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Florida State fired athletic director Michael Alford on Sept. 14, which quickly spun into speculation about the future of coach Mike Norvell heading into a Week 3 matchup at No. 10 Alabama.
Norvell has been the source of hot-seat talk for two-plus seasons at Florida State. The Seminoles finished 13-1 in 2023 before being snubbed by Alabama for the final spot in the College Football Playoff that season. The program has yet to recover. Florida State finished 2-10 in 2024 and 5-7 in 2025, and the Seminoles are 1-2 after a 50-36 loss to the Crimson Tide on Saturday.
Norvell’s buyout also is a major talking point, and with good reason.
MORE: Why Florida State fired athletic director Michael Alford
What is Mike Norvell's buyout at Florida State?
Norvell signed an eight-year, $80 million extension after leading the Seminoles to the ACC championship in 2023. According to On3.com, Norvell would be owed a buyout of approximately $51 million if he is fired before the end of the 2026 season. That number drops to $45.6 million at the end of the season.
Florida State coaching candidates
Here's ho might be in line to take Mike Norvell's job at Florida State? A look at some of the best candidates:
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Jimbo Fisher, former FSU coach
Fisher, 60, led Florida State to a national championship in 2013. He had an 83-23 record with the Seminoles, and top-10 recruiting classes were a given. The ending was messy, and that’s an understatement, before Fisher went to Texas A&M. Fisher had a 45-25 record with the Aggies, and he has not coached since 2023. Would he have the same success with talent accumulation in the NIL era? He’s a popular choice among Florida State fans, so this plot could thicken.
Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State coach
Dillingham, 36, is on a five-year extension worth around $7.5 million per season at Arizona State. He was rumored to be in the mix for the Michigan job last season, and he’s a charismatic coach who led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. Arizona State players sent five players to the NFL in the last two drafts, including Cam Skattebo and first-round pick Jordyn Tyson. Florida State had three players in the last two years.
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Glenn Schumann, Georiga defensive coordinator
Schumann, 36, popped up in the coaching carousel last year, and the Georgia defensive coordinator started his coaching career at Alabama under Nick Saban and has been with the Bulldogs since 2019. Georgia has 11 first-round picks on defense under his watch. Schumann appears ready for that first Power 4 head coaching job, and he would be a good fit with Florida State as the proving ground.
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Rhett Lashlee, SMU coach
Lashlee, 43, would be tough to pull away from SMU, which has been the better program since joining the ACC in 2024. The Mustangs are 15-2 with a CFP appearance since joining the conference. Lashlee signed an extension with SMU last season that runs through 2032. He would still make for a high-end candidate, and he was an offensive coordinator at Miami from 2020-21. Lashlee would be worth the conversation to see if he’s interested.
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Charles Huff, Memphis coach
Huff, 43, has made a quick rise from as an assistant at Alabama under Nick Saban from 2019-20. He is 41-26 between stints at Marshall, Southern Miss and Memphis. He’s been the head coach at all three places the last three seasons – but Florida State could be a more permanent home. Huff could offer a much-needed culture change within the program, but Florida State might be reluctant to go back to the well with Memphis, where Norvell was the coach from 2016-19.
Brian Hartline, South Florida coach
Hartline, 39, is off to a good start at South Florida. This might seem way too early, but is it? Hartline is one of the best recruiters and developers at receiver from his time as offensive coordinator at Ohio State, and he recruited Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate and Brandon Inniss out of Florida. Hartline’s stock is going to increase as the season continues, and he is going to work into a major Power 4 job at some point. Hey, Florida hired Urban Meyer when he was 40 years old.
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Deion Sanders, Colorado coach
Sanders, 59, was a Florida State icon as a two-time Unanimous All-America cornerback. He is 18-21 at Colorado – with the high mark a 9-4 season in 2024 led by Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The Buffaloes are 14-13 since the start of that season. Would Sanders make one last coaching stop at his alma mater? He beat bladder cancer in 2025, but he is healthy and he is two years removed from coaching his sons. Sanders is under a five-year, $54 extension through 2029.
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