Florida State Coach Mike Norvell Tests Positive for COVID-19

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell announced on Saturday he has tested positive for COVID-19.

Florida State head coach Mike Norvell announced on Saturday he has tested positive for COVID-19.

Norvell said in a statement that he tested positive during the team's most recent round of testing on Friday, and his wife and daughter will enter quarantine after receiving negative test results. In his absence, deputy head coach Chris Thomsen will serve as interim coach until Norvell can return.

"My result was surprising to me, but we have prepared for a potential positive result among anyone in our program and we will put that plan in place while I am away," Norvell said. "I will remain involved remotely as much as possible to help our team continue to prepare. ...I'm grateful to the administration, players and staff for their commitment to the protocols we have in place, which have helped us limit contact with others and allowed us to continue moving forward."

Mike Norvell tests positive for COVID and won’t coach this week pic.twitter.com/HnIKyrapn7

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) September 19, 2020

The Seminoles are off this week, and will travel to take on rival Miami next weekend. Norvell will not attend the game, and Florida State said the contest will happen as scheduled. 

Norvell added Thomsen to his first-year staff in December following the offensive assistant's three seasons at TCU. Prior to joining the Horned Frogs, Thomsen served as the head coach at Abilene Christian from 2005–11 and has worked as an assistant at Arizona State, Texas Tech and Central Arkansas.

Athletic director David Coburn said contract tracing is underway and the Seminoles are proceeding with the school's COVID protocols.

"This is unfortunate, but luckily Coach is feeling fine," Coburn said. "We will continue to test staff and student athletes as we have been. We have communicated with Commissioner John Swofford and Miami Athletics Director Blake James. At this point, based on our testing this week, we have no reason to believe that the Miami game is in jeopardy."