Former Florida State defensive lineman Fabien Lovett spoke on WDAE’s (Tampa) “Jay And Z,” a sports talk radio show, to discuss his time in Tallahassee, as well as the program’s unprecedented omission from the College Football Playoff (CFP).
Lovett was questioned about the emotional rollercoaster he and his teammates experienced between winning the ACC Championship on December 2 and being eliminated from the CFP the following day.
The draft prospect described it as a “slap in the face” to the entire squad.
“I was really excited watching [the CFP selection show] and realized we had an opportunity because we were one of the undefeated teams in the country,” Lovett said. “But when everything happened, it was a bombshell, like a tremendous heartbreak, since we did all of this effort. As our coaches frequently remind us, it is from January to January. So that was a major smack in the face. But, at the end of the day, we had no control over it, so we did our best.”
Furthermore, Lovett discussed FSU head coach Mike Norvell’s demeanor as well as his coaching philosophy for student-athletes and how they carry themselves on and off the field.
“He’s the same person every day. You see the same guy every day. He’s the same vocal coach who will put his best foot forward and ensure you do things correctly on and off the field. It’s not only about what happens on the field; if you don’t live right off the field, you won’t be able to play properly on it. That’s what he lives by,” Lovett explained.
Lovett ended his collegiate career with six sacks, 93 total tackles, and 14.5 tackles for loss. The majority of his statistics came during his four-year stint with the Seminoles from 2020 to 2023 (5 sacks, 12 TFLs, and 74 total tackles). He played 47 games in all, 36 of which were at Florida State.
