By Dave Holcomb
SouthernPigskin.com

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Dave Holcomb talks expectations in Tallahassee.

Its difficult for me to truly know the exact expectations around any ACC football program. Im not at practice or on campus.

But the online chatter around Florida State football indicates the expectations are much lower for the Seminoles this season. Thats not a bad thing. Actually, its very good.

More realistic expectations among the Florida State faithful, whether fans, boosters or whatever, will be a very, very good thing.

Dont be mistaken, the on the field product for the Seminoles has been below average in recent years. Thats not acceptable at a place like Florida State. And in no way, shape or form would I really want to argue that the Seminoles shouldnt have moved on from Willie Taggart.

But having said that, the expectations placed on Taggart were unrealistic. Florida State was expected to remain Florida State right at the start of Taggarts tenure. What the Seminoles failed to realize was Florida State wasnt even Florida State in Jimbo Fishers final season during 2017.

Sure, a Week 1 injury to starting quarterback Deondre Francois sent the season spiraling, but the programs problems went beyond that, particularly along the offensive line. As big of a deal the guaranteed money from Texas A&M was for Fisher, that alone couldnt have been what caused him to begin looking for a new job. He doesnt begin a job search where he is offered a huge deal like he was without first being unhappy in his current situation.

Even the Florida State fans who admitted there were some issues at the start of the 2018 season, though, still argued that with the arrival of Taggart and a healthy Francois, the program would return to dominance.

Florida State doesnt rebuild; it reloads.

While that was true under Fisher and Bobby Bowden, outside of those two coaches, Florida State has largely been a .500 football program. Thats not to say that the Seminoles wont be a great program again under a different coach. It just means that Florida State doesnt have a birthright to winning.

Taggart failed to live up to lofty expectations. Thats the main reason why hes gone. Florida State was justifiable in firing Taggart because he took the program from a deep hole and made it deeper.

Thats all the more reason the Florida State brass must be patient with Mike Norvell. The Seminoles arent a car on cruise control but rather a vehicle that needs several visits to the repair shop. And thats going to take time to fix.

Especially when considering Norvells first season occurred in the middle of a global pandemic. In college football terms, that should equal a redshirt year for a head coach.

After three straight losing seasons, going 6-6 or 7-6 or maybe even 6-7 (with the seventh loss coming in a competitive bowl game) should be called a success. While thats too embarrassing for some Florida State fans to admit, its the truth.

A six or seven-win season in 2021 will be a step in the right direction for the Seminoles. And steps in the correct direction, however small, should be commended.

The last time Florida State went five consecutive years without winning 10 games was Bowdens final five seasons (2005-09). Close to the end of Bowdens run, Florida State fell off the top perch it resided on in the early 2000s and became a team struggling to always finish ranked.

As hard as that was, this era of Seminoles football has been infinitely more difficult. Florida State hasnt been ranked in three years (preseason 2018 poll). They havent had a winning record since Nov. 2019.

Florida State hasnt posted four straight losing seasons since 1973-76. Avoiding that dubious mark after the turmoil in the program over the last few years would be an achievement.

Its not a lofty goal, but you have to start somewhere.