Norvell knows his surroundings
associate head coach and tight ends coach.
In total, Norvell said he thinks he’s made 26 coaching hires in the last few years before arriving at FSU. Even with the amount of turnover, he continued to have success at Memphis.
Norvell led the Tigers to a 12-1 record, the best season in program history, and the American Athletic Conference championship with a 29-24 win over Cincinnati and a berth in the Cotton Bowl against Penn State on Dec. 28.
He compiled a 38-15 record during his four years with the Tigers.
“I think the key component to success in college football is evaluation,” Norvell said. “It’s something that I take a great deal of pride in, evaluating coaches, evaluating players, then making sure when you are around them, you develop them to really be able to achieve at a level higher than where they started.”
Norvell takes a CEO approach when hiring assistants.
The most important aspect is their ability as teachers on and off the field, serving as coaches who can inspire and build relationships with their players and encourage them as students. The hope is it translates to on-field success. Through his first four seasons as a head coach, it has.
Norvell’s FSU staff is already beginning to take shape.
Along with Dillingham, Adam Fuller has followed Norvell to FSU and will serve as the Seminoles’ defensive coordinator. It’s the same role Fuller had at Memphis under Norvell during the 2019 season.
While he plucked familiar talent, Norvell also is hanging onto staff members with strong FSU ties. Interim coach Odell Haggins will be returning for the 2020 season as the associate head coach and defensive line coach. It will be Haggins’ 27th season as an assistant coach for the Seminoles, and he will be the longest-tenured assistant in the country next season.
Norvell also is retaining FSU wide receivers coach Ron Dugans, a former FSU receiver who led the Seminoles’ receivers unit during the 2019 season.
Norvell is working to fill out the rest of his staff while adjusting to his new home. If his past is any indication, the Seminoles’ coaching staff will be full of assistants who have had success under him.
“At the end of the day, this is going to be a process I make sure we bring the right fit into our football family,” Norvell said. “I can tell you it will be one of the best coaching staffs in the country.”