Florida State University has fired head football coach Mike Norvell and launched a search for his replacement amid significant financial constraints. The Seminoles' athletics department closed fiscal year 2025 with $437 million in debt, up from $237 million a year earlier, largely tied to bonds for Doak Campbell Stadium renovations and a new football operations building. Norvell's buyout is estimated between $47.1 million and $50.3 million, potentially the third-largest in college football history, and total buyouts for Norvell and his staff could surpass $65 million.
Leading Candidates
Manny Diaz, Duke head coach: Diaz, a former Florida State graduate assistant under Bobby Bowden, is 24-11 at Duke and led the Blue Devils to the 2025 ACC Championship. His previous three-year stint at Miami (21-15) may concern some FSU supporters.
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri head coach: Drinkwitz is 64-32 overall, including an 11-2 season in 2023 with a Cotton Bowl win. His Missouri buyout drops to $4 million after December 1, but he is 3-10 against AP Top 25 teams since 2024.
Jake Dickert, Wake Forest head coach: Dickert is 16-5 in two seasons, guiding the Demon Deacons to a 7-1 record and second place in the ACC. His defensive units rank sixth nationally in rush defense (82.9 yards per game). A potential non-compete clause in his contract could complicate a move within the ACC.
Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State head coach: Dillingham served as Norvell's offensive coordinator at FSU (2020-21) and at Memphis. He won the Big 12 and reached the College Football Playoff in 2024, but Arizona State is 4-4 this season. He signed a five-year deal averaging $7.5 million annually.
Jason Eck, New Mexico head coach: Eck is 16-5 over two seasons with the nation's top scoring defense (11.9 points per game). He is 42-18 overall as a head coach but has no Power Four experience or ties to the Southeast.
Blake Baker, LSU defensive coordinator: The highest-paid assistant in the country, Baker has improved defenses at Louisiana Tech, Miami, Missouri, and LSU, where his unit allowed 18.3 points per game in 2025. He has extensive recruiting ties in South Florida and the Southeast.
Glenn Schumann, Georgia defensive coordinator: A Valdosta, Georgia native, Schumann's grandfather is in the FSU Hall of Fame. He has been co-defensive coordinator on Georgia's back-to-back national title teams (2021-22) and is considered an elite recruiter, though he has never been a head coach.
Wild-Card Options
Rhett Lashlee, SMU head coach: Lashlee is well-compensated with deep NIL resources at SMU and signed a new contract in December 2024.
Jimbo Fisher, former FSU head coach: Fisher won a national championship at FSU (83-23 record) before leaving for Texas A&M in 2016. He was fired in 2023 (45-25 at A&M) but retains a home in Tallahassee, and some boosters are reportedly intrigued by a potential return at a reduced cost.
