Florida State fired head football coach Mike Norvell on Sunday after a 3-5 start to the season, ending his tenure midway through his seventh year at the school. His overall record was 41-39, and he lost 17 of his last 21 ACC games.
Norvell’s tenure turned sharply downward after Florida State was excluded from the 2023 College Football Playoff despite an undefeated regular season and an ACC championship. The Seminoles went 2-10 in 2024, winning just one ACC contest. In 2025, they opened with a win over Alabama but finished with a losing overall record and only two conference victories.
TOP NEWS
His firing followed intense scrutiny entering 2026 and the mid-September dismissal of athletic director Michael Alford. No permanent athletic director is currently in place.
According to reporting, Norvell’s roster-building strategy — heavily reliant on transfers — failed to produce stability. Position groups, especially the offensive line, never coalesced. Coaching hires and in-game decisions also contributed to the program’s decline.
Florida State must retain six key players. Wide receiver Duce Robinson tore his ACL against Clemson and has one year of eligibility remaining. Wide receiver Micahi Danzy, a two-sport All-ACC performer, has two years left. Running back Ousmane Kromah suffered an ankle injury against Miami and retains three years of eligibility. Defensive linemen Mandrell Desir and Darryll Desir entered the transfer portal but chose to stay; both have three years remaining. Defensive lineman Kevin Wynn, a starting sophomore, also has three years left.
Eight candidates are under consideration. Wake Forest head coach Jake Dickert is 15-5 in two seasons. Duke head coach Manny Diaz, a Florida State alum and former graduate assistant under Bobby Bowden, led Duke to the 2025 ACC championship. Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann has national title experience at Alabama and Georgia. SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee is 43-18 with the Mustangs. Kenny Dillingham served as FSU’s offensive coordinator in 2020–21. Jimbo Fisher, FSU’s last national title-winning coach, is mentioned as a possible return. Missouri head coach Eliah Drinkwitz and New Mexico head coach Jason Eck round out the list.
Recruiting remains urgent. Five-star safety Ta’Shawn Poole, ranked No. 47 in the ESPN 300, is highlighted as a top priority. FSU’s ability to retain current talent and land elite prospects will test the next staff’s credibility and resources from day one.
Photo: Keiteay / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
More: NCAAF · Florida State Seminoles
