TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — At 38, Mike Norvell is the second youngest head coach of a Power 5 program. Only Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma is younger.
ABC 27 Sports Director Alison Posey takes a look at how Mike Norvell put himself in position to get this job.
Norvell may be young, but he's considered one of the rising stars in college football.
Norvell took over the program at Memphis in December of 2015 and continued the success Justin Fuente started at Memphis, winning at least eight games all four seasons at the helm of the Tigers program.
Norvell has gone 0-3 in bowl games, but his record in December may reflect losing staff late in the season and that's not a bad thing. Under Norvell, eight former assistants are at Power 5 schools. Six former assistants are coordinators.
Memphis is one of the most penalized teams in the country. They're 12th in penalties per game, while Florida State is first. That's a stat he'll have to improve, but offensively, the Tigers are ranked tenth in total offense, racking up 495 yards per game. Florida State averaging 403.
Recruiting wise, Norvell will need to up his game in Florida and Georgia. Between the talent rich state, the Tigers boast just seven players currently on the roster. Things to improve on and as the new head coach of the Florida State Seminoles, he will look to do just that.
