Florida State took to the stage in Charlotte on Monday as part of the 2024 ACC Kickoff, the conference’s annual media days event where team representatives — both players and coaches — meet with the press to discuss all there is to talk about ahead of the start of the season.
This year, Florida State was represented by offensive lineman Darius Washington as well as defensive linemen Joshua Farmer and Patrick Payton, who joined their head coach Mike Norvell to travel to North Carolina as the defending conference champions.
“Coming off what was a 13-0 regular season and championship game was something that was really a special experience for our entire program,” Norvell said. “It sets the stage and opportunity for us to continue to push and continue to elevate this program to ultimately where it deserves to be. That’s among the nation’s elite, when you look across the course of college football.”
The head coach touched on expectations for the upcoming season, what he’s seen from players as Florida State has worked its way back into national relevancy and offered plenty of compliments to the trio of players who traveled alongside him — themselves giving insight into last season, their offseason work and more.
You can find full transcripts from their press conferences below, via ASAP Sports.
2024 ACC Kickoff: Florida State interview transcripts
MIKE NORVELL: First off, appreciate everybody being here today. So very excited about the kickoff to the 2024 season. It’s been a great off-season for our program, from starting back there in January, going through the winter program, spring practice, the summer workouts, then reporting tomorrow. So excited about this team. Excited about the young men that I get to coach.
Our program has won 23 games over the last two years. We have 77 players that were a part of last year’s game that are back. We’ve got a lot of experience and guys that have contributed to helping elevate the program to where it is. Now all of our focus goes into the task at hand.
Our objective this year is to go get better. Coming off what was a 13-0 regular season and championship game was something that was really a special experience for our entire program. It sets the stage and opportunity for us to continue to push and continue to elevate this program to ultimately where it deserves to be. That’s among the nation’s elite, when you look across the course of college football.
Great guys with me today. They’ve been a part of that journey. They’re tremendous representatives of Florida State football, so many great young men that are back in Tallahassee that have contributed so much work to help build us where we are and ultimately where we’re going.
Excited about the days ahead. We have a great opener, kicking off in Dublin, Ireland. Kick off the college football season and doing so against a very talented opponent in Georgia Tech conference opener. Our first two games are conference games. There’s a sense of urgency to get off to the best start we possibly can.
Excited about the steps ahead. Looking forward to getting back on the practice field here this week.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll take questions.
Q. Last year was such a great defense. Who is the next person, next man up on the defense?
MIKE NORVELL: Really excited about a couple guys that we have here today. Pat Payton, who has been an all-conference performer, former Rookie of the Year in the ACC. All-conference performer this past season. Really expecting him to take another step in his game.
Josh Farmer an all ACC player on the defensive front. You look at all three phases of our defense. A guy like D.J. Lundy who played so many snaps throughout the last four years of his time at Florida State. How he emerges as a leader within the course of this defense.
The guys in the secondary. I think we got two of the best corners in the ACC, guys that are All-American type capabilities in Fentrell Cypress and Azareye’h Thomas. Experienced backfield with length, size, ability.
I think our defense is as deep as it’s ever been. Been able to have some guys that have grown throughout their time here. But also coupling that with some newcomers that have come in, whether Marvin Jones, Jr., Sione, Cam Riley that’s joined in. You know, Earl Little, different guys that have been able to come in and complement the guys around that you’re really fired up about what that group can be.
Q. What is it like to face your old school at home during week three?
MIKE NORVELL: Memphis has a great program, a very talented team. Coming off another 10-win season there. We know it’s going to be a great challenge when we get to that third week of the season.
It’s definitely going to be a unique dynamic. Coach Silverfield and his staff have continued to push that program forward. Got a special place in my heart for it. But also going to be excited to compete once that opportunity shows up.
Q. You have a mix of experienced veterans and some newcomers on your team. How is cohesiveness been so far?
MIKE NORVELL: I think it’s been great. Ultimately that is the challenge in college football. You look at recruiting, the path, the journey with the transfer portal, different avenues for guys to be able to come and join and be a part of a program.
