Mike Norvell praises Duce Robinson's leadership at ACC Kickoff
· Yahoo Sports
Wednesday was the first day of the ACC Kickoff. Per usual, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell went to the podium and answered a plethora of questions. He spoke on transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels, running back Ousmane Kromah, the second year for Tony White’s defense, and a lot more.
Norvell would also speak on one of his best players, wide receiver Duce Robinson. Despite only being in Tallahassee a little over a year, Robinson has made a huge impact throughout the program in multiple ways, which has made him one of the leaders of the team.
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"This football team has Duce's DNA around it. That's one of the greatest compliments I can give a player. From that time back in January, this is what is needed. Anyone can run to a coach. But I'm not going to be out there on the field. But that is OUR expectation. It's not coaches vs. players, it's ours, it's Florida State's expectation to look this way. And players are pushing that. Duce is a great player, but an incredible person. And the driving force for him is to get this program to go be what we all expect it to be," Norvell said via Noles247.
Robinson was a star in his first year at FSU. He finished with 1,081 yards on 56 receptions and scored six touchdowns, earning first-team All-ACC honors. There's no question that Robinson would've been drafted had he decided to take his game to the next level.
The 6-foot-6, 230-pounder will instead spearhead a passing attack for the Seminoles in 2026 that also features the electric playmaking ability of Micahi Danzy, but also several other talented pieces. When looking at the roster, the receiver group has some of the highest upside.
As far as the team overall, there's a lot of uncertainty when it comes to Florida State, especially after just seven wins in two seasons. That hasn't swayed Robinson from feeling like things will turn around under Norvell.
"I just believe," Robinson said on why he returned in January. "I believe in Florida State. I believe in what Coach Norvell is doing. I believe in a lot of the coaches he brought in, a lot of the players he brought in, and I believe in the guys that we have returning.
"I think we have the opportunity to do something really special, and I didn't want to leave having the season we had last year. It felt unfair to the fans, because they've given me so much. So I just want to try to give them something in return."
That also speaks to why Norvell sees Robinson the way he does. It would be easy for him to either go to the NFL or transfer again. However, Robinson is willing to put everything into being a Seminole and getting the program back to prominence. He's bought all the way into what the program wants to do. What more could a coach ask for?
Robinson and his teammates have to show and prove on the field. He does have the right mentality and the skills to match, and that's something other players will follow.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Mike Norvell praises Duce Robinson's leadership at ACC Kickoff