On Sunday, Nov. 1, Mike Norvell was fired following the 36-24 loss to Clemson on Halloween. Norvell had been in the hot seat all season after going 2-10 and 5-7 in the 2024 and 2025 seasons, respectively.
FSU football has been struggling to gain momentum after being left out of the playoffs in 2023 as an undefeated ACC champion. I believe the program has yet to recover from the blow to its morale, and frustration has been mounting ever since. It was simply a question of when, not if, Norvell was going to be fired.
Now the big question weighing down on FSU’s shoulders is who will be replacing Norvell as the new head coach. It’s sparked a tremendous amount of debate, and there are an endless number of names to sift through online.
WHAT FSU NEEDS TO LOOK FOR
The most important thing the FSU fanbase needs to remember is that FSU must remain realistic as they begin their nationwide hunt for their newest head coach. They’ve spent $400 million on football facilities renovations, in addition to owing Norvell a $50 million buyout. It puts FSU in a precarious position, as they’ll now have to pay close attention to who they can afford.
FSU also needs to focus on finding a head coach who will prioritize roster investment. Norvell relied heavily on the transfer portal after his success with players like Jordan Travis and Keon Coleman. In the past few years, there’s been a struggle to anchor talent from high school recruitment that would result in long-term developmental success.
JAKE DICKERT
After firing Nick Rolovich, Jake Dickert became Washington State University’s interim head coach in 2021. He inherited a team that was fractured and struggling to find wins. In the last five games of 2021, Dickert’s team was 3-2, with a decisive Apple Cup victory against their rivals, the Washington Huskies, breaking their previous 7-game losing streak.
By the end of the 2024 season, Dickert’s record was 23-20, and in December 2024 was named Wake Forest’s head coach. Dickert’s first season at Wake Forest was one of the most productive and competitive seasons in the program’s history, and he continues to put up a strong front in the 2026 season.
With his success in the ACC and emphasis on player development, I think FSU should get in contact with Jake Dickert. He’s proved he’s able to do more with less and build up programs that have low-scoring records.
MANNY DIAZ
Manny Diaz has been the head coach of Duke University since 2023, but he’s got deep ties to the state of Florida. Diaz spent six seasons with the University of Miami (2016-2021), beginning as the defensive coordinator before becoming Miami’s head coach at the end of 2018. Not only that, but Diaz has direct ties to FSU.
Diaz began coaching at FSU (his alma mater) in 1998 as a graduate assistant under Bobby Bowden and defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews. He’s familiar with coaching at FSU and familiar with recruiting in the Southeast. Even so, Diaz has publicly stated that he’s happy at Duke, so his future at FSU is highly unlikely, although there’s no telling what could happen.
JASON ECK
Jason Eck is the current head coach of the University of New Mexico and has been since December 2024. In his first season, Eck’s team had a 9-4 record, which led to an appearance in the Rate Bowl in Phoenix.
New Mexico doesn’t have the same resources (or program history) as FSU does, but he’s proved that he knows how to build up morale and win. New Mexico is 7-1 this season and sits at No. 22 in the AP Top 25 as of Week 10. Eck has no connection to the Southeast, but he’s proved he understands how to build programs, which I think should get FSU to at least inquire about his interest in the position.
GLENN SCHUMANN
Glenn Schumann is the defensive coordinator for the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Bulldogs. Before working for UGA, Schumann spent eight years under Nick Saban at the University of Alabama, during which they won four national titles. Now, he’s got experience working under head coach Kirby Smart, cultivating some of the most elite defenses in college football, and has helped bring the Georgia Bulldogs two consecutive national titles in 2021 and 2022.
FSU may be looking for current head coaches, but I wouldn’t look past Schumann. His experience at UGA and Alabama means he knows the Southeast region well, which is where FSU emphasizes its recruiting efforts.
WILLIE SIMMONS
Willie Simmons, a native of Quincy, FL, is the head coach of Florida International University (FIU). In his first season, Simmons created one of the most productive seasons in program history: FIU had its first bowl game appearance since 2019, along with its first victory over Florida Atlantic University since 2016.
Simmons was also once the head coach of Florida A&M University. The Rattlers saw immediate improvement under the coaching of Willie Simmons, including improvements in conference play. In his second season, Simmons led the Rattlers to success in the 2019 HBCU National Championship. Perhaps a dark horse for candidacy, but Simmons has strong ties to the area, and he wouldn’t be expensive.
JIMBO FISHER
Perhaps the most complicated candidate. No one can deny his success at FSU. Fisher became FSU’s head coach in 2010, succeeding the legendary Bobby Bowden. He won three consecutive ACC titles, as well as the 2013 BCS National Championship with quarterback Jameis Winston. However, Fisher’s last season at FSU was disorderly, to say the least, with a 5-6 record.
Fisher’s departure from FSU can only be described as a nasty breakup, catalyzing a collapse in FSU’s program, and animosity continues to brew in Tallahassee when his name’s brought up. It’d certainly be an interesting choice for FSU.
Only time can tell who will be chosen to lead the famous FSU Seminoles!
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