It’s still about putting together the most talented team. Building that team is something I thought was really an X factor for us there a year ago, really the last few seasons.
When you see guys with all different journeys and experiences come together, how much they care about each other, the willingness to invest, challenge and encourage each other throughout the circ*mstances that are going to show up.
I think this team has really embraced that. From when we started back in January with the winter workouts to all the steps leading up until reporting here tomorrow, this team has invested a great deal of time outside of the facility.
I think we have a group of like-minded individuals. They love to work. They’re willing to embrace challenge. It’s that cohesiveness that has me excited about what this team’s potential can be. We just now get to go live it out as we start off with this upcoming season.
Q. It’s hard to tell from the podium, you’re wearing a tie from the Bobby Bowden Society. What does it mean to be?
MIKE NORVELL: Coach Bowden was such a wonderful example for anybody that’s in coaching, college football as a whole, just what he means and meant to Florida State in his time there leading the program.
He’s such an icon for us. I was fortunate to be able to get to know him when I first took the job. A little over a year ago we started the Bowden Society, representing his legacy, the gift that he was for FSU.
A year ago I wore this same tie and I’m going to continue to do so understanding the great responsibility that I have. Just so grateful for the position I hold, to represent him in his honor.
Q. I got an opportunity to talk to Kenny Dillingham. He talked about 2021 when he was your OC learning how to win. Could you talk about what you think some of the key factors and differences are of learning how to win.
MIKE NORVELL: For us, you’re making sure that there’s an ultimate belief and investment in the processes that are necessary. It starts with the work. It always starts with the work.
Everybody will talk about, especially this time of year, wanting to win a championship. Are you willing to do the things necessary? If it’s just starting today or tomorrow, you probably missed out on it. It’s a 365-day commitment on making that investment, whether it’s the on the field, weight room, classroom, every aspect of just being the best you.
Then surrounding yourself with like minded individuals that are going to help push and challenge you. You can’t be reactive to just the circ*mstance. It’s got to be true to who you are and what you believe in.
I think we’ve had a team that has learned how to respond in those situations. We’re continuing to work to be better at that as we move forward.
It’s definitely a process that we got to go through. You look back to even our second year. We started 0-4 to kick off that season. It was about how we went about the finish. To win five of our last eight, you saw those positive steps that took place. Wasn’t perfect, but it was those positive steps and how you ended the season that really gave us a lot of momentum to what we could do and what we could accomplish moving forward.
It’s all of those steps have been critical for us on our journey.
THE MODERATOR: What does ‘accomplish greatness’ mean to you?
MIKE NORVELL: What is greatness? I think that’s something everybody has an opinion, everybody has a desire to be great. For me, you’re trying to push to be the best you. ‘Cause at the end of the day a lot of people from the outside might have a perspective of who is great, who is the greatest. For us, let’s control the things that we can control. Let’s go out there and be the best that we can be.
If we’re willing to show up and do that on a daily basis, willing to work to get better, you look back and greatness will be accomplished.
To accomplish greatness, it’s to show up and accomplish being the best that you can be on a daily basis in the things that you love to do, but also in the things maybe you don’t always enjoy, that you’re still willing to give it all.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, thank you.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll take questions for Josh.
Q. You recently had a special with the climb. Talk about telling your story and why you felt that was the right situation to do that?
JOSHUA FARMER: Because a lot of people don’t know. I just think it was important for people to hear ‘cause I will hear people say things like, Where are your parents, where they at? I would just brush it off.
It was just the perfect time to tell them my parents passed when I was young. I think they shouldn’t have.
Q. You implemented a new system of heavily rotating the defensive line last year. How did that over the course of the season play out? How excited are you to have your guy Darrell Jackson back?
JOSHUA FARMER: We was able to rotate like six or seven of us. It played a big part in keeping us fresh. When we were tired, we were still rolling.
I’m excited to have Darrell back. The last time we played, we had eight shutouts, so we’re going to try to do that again this year.
