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It's mail time: Is FSU's Mike Norvell stubborn? Will DJ Uiagalelei ever be benched for Brock Glenn

peter holland jr., tallahassee democrat
·7 min read

Florida State football fans are growing impatient and wants answers after Saturday's loss to Memphis, 20-12 dropped the Seminoles to 0-3.

What was projected to be a 3-0 start heading into Saturday's ACC matchup against California Saturday at 7 p.m. at Doak Campbell Stadium has been flipped.

And it might not get any better.

The questions remain consistent, involving Mike Norvell, his quarterback decision and offensive struggles. In this week's mailbag, we answer all those questions.

Dr. Pablo:  (I) saw the depth charts and that reveals plenty. What the hell has become of Julian Armella?

This guy was a beast and a prized recruit. He anchored the line at STA (St. Thomas Aquinas) in (Fort) Lauderdale- multiple state championships.

The few times he played, he effectively moved people off the ball. He's much better than most of the OL starters. Why isn't he playing? He's not even on the depth chart.

Answer: Hi Dr. Pablo. As a fellow STA grad, I am familiar with Armella's game. Unfortunately, it's not translating at this level at the moment. Everything he did in high school doesn't mean anything.

I think he needs more time to develop. I don't believe he is a tackle, where he was projected.

The coaches might be looking at him as a guard, and that's probably why he is taking a step back. He's only a sophomore, so there's no rush.

Wesley Sullivan: Do we have any D-line recruits still leaning toward FSU?

Answer: Hey Wesley. As of now, FSU has one defensive tackle still committed to FSU, Kevin Wynn from Georgia. It is definitely a huge blow to lose three defensive linemen in less than a month.

Javion Hilson was the most recent player who decided to weigh his options elsewhere. A lot of players want to be part of a winning program. Can you blame them?

There are still plenty of prospects out there in the 2025 and 2026 classes, but FSU will need to push on some guys they weren't strongly considering and put them under their radar.

David Ramsey: Why is Mike Norvell so stubborn?

Answer: Hey, David. Haha, I have no idea. A lot of coaches are. When you believe in something, you stand by it. If you believe in someone, you stick with him.

I credit Norvell for not giving in to peer pressure, especially when things are going in the opposite direction. Norvell has been down before but is still upbeat and positive about his team and the system in play.

Eric Jester: Why did he go for two? Why hasn’t he played the younger, more hungry players?

Answer: Hi Eric, I am still mind-boggled about why he went for two. After the game, Norvell said he wanted the win instead of going for the tie if it came down to it.

If the Seminoles converted the two-point conversion, he would need another touchdown and a field goal to clinch the victory.

If it worked, we wouldn't question it that much. It was a questionable decision on his part, for sure.

Some young players have seen action.

Redshirt freshman K.J. Kirkland started in place of safety Shyheim Brown and led the team with nine tackles. Freshman running back Kam Davis has been seeing significant snaps in the backfield.

The same goes for the sophomore linebackers Justin Cryer and Blake Nichelson. We just saw Cryer catch an interception against Memphis.

They are out there, especially on special teams. There are multiple reasons why more younger players haven't seen the field yet.

For instance, some may not know the playbook well enough, or some are still adapting to the pace of the game, etc. There is a mixture of players that have received playing time.

Glenn Rainey: Is there a connection between hiring (Darrick) Yray and DJU (DJ Uiagalelei) and the NIL deal that states DJU has to start and not get benched?

Answer: I don't believe there is any connection between Darrick Yray and DJ Uiagalelei other than the fact that both went to Oregon State at some point in their careers.

Just because they have Oregon State ties doesn't necessarily mean there was mutual interest.

By the time Uiagalelei was a Beaver in 2023, Yray had already joined the Seminoles staff as the general manager of personnel in 2022. I doubt they had any encounter with each other prior to that.

Regarding your NIL question, Uiagalelei has multiple NIL deals dating back to his time in Clemson.

I don't know the details of these contracts because they are not fully disclosed, but I am confident enough to say it has nothing to do with Uiagalelei being the starting QB at FSU.

Norvell still believes he gives FSU a chance to win. You can take that with a grain of salt.

Norvell or any coaches do not let the NIL dictate the decision-making of playing time. Uiagalelei is the starter because of Norvell and not because of his NIL contract.

Bob George: Is Norvell going to sit DJ (Uiagalelei) and make Brock (Glenn) the starting QB for next week? Will they teach the secondary how to play their positions? Will Norvell finally let the OC call the plays?

Answer: Hi, Bob. Uiagalelei is currently the starting quarterback, and I don't believe Norvell intends to sit him for Brock Glenn. Will we see Glenn at some point? That is still to be determined, but as of now, nothing has changed.

Regarding your question about the secondary, when you mean they, do you mean the defensive coaches? The secondary has not been great, but it hasn't been challenged.

Outside of cornerbacks Fentrell Cypress and Azareye'h Thomas and safety Shyheim Brown, it's a pretty young secondary, and they are still learning multiple positions every day.

My concern for them is not necessarily their skill sets. It's their lack of communication. The DBs need to be better at communicating and executing, which has been a problem thus far.

Norvell is still calling plays, and Alex Atkins is returning to the sidelines after serving a three-game suspension.

Calling plays hasn't been an issue for him in the past two years. If FSU continues its losing streak, Norvell will have to adapt and make adjustments at some point, but it is still his call.

William Shaner: Why is he (Mike Norvell) bent over with his hands on his knees so frequently? Unless he is out of breath due to a physical condition, he can see the field better if he stands erect.

Why is he looking up at the end zone screens frequently, too? Watching replays, checking down and yardage, time left?

Answer: Hi William. I don't know why he does any of those things. I don't pay attention to Norvell's body language or his demeanor. When the offense is as bad as FSU has looked in the last three games, I don't blame him.

As far as why he is looking at the endzone screens, he's likely looking at the game clock, but I don't know that for sure.

Because I'm in the press box, I don't see Norvell. I hardly believe there's anything to be concerned about. That's just who he is. Plain and simple.

FSU football schedule 2024: TV channels, dates and start times

All times Eastern

BOLD = ACC

* = Neutral Site

Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Reaction Mailbag: Why Mike Norvell continues to stick with FSU QB DJ Uiagalelei