CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After Florida State decided to cancel its matchup with Clemson in Tallahassee on November 21 last year things got heated.
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney felt Florida State forfeited the contest with the last-minute cancellation three hours before kickoff as the Tigers prepared to leave the hotel and head over to Doak Campbell Stadium.
“I don’t give a crap what they say. I know what the facts are,” Swinney said. “I know what the standard of play is. I know why the rosters were expanded to eighty because we anticipated positives on Friday.”
Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell was asked Thursday at the ACC Kickoff if he and Swinney had talked things out since the statements last November and the issue has not been addressed despite participation from both at the spring meetings.
“At the end of the day there is really nothing to work out, coaches can make statements and that’s an opportunity we all have,” Norvell said. “For me everybody is entitled to an opinion of what they want to state and I’m going to stay focused on what we are doing and what we are all about here at Florida State.”
Norvell said his team doesn’t need any extra motivation when they head to Death Valley on Oct. 30 this season. And his priority is restoring Florida State to its historic standard in college football. He also harped on the difficulty of finishing the season with three of their last four games being cancelled.
“The last month of the season was one of the hardest I’ve ever experienced as a coach or as a player. There is so much investment that goes into playing a game in the offseason and the work that goes in every week,” Norvell said. “Three of our last four games were cancelled and that’s something I hope I never have to experience again but you appreciate every day.”
Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis who started the majority of the season for the Seminoles last season was bothered by Swinney’s comments.
“Of course, everybody has there own opinion and they can say what they want but it doesn’t bother me much but if we were playing an NFL team and the game was cancelled I would’ve been upset,” Travis said.
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