Q. We all know how exceptional the defense was last year. You still have a lot of pieces. With the new transfers and recruits, what is your role when it comes to coaching those new guys?
JOSHUA FARMER: Showing them the standard. We went 13-0 last year. Whatever we did last year worked. Just helping them when the days get tough, things get hard, show them we all went through it, it’s only good to make them stronger. Getting them on the same page as us.
Q. You mentioned the standard of FSU defense. Touch on what that standard is.
JOSHUA FARMER: Running to the ball every play, being tough, smart. Mainly just being resilient, running to the ball. That’s what our DC preach and our D-line coach. Everybody, all 11 hats running to the ball. I think that’s the standard.
Q. Can you talk about what the standard is at Florida State, what’s expected, and how motivated have you guys been knowing that you guys were pretty much shutout of the College Football Playoff when you deserved to be there?
JOSHUA FARMER: The standard is the best. Like being our best every day. Even when things get hard, hiding them and putting your feelings to the side, getting the job done, just trying to be your best.
Yeah, we pretty pissed off. I think we deserved to be there last year. That’s in the past and everything happen for a reason. I’m just happy to be here today and do it again, show the world why we should be there.
Q. Your thoughts about going to Ireland in a few weeks?
JOSHUA FARMER: I never flew that far. I’m a little scared (smiling). I’m just happy to play, be here. I’m excited to play there. It’s different.
Q. What are you looking forward to the most?
JOSHUA FARMER: Just being with my brothers in another environment. Just having a good time. Just playing football.
Q. You missed all of spring. Do you feel 100% going into fall camp?
JOSHUA FARMER: I feel very good. It was just my hand. Nothing was wrong with my legs. I ran and did everything. I feel good, better than ever. I’m in the best shape of my life. I just feel great.
Everything happen for a reason, so it’s no needs to beat myself up about it or nothing like that.
I feel good.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll take questions for Patrick.
Q. Last year you had the highest total pass breakouts by an ACC D-lineman since 2016. What led you to be able to play with such high athleticism out on the field?
PATRICK PAYTON: Just knowing we had a terrific D-line last year, and teams are going to game plan to get the ball out quickly even though you got guys like Jared Verse, Joshua Farmer, Braden Fiske. That was the starters. We got other guys, too. We just knowing we all trying to get back there.
My mindset was just trying to find different ways to impact the quarterback or help out the DBs, just showing if I don’t always get there fast enough, I can still try to find a way to make a play.
Q. Last year you had more havoc plays per snap than any defender in the country with at least 500 snaps. Coming into this year, how do you continue to elevate your game to be that dominant defensive end along with the other defensive guys?
PATRICK PAYTON: Really just being the best I can every day when it comes to not just on the field, like in the classroom, nutrition-wise, treatment-wise.
I know about to make that turn you have to learn how to be a pro. And just because it really all matters. That’s what I think our coach, Adam Fuller, our DC always say that. Every morning he put up a picture of us together hugging each other, playing with each other. It just all that matters. That’s what I think about it.
Q. You committed to a program that wasn’t really close to competing for national championships. Can you reflect on where this program was, what you accomplished last year, what that means for your confidence?
PATRICK PAYTON: It felt good because knowing like when I first got here it was a little bit different when it came to how good our leadership is, all that. Now older guys taking young guys under their wing now, just believing what Coach Norvell was telling me when I was a high school recruit.
He was telling me he wanted me to be the best person I could be. He wasn’t really even talking about football all the time. You going to play this, play that. He was just saying, We’re going to make you become a man. That’s what I feel like is the best thing Coach Norvell did for me, he really taught me how to become a man.
Q. You played alongside Jermaine Johnson and Jared Verse while they were two of the top pass-rushers in the ACC and leaders on the Florida State defense for the past three years. What did you learn from them as you step into that role as one of the top edge rushers in the ACC and as a leader on this FSU defense?
