Because McKenzie Milton hadn’t officially signed with Florida State’s football program as on Monday morning, head coach Mike Norvell wasn’t allowed to publicly discuss the former UCF star quarterback during the team’s weekly press conference.
But on Monday afternoon, Milton put pen to paper and officially became a Seminole. So, naturally, on Tuesday afternoon, his new head coach was peppered with questions about him, his recruitment and what he will bring to the ‘Noles.
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The answers, as one might imagine, were all very positive.
“He’s someone I have a tremendous amount of respect for,” Norvell said. “I think he’s a tremendous competitor, and I think he has a great deal of talent mentally and physically, and I think he’ll be a tremendous asset to this team and this program.”
Milton played Norvell’s Memphis team three times in 2017 and 2018. He went 3-0 in those games and totaled 11 touchdowns.
In the Knights’ 62-55, double-overtime win over the Tigers in the 2017 AAC championship game, Milton threw for close to 500 yards and five touchdowns.
So the two are very familiar with each other.
“We added a great piece to this team,” Norvell said.
It’s a team that already has three scholarship quarterbacks. Norvell said he and/or offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham have spoken to Jordan Travis, Chubba Purdy and Tate Rodemaker — all three of whom have started games this season for FSU — and explained the pursuit of Milton.
Norvell said he was proud of the way all three quarterbacks handled the news.
“They understand we’re always going to try to enhance our team,” he said. “Whether it’s a transfer or a high school player. We had a thought of what it was going to look like moving forward, and then situations changed.”
That comment seemingly relates to former FSU commit Luke Altmeyer, who flipped last week and announced he’d be staying in Mississippi and playing for Ole Miss.
As soon as Milton announced he was going to be transferring, Norvell and Dillingham reached out to him that day. And when he announced on Twitter that he would be transferring to Tallahassee, the two coaches reached out to their current QBs.
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“Just about the thought process about adding another quarterback, especially one that’s a grad transfer,” Norvell said. “I wanted to have that communication. … I think it’s important that when you bring in a transfer, it’s got to check all the boxes.”
Not just for what they can do on the field, but what kind of teammate they’re going to be. And what kind of leader they’re going to be. What kind of standard they’re going to set.
“The positives of what they bring as a player, but also as a person, is critically important to what we’re trying to do,” Norvell said.
So, for now, the Florida State quarterback group consists of one redshirt sophomore, two freshmen and what amounts to a sixth-year senior. All four have started at least one game in college. Only one, however, has won 23 games in a row as a starting QB and accounted for 92 touchdowns.
That doesn’t mean Milton has the job wrapped up. He said as much Monday in his statement announcing the transfer, and Norvell wasn’t about to anoint him as the starter on Tuesday afternoon.
“Competition makes you better, and that’s something we need,” the first-year FSU coach said. “We’ve got three quarterbacks that are sophomores or younger. … All of those guys have tremendous futures within this program.
“And anytime you can surround yourself with successful people and do it the right way, it’s a positive.”
Norvell also confirmed that FSU’s team doctors were able to look at Milton’s medical records during the short recruiting process, and they expect him to be fully able to participate in spring practice.
“We’ll continue to go through the procedures we need to do when we get him here in person,” the coach said. “But we’re very confident what his future is and the availability he’ll have.”
Norvell also said he expects the signing to help in recruiting, because Milton has a name that resonates throughout the country.
“I think anytime great players choose to be a part of the program for the right reasons,” Norvell said, “people take notice. It’s coast to coast. And even beyond. … There’s definitely a buzz that’s kind of circulating around the country for the opportunity that’s in front of us.
“I can tell you a lot of kids we’re recruiting, whether they’re committed to us or not, there’s an excitement about what’s coming.”
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