TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Mike Norvell coached his first game at Memphis in 2016, just weeks shy of his 35th birthday.
The Tigers took a chance on hiring a young offensive coordinator from Arizona State, and Norvell delivered with a 38-16 record and four bowl appearances in as many seasons.
Now, in his fifth season at Florida State and with the Seminoles (0-2) struggling, Norvell faces his former program when Memphis (2-0) visits Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday.
“I’ve got unbelievable respect for that program, a great love for that city,” Norvell said. “It was truly a wonderful experience when we got to live there and got to be a part of that program and continue to try to push and elevate it, really to where it is.
“I do believe it’s one of the top programs in the country when you look at the success that they’ve had, that they’ve been able to sustain.”
Despite turnover at the top — from Justin Fuente to Norvell to current coach Ryan Silverfield — Memphis has put together 10 consecutive winning seasons. Silverfield wasn’t even 40 when Memphis elevated him from offensive line coach to replace Norvell, who left for Florida State in December 2019.
Silverfield picked up where Norvell left off. Memphis is 33-18, including a 10-3 record in 2023 that ended with a bowl victory over Iowa State.
Memphis is considered one of the top Group of Five programs and a legit contender to earn the automatic berth in the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff. While Northern Illinois is atop the list after upsetting then-No. 5 Notre Dame and earning the final spot in the latest AP Top 25, Boise State and Memphis are just outside the rankings.
A win Saturday in Tallahassee would do more than just yield a $1.3 million guarantee for the Tigers. It would strengthen Memphis’ resume nationally.
“We’re not going to treat this game any different than we did our first two opponents,” Silverfield said. “This game will not be Silverfield versus Norvell. Him and I are very close friends. We sat within arm’s length of each other for four years.
“We know everything about one another and the way each other think and move and breathe. But we’ve both grown as people and as coaches. Excited for this matchup. It’s good for our university.”
A win would be significant for Memphis’ trajectory. And for Florida State, which is desperate for a jolt of positivity following two stunning losses to open the season. Georgia Tech and Boston College were double-digit underdogs against the Seminoles, yet both pulled off upsets that dropped Florida State from No. 10 in the preseason poll to out of the rankings.
“Memphis will always have a special place in my heart, but this is about our players,” Norvell said. “It’s about us going out there and being able to compete, improve and get an opportunity to showcase all that we are and what we can be against a very talented team.
“It’s a big week for us. We need to continue to push and challenge each other, and I think our guys have the right mindset.”
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