Florida State's Mike Norvell Dives Into Depth Chart, Looks Toward Georgia Tech

With fall camp in the rear view mirror, Norvell and the Seminoles are preparing for Ireland.

The moment Florida State fans and college football have been waiting for is among us as the Seminoles gear up to take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Dublin, Ireland to kick off the first game of the college football season on August, 24.

Head coach Mike Norvell met with the media on Sunday to discuss his team's progression throughout fall camp ahead of the Week '0' matchup and named Oregon State transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei as the starter for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.

READ MORE: Florida State Seminoles Release Depth Chart For 2024 Opener Against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

"It's good to be back in game week, and I'm very excited about kicking off the college football season. I'm really proud of our guys and all the work they've put in throughout the offseason program. Obviously, going into the summer, with spring practice, summer workouts, and here in fall camp, I thought it was very productive," Norvell said. "Our guys competed at a very high level."

The matchup will feature ESPN's College Gameday for their first international appearance and with the game already being sold out the anticipation couldn't be higher. Norvell emphasized how important this upcoming week of preparation is and praised Georgia Tech's Brent Key for building a talented Yellow Jackets Roster to compete.

"We're having a very important week in preparation. We're playing a very talented and experienced Georgia Tech team, have a lot of respect for them. I think coach Key has done a wonderful job, and his coaching staff, they've really done a great job being able to build the confidence and showcase the skills and abilities of some very talented players," Norvell continued. "You can see their potential they have, they're continuing on their ascent. We know it's going to be a great matchup, but for us, it's all about focusing on the Seminoles, and that's where our attention will be."

Florida State will return one of the most experienced offensive lines in the country this season with a large mix of redshirt seniors and juniors. There were twelve players listed on the Georgia Tech offensive line depth chart and nine are upperclassmen. Players like Darius Washington, Maurice Smith, and Robert Scott, Jr. have been with the program through its most recent climb to success and will be critical in keeping Uiagalelei upright this season.

"When you look at guys that have been here, you know, Maurice, Darius, Rob Scott, it's great getting Rob back in the mix. With all the experience that he has, I mean, those guys, they were really young four years ago when they had to go through some very challenging experiences, tough times. But they've grown through it, they've stayed the course, and I think they've done a remarkable job. The guys that we've been able to bring in have been wonderful, complementary pieces."

Uiagalelei will be replacing former Heisman finalist Jordan Travis at quarterback, who set numerous all-time records at Florida State. Uiagalelei, a redshirt senior, has played at Clemson and Oregon State, and Norvell has full confidence in how he will perform in 2024. The 'Noles are projected to be at the top of the ACC by the end of the regular season, and like any other team, their success will largely depend on the quarterback position.

"He's played a lot of football games, and he's seen it all. He's been through highs, he's been through lows. I mean, I could not be any more pleased with what I've seen since he got here in January." Norvell said of Uiagalelei. "I think he's just done an outstanding job, and he's playing with a lot of confidence. I'm excited to see him play like he's prepared, and if he does that, I think he can have a very special season."

One of FSU's strong suits entering the season will be the run game, with players like Lawrance Toafili, Caziah Holmes, Roydell Williams, and Jaylin Lucas leading the charge. After having one of the lowest-ranked run defenses in the country a season ago, Georgia Tech hired Duke's Tyler Santucci to help fix the issue. FSU bested the Blue Devils last season 38-20, but now at Georgia Tech, with new personnel, things could look different for the Yellow Jackets.

"New coordinator, new scheme, new philosophical approach in how to improve in certain areas, but then the amount of personnel change that you can see. You look at their defensive front, their linebacker -- there's a lot of new bodies and new personnel that's joining the fold, and with the scheme that has been pretty good at working to stop the run. It's going to be a great challenge for our guys."

Norvell's full interview can be seen below.

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READ MORE: ESPN Lists Four ACC Matchups As Key Games For Florida State In 2024

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