Kirby Smart and Mike Norvell laughed about a Valdosta State-Central Arkansas game. Here's why
DANIA BEACH - Mike Norvell will square off against Kirby Smart for the first time as a head coach when Florida State and Georgia play in the Orange Bowl Saturday.
But it will not be the first time the two will face off against each other on the football field when the No. 5 Seminoles (13-0) and No. 6 Bulldogs (12-1) play at 4 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium.
The two coaches spoke at a press conference Friday, ahead of the game at Le Méridien Dania Beach at Fort Lauderdale Airport. When Smart was asked about his coaching experience at Valdosta State, he poked fun at Central Arkansas, where Norvell played his college ball.
Smart was Valdosta State's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, while Norvell was a sophomore receiver on the Central Arkansas team in 2001. The Blazers beat the Bears 42-34 behind a second-half comeback.
"My favorite memory was beating Central Arkansas," Smart said with a smirk and a loud laugh from the media in attendance.
"I knew you you were going to bring that up," Norvell responded.
"No, I'm just kidding. I think we had a game where we were down a lot of points," Smart said of the game which the Bears led 31-7 at halftime of the game played on Sept. 22, 2001.
"[It was] 31-7 at halftime. Good halftime adjustments," Norvell said about the Blazers outscoring Central Arkansas 35-3 in the second half.
"You played," Smart asked. Norvell responded with a "yes."
"That's crazy, 31-7, and I'm like, I can't believe we came back and won this game," Smart said ending the exchange.
Norvell had 63 catches for 832 yards and seven touchdowns in 2001. But no individual stats for Central Arkansas were found online for the game. Norvell went on to set the school's all-time career reception record with 213 pass receptions for 2,611 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also added a rushing touchdown and two passing touchdowns.
He played with Central Arkansas through the 2005 season before becoming a graduate assistant with the Bears and eventually found his way to FSU in 2020.
Smart left the Blazers following the 2001 season and became a graduate assistant for FSU under legendary head coach Bobby Bowden from 2002-03 before eventually finding his way to Georgia in 2016.
"Yeah, I was a defensive coordinator at Valdosta State and decided to go be a graduate assistant, which people would say was a step-down, but to be in a room with Mickey Andrews, Odell Haggins, Joe Kines, Jody Allen, Kevin Steele, a lot of really good minds in college football, it helped shape me," Smart said of his experience at FSU.
"To be sitting in a staff room with Coach Bowden for two years and getting to see how he ran the team and commanded the respect of the team was really instrumental in my upbringing as a coach.
"Two of the best years I had, I got a graduate degree from FSU and was able to be 45 minutes from my hometown and just a tremendous experience for me."
HOW TO WATCH ORANGE BOWL
Who: No. 5 FSU (13-0) vs. No. 6 Georgia (12-1)
When/where: 4 p.m., Saturday, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
TV/Radio: ESPN/94.9 FM
Live game updates: www.Tallahassee.com; @Ehsan_Kassim, @jackgwilliams and @JimHenryTALLY on X, formerly Twitter
Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports), Instagram (tlhnolesports) and YouTube channel (NoleSportsTD).
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Orange Bowl the 2nd time FSU's Mike Norvell, UGA's Kirby Smart meet
