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Dec 30, 2023; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell reacts against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half in the 2023 Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Mike Norvell addresses sideline altercation with FSU football DB Edwin Joseph

Originally posted on Florida State Seminoles on SI
By Dustin Lewis | Last updated Oct 19, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Frustration is beginning to boil over in Tallahassee and tensions are growing.

Last week, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell got into it with defensive line coach Terrance Knighton on the sideline in the loss to Pittsburgh. He didn't appear too pleased with defensive coordinator Tony White while heading to the locker room in the aftermath of the defeat.

Norvell was left disturbed with his team once again in arguably the most bewildering result of the season. Florida State lost to Stanford, 20-13, on Saturday night.

That led to some heated moments, placing further doubt the Seminoles are all on the same page.

Mike Norvell Comments On Sideline Conversation With FSU DB Edwin Joseph

It was a tough game for Florida State redshirt sophomore defensive back Edwin Joseph, especially in the first half.

With the Seminoles set to hold Stanford to a field goal in the red zone, Joseph jumped offside to extend the drive. Three plays later, he was beaten inside by CJ Williams for the first touchdown by the Cardinal on the evening.

Norvell got into Joseph's ear when he arrived on the sideline following the possession. Joseph didn't seem interested in the conversation, and the two had to be separated.

It's the heat of the moment. It's football. But when things aren't going well on the field, everything will be dissected.

"There's moments in the game, that it's just all want to. I mean, we work so, so much," Norvell said after the loss. "There's things, the emphasis, we had multiple parts of the game. It's just the urgency in those moments to know that those are the plays that are difference makers in the game."

"I talked to Edwin at halftime, and I talked to him after. He came back and he made some good plays there later in the game, but you never know where the one is going to show up," Norvell added. "We had a bunch of those single plays where, after the fact, guys just to know how important it is. To have that discipline, the focus."

Joseph finished the game with five tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss.

Florida State committed six pre-snap penalties; two delay of games, two false starts, and two offsides. The errors have Norvell searching for answers.

"Everything that we do within the program to emphasize some of those situations and some of those critical situations. It sucks, having 13 penalties is awful," Norvell said. "A lot of those were focus penalties and I'd like to tell you I have a better reason, but I know there's consistent accountability within our program for doing the right thing and pushing to do things a certain way."

"For that to happen, that's not just one person, it was multiple people, just highly disappointed."

Florida State returns to action against Wake Forest on Saturday, November 1.