PATRICK PAYTON: One thing I learned from Jermaine is how hungry he was. He really wanted to prove for his-self first, but he really wanted to show people why he was still that guy who he was, coming from JUCO, when I was the number one defensive line.
He was a pro. He watched film like a pro. He practiced like a pro every day. He really dominated everybody.
Jared Verse, it’s how hard he plays, his edge that he had. He knew he was always the most talented guy coming out of high school. Everyone though he probably not the most talented guy, but he had an edge to his-self. If I going to work hard every day. You see him every day in the weight room, practice. You feel like he should be the first one in, last one out of practice type of guy. That’s one thing I learned from both of them.
Q. Is there any change in the preparation going into this accept knowing that the season starts a week earlier than normal? Has that created a sense of urgency as far as practice, given you an extra edge going into the season?
PATRICK PAYTON: I feel like you just have to believe in the process, believe in the plan that Coach Norvell, coach storm has for us. Really just practicing hard every day like we’ve been doing since I got here.
Every practice that I done been here since I’ve been here has been intense. Even the days when it’s only helmets, when there’s no helmets, when it’s just a workout, everything intense.
Just believing in the plan, make sure all of us are our best self. Everything else take care of itself.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll take questions for Darius.
Q. Coach Norvell has said this year that this offensive line has the potential to be the best he’s had at Florida State. Talk about what you’ve seen from that group. How does it help you elevate your game being able to go against such a dominant defensive line that Florida State has had?
DARIUS WASHINGTON: I’ll say with everybody in this season, the people we brought back from last season, the experience we have, the camaraderie we have as an O-line group, which is very huge for that room in general.
Just the people we have, just the experience, all that stuff.
Then going against Pat and Josh, the D-line every day, we go at each other’s next. We try to make each other better every day on and off the field.
Q. It was about five years ago, can you go back to when Coach Norvell took the job, the first meeting you had with him, how much of that has come to fruition?
DARIUS WASHINGTON: The first meeting he told us that we going to work. It’s been like that ever since. We’ve just been working every day non-stop, off-season, in-season. We get after it every day and just work.
Q. You were protecting Jordan Travis last year. Can you talk about that relationship with D.J. that you’ve been able to formulate so far?
DARIUS WASHINGTON: D.J. has been a very unselfish person, just trying to get to know all the teammates, be around us, get to know this team, buy into this program. He’s on his last year and that. He can still make an impact to everybody on the team just by the way he is, how he come in every day and work with us.
Q. The last few years that coaches have lauded you as a Swiss Army knife. Are you going to stay at one position in 2024 or are you going to bounce around?
DARIUS WASHINGTON: Really doesn’t matter to me. As long as I’m helping the team, that’s all that matters to me.
Q. I noted that you grew up in Florida. Did you also grow up a Seminole fan?
DARIUS WASHINGTON: I won’t answer that one. I won’t answer that one (laughter). I can’t answer that one. Whew... I grew up a football fan. I love playing football, watching the game of football. I just love all football (laughter).
Q. You seem to be the old man of the team right now. What is it that you’re teaching the younger folks? What do you think your responsibility is being the older guy on the team?
DARIUS WASHINGTON: Really as my responsibility, just lead by example, show the young guys how to work, how we supposed to work, how we supposed to come in every day to just attack each and every task that these coaches ask us to do.
Keep an unselfish mindset, knowing each and every day we’re here for a purpose.
Q. You have an embarrassment of riches in the running back room. How excited are you to block for some of those guys?
DARIUS WASHINGTON: I feel like we have one of the best running back rooms in the country. I just feel like going into the season, blocking for them, they’re going to create opportunities for us to just win games. That’s what I’m very appreciative of, just being able to block for those guys. That’s going to create big-time moments for us.
Q. What are you looking forwarded to with Ireland next month?
DARIUS WASHINGTON: The scenery really, just going out and seeing the different area like I’ve never been. I’ve never been outside of the country. Having that experience, being with my brothers, having an opportunity to go out and play a game, enjoy being somewhere else.
