By james art 
FSU football quarterback Brock Glenn, wide receiver Ja’Kee Dougals talk about UNC loss
FSU football quarterback Brock Glenn, wide receiver Ja’Kee Dougals talk about UNC loss
Florida State football fans are dejected, annoyed, hurt and angry.
Their Seminoles fell to 1-8 after losing their fifth straight game in Saturday’s 35-11 home loss to North Carolina. With each defeat, the program sinks deeper into historical oblivion.
One die-hard FSU fan, however, is encouraging other Seminoles to send positive vibes to coach Mike Norvell in a letter-writing campaign.
Mark Zeigler, a popular senior lecturer and director of experiential programs in Business Career Services in FSU’s College of Business, wrote a letter of encouragement as an 8-year-old third-grader in 1973 to FSU coach Larry Jones.
Jones, whose team went 0-11 and remains the only winless team in school history dating back to 1954, responded to Zeigler. In a typed letter, Jones thanked Zeigler and said “we certainly appreciate fans like you.” Jones added that he has an 8-year-old son and “he loves the state of Florida, too.”
Zeigler shared Jones’ letter on social media, pointing out that it’s “easy to complain” and suspected that FSU coach Mike Norvell could use a nice letter right now. He told the Tallahasee Democrat, “I remember like yesterday how it felt” when he received Jones’ letter in the mail.
“I’m trying,” Zeigler told the Tallahassee Democrat.
“I’m angry, sad, disappointed. I think I feel that way because I like Norvell so much and I believe in his values and what he’s trying to instill in these young men. I do my best to stay positive. Letters and positive posts are how I try to cope, I always want to be part of the solution.”
Struggling FSU football needs all the encouragement it can get
The last FSU team to finish with just one win was in 1974, when the Seminoles went 1-10 under Darrell Mudra. The 1973 Seminoles were slightly worse at 0-10 under Jones.
Since 1975, FSU has won five or fewer games just four times. On the other hand, that span includes 26 double-digit win seasons and three national titles — two under Bobby Bowden (1993 and 1999) and one under Jimbo Fisher (2013).
UNC coach Mack Brown, a former FSU player and assistant, won his first game against FSU as a 12-game coach.
“I really think Coach Bowden was a dear friend,” Brown said after the game. “I think he’s in heaven tonight with a smile on his face even though Florida State lost.” He knows I love him and I love this place. They’ve been really, really good to me and it’s nice to come here and win.”
After finishing the regular season last year 13-0 and entering 2024 ranked No. 10 in the preseason polls, not much has worked out for FSU and Norvell. Their only win was a 14-9 home victory over Cal. The Seminoles close out their season at Notre Dame on Saturday and at home against Charleston Southern (Nov. 23) and Florida (Nov. 30).
In his postgame news conference on Saturday, an intense, unflappable Norvell said he still believes in his team and believes it can pull off the upset. He said his confidence was unwavering.
“I’ve seen the highs and the lows in the game of football and heck in the game of life, just to be honest with you,” Norvell said. “I know and believe in what can be done, how it can be done. I don’t need a pep talk or even an encouraging word. I don’t care. It doesn’t matter to me.
“I know what it should look like. I know how you have to work. I know how you need to apply the lessons you’ve learned, and I’m sure I can do it. And I know I can put together a team and a group that absolutely can respond to that, and we haven’t done a good enough job and I believe in those players.”
Sue Hall, a former administrative assistant to the legendary Bowden, also said she recently wrote a letter of support and encouragement to Norvell.
“Yeah, it hurts for the team and the coaches and for our fans,” Hall said. I go to matches and I will not give them up.
Want to email the coach?
Zeigler says you can send letters to
Mike Norvell403 Stadium Drive West Tallahassee, FL 32306
Email sports editor Jim Henry at [email protected]