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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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It's official: Mike Norvell is out as head coach at Florida State. His seven years in Tallahassee came with some incredible highs but also an equally disappointing falloff. The final decision came on Sunday, less than 24 hours after the Seminoles' brutal 36-24 loss at home to Clemson, their third straight defeat, dropping FSU to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in ACC play.
Norvell ends his time at Florida State with a 41-39 overall record, highlighted by a breakout 13-1 finish and ACC championship in 2023. But the program has gone just 10-22 since, including a disastrous 2-10 finish in 2024, and a 5-7 record last season. The university has named Rick Stockstill as interim head coach while they begin their search for Norvell's replacement.
While it's not the result Norvell was hoping for, he will be in line for a massive payday. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Florida State owes him around $50.3 million. That makes it the third-largest buyout in the history of college football, behind Jimbo Fisher's payout at Texas A&M and Brian Kelly's at LSU.
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Norvell arrived in Tallahassee in December 2019 after going 38-16 at Memphis. He initially struggled to rebuild Florida State, but then put together two straight 10-win and 13-win seasons, giving fans hope the team was heading in the right direction and possibly on the verge of another national championship. Unfortunately, the Seminoles not only never made it back to the College Football Playoff, but they're not even considered a premier ACC program anymore.
Still, the buyout figure is eye-popping considering Norvell signed an eight-year, $84 million extension after the 2023 season. His departure, along with staff buyouts and the next coaching hire, could bring the overall cost close to $100 million.
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While it's a brutal reset for Seminoles fans, Florida State is still an attractive job in college football. It's got a national brand, championship history, top-of-the-line facilities, and access to one of the best recruiting regions in the country. The real challenge will be finding someone who can take all of the pressure that comes with that and turn it into a title contender.
Several potential replacements have already surfaced, including Duke's Manny Diaz, Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham, Wake Forest's Jake Dickert, and Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz. Former Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher has also been floated as a possibility.
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