Kenny Dillingham’s name did not take long to surface after Florida State officially opened its coaching search.
The Arizona State head coach was asked Monday about the FSU vacancy following Mike Norