MUD AND GRIT IN ’56

This candid sideline photograph from the 1956 season captures the rough-and-tumble nature of mid-century college football. With mud-caked cleats and soaked uniforms, FSU players stand poised in the muck — ready for battle. It’s a moment of quiet determination before the next play, a testament to the grit and resolve that defined the Seminoles during their formative years. The 1956 squad, led by head coach Tom Nugent, finished the season 5-5 and continued to refine its identity. Nugent’s innovative approach to offense and culture helped lay the foundation for FSU’s future growth, including introducing new formations and ideas that would influence the wider football world.