What he is doing has little precedent across the country: a Black offensive line coach who is also an offensive coordinator.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — You probably don’t remember the night Tulane beat Memphis in 2018, but Mike Norvell does. On a Friday night in New Orleans, the Green Wave racked up 318 yards rushing and beat Norvell’s Tigers 40–24. Alex Atkins was on the other sideline as run game coordinator, serving under offensive coordinator Doug Ruse and head coach Willie Fritz.
In 2020, Norvell was hired at Florida State, and, while trying to find an offensive line coach, Atkins’s name came up.