Practice Starts for FSU Ahead of Sun Bowl

Image via Florida State Football

Sun Bowl preparation starts today as the Florida State Seminoles football team heads to the practice fields. It's been two weeks since the Florida State Football team ended their season with a 6-6 record, and the Seminoles look to increase their winning percentage against Arizona State at the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.

Image via FSU Football

The Seminoles will face an Arizona State team that went 7-5 with their second season head coach, Herm Edwards. After starting 5-1 this season, ASU ranked as high as No. 17 in the country, pulling off victories against Michigan State and Cal. However, the Arizona State Sun Devils faced more adversity, losing four games in a row before pulling off big wins to end the season against Oregon and the Arizona Wildcats.

Florida State Bowl Practices

Led by interim head coach Odell Haggins, FSU will practice in Tallahasse through December 22, before their Christmas break. Coach Haggins will also lead the Seminoles through the bowl games, while newly acquired head coach Mike Norvell focuses on staffing and recruiting.

All coaches who led FSU during the regular season will coach through the bowl game, unless other programs hire them before December 31. Before today's first practice, Coach Haggins and players will meet with the media.

The Sun Bowl will air live on CBS Tuesday, December 31, at 2 p.m.

Mike Norvell Is Florida State's New Head Coach

Via Florida State Football

After almost five weeks of anticipation, Florida State has finally filled the head coach position for its football program. After the announcement was made that Mike Norvell would be taking the job, many fans and former Florida State players had mixed feelings on the new-hire. However, Florida State seems to be embracing change and moving forward with a hopeful future.

In four seasons, Mike Norvell took a staggering Memphis program into unseen territory. Norvell helped Memphis (12-1) to its first AAC title in its third straight conference championship game. Eight days after beating Cincinnati 34-24 at home in their final regular-season game, Memphis pushed for another win, 29-24, on Saturday.

In a statement announcing his hiring at Florida State, Norvell said, "I'm humbled and honored for the opportunity to be the head coach at Florida State University, one of the iconic brands in college football... I'm so very excited about the future and the opportunity to return Florida State football to one of the nation's elite. I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running, putting together a great signing class, a great coaching staff, and joining arms with our current and former players to help elevate our football program each and every day."

Via Florida State

When Norvell took over at Memphis, he was one of the youngest head coaches in the country. Norvell, 38, replaces Willie Taggart, who was fired nine games into his second season at Florida State. Taggart was 9-12 in 21 games as FSU's coach.

Norvell was the offensive coordinator at Arizona State under Todd Graham before getting the head coaching job at Memphis and before that worked under Graham at Pittsburgh as the co-offensive coordinator and at Tulsa as the passing game coordinator.

Sources: The Associated Press, ESPN, and Florida State Football