It’s funny how quickly college football can flip the script on you. One season, you’re untouchable, riding a 13-0 wave and flexing with that ACC title. Next thing you know, you’re staring at a 2-10 nightmare with your offense running like it’s got bricks strapped to its ankles. Mike Norvell knows this story all too well. And now? He’s making some wild moves to rewrite that plotline before the ink even dries. Mike Norvell had to swallow a tough pill. When you’re averaging a pathetic 1.5 yards per carry early in the season, something’s gotta give. And if there’s one thing Norvell ain’t afraid of, it’s making the hard calls. First order of business? Giving OC Alex Atkins the boot. The second? Bringing in one of the slickest offensive minds in the game—Gus Malzahn.
Now, you don’t just pull an offense guru like Gus Malzahn out of the hat and expect folks not to raise an eyebrow. This guy’s got credentials for days. Offensive genius. The same man who snatched a natty as an OC at Auburn and took ‘em to another title game as head coach. So, yeah, when Mike Norvell says he’s about to turn things around, you kinda gotta take him seriously.
Norvell was singing Malzahn’s praises like it was gospel to media ahead of spring practice: “I got the best offensive coordinator (Gus Malzahn) in college football. You know, I am here to make sure that we put our guys in the best position to be successful—players, coaches, everybody involved. And you know, I also know what it’s supposed to look like, and I know what I want for this team.”
Mike Norvell doubles down: “To be able to have guys like Gus (Malzahn) and Tony (White), I mean, and the leaders that they are, you know, the mind that they have, I mean, it’s—we say it’s my team, it’s our team. It’s like this is a group that we put together to be able to go, you know, push forward, make Florida State the best it can possibly be. And I’m very excited about what that dynamic is going to play out as.”
And Norvell’s right. You don’t bring in a guy like Malzahn unless you’re tryna overhaul your whole operation. This man’s play-calling? Slick. Tempo? Fast as hell. Creativity? Picasso-esque. His schemes are all about catching defenses sleeping and making ‘em pay. And after what FSU’s offense went through last season? Yeah, they need all the help they can get. Now, here’s the thing. Florida State’s downfall should be studied. How do you go from 13-0 to 2-11 in a 1-year window? That’s crazy, it was the program’s worst season since 1974.
Gus Malzahn’s arrival was like throwing a lifejacket to a drowning man. The guy’s been successful at every stop, whether it was winning a natty as Auburn’s OC or dragging the Tigers to another title game as their head coach. Malzahn’s got that creative, fast-paced, trick-play offense that just might be what FSU needs to stop the bleeding. And let’s be real, if there’s one guy who can squeeze the juice out of this dried-up orange of an offense, it’s Malzahn. Period.
But even with Malzahn’s Midas touch, the real question remains—who’s running the show under center? FSU’s QB situation last year was straight-up trash, and Norvell knows it. So what is Gus Malzahn going to say about it all?
Gus Malzahn kept it real about FSU’s diabolical QB situation
OC Malzahn didn’t shy away from the truth, either. At the 2025 FSU Football Coaches Luncheon Press Conference, he laid it all out. “I’m looking forward to identifying our strengths also and then evaluating our players. So spring will be really more foundation-oriented than scheme-oriented… We’re going to play fast. We’re going to be demanding like I said we’re going to run it downhill we’re going to throw it deep.”
But here’s the kicker—Malzahn’s got his eye on one QB in particular. Brock Glenn. Last year’s disaster of a season saw DJ Uiagalelei break a finger in the loss to SMU, and Glenn stepped up when the chips were down. His fourth-down scramble against Clemson? Glenn turned a dead play into a 10-yard IG reel, and honestly, that’s the kinda hustle you want leading your team. Ain’t gonna lie, every time DJ Uiagalelei took a snap, Coach Norvell was probably sweating bullets.
“Brock’s a winner and you can tell that whether it’s tour duty matt drills and his attention to detail walkthroughs meetings and all that, he’s a veteran guy,” Malzahn said. Yeah, the man was pouring some serious praise. And let’s not pretend like this whole thing isn’t personal for Malzahn, too. You think he forgot about that 2013 title game snub? Please. The OC’s got Kelvin ‘One-Popeyes-biscuit-away-from-being-a-tight-end’ Benjamin’s touchdown grab hanging up right outside his new office like it’s a constant reminder of what’s at stake.
But if you think Malzahn’s just here for revenge, you’re dead wrong. He’s here to make FSU lethal again. And with his creative play-calling and eye for talent, it’s not just hype—it’s real. He’s starting from scratch, giving every player a fresh slate, but you can bet your last dollar he’s already making his mental notes. “Like I said, last year’s last year. Everything’s starting from ground zero and just giving everybody an equal opportunity to show what they can do and that’s the mindset.”
You gotta love the mindset. The real question is—Can Malzahn’s magic touch fix the absolute mess that FSU’s offense turned into? Boy, the spring practices are gonna be the first test, but something tells me Gus Malzahn ain’t here to lose. The comeback season’s cooking and it smells like something serious.
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