Tide. Also, Norvell continues to give him a pass regarding his on-field transgressions, namely his three interceptions against Alabama.
“Yeah, the interceptions had nothing to do with his confidence,” said Norvell. “He has one throw as I said there on Monday, is going to be the tip pass. I mean the guy made a great play on a scramble trying to throw it over the top and then, the last drive, try to drop his arm angle and it just missed a throw. We want to make sure we're making good decisions. That's where I think when I watch him, in the decisions that he's made, he's continuing to grow and he's got a lot of confidence. He wants to be better. When you have a guy that has shown the capabilities to play at a very, very high level and the constant push for more, you know you got the right kind of guy.”
Norvell is delusional. Florida State LOST the game. Daniels threw three interceptions, three turnovers that killed drives that could have turned into points for the Seminoles. How can a sitting head coach downplay an interception as “just a missed throw?”
Those three interceptions were ill-advised throws into tight coverage. They were three nails in the coffin of defeat for the Seminoles, and three prime examples of Daniels’ decision-making skills, or the lack thereof.
Fall camp is usually where decision-making skills are honed so when the season arrives, you are ready, not learning as you go through the schedule.
As far as the capability to play at a high level, Daniels has thrown just three touchdown passes in the last two games against ranked opponents SMU and Alabama. That is mediocre enough to be tied for ninth in the ACC. High level play that is not.
Norvell is blinded by loyalty and is incapable of making a change for the betterment of the team and the season. He announced his starting quarterback after just 15 practices in the spring, before Malachi Marshall arrived at campus to force a true quarterback competition. Norvell will ride or die with Daniels triggering his offense, regardless of a winning or losing outcome.
Saturday’s game with the Central Arkansas Bears (2-2, 0-1 in UAC), Norvell’s alma mater, really comes at a bad time for the Seminoles. Florida State is vulnerable to falling victim to a “trap game” and taking the Bears lightly, ahead of the following week’s home game with ACC foe Virginia (2-1).
It also means they are vulnerable to failing to take that big step forward as a team in a game they absolutely should win. This could give the Seminoles a false sense of security.
Daniels and the Seminoles’ defense will have to play flawless football for Florida State on Saturday, as they should, against an FCS opponent like Central Arkansas. The Seminoles are -45.5-point favorites against the Bears, which may be an accurate spread as they come into matchup like this. But it begs the question: What is the over/under on Florida State covering that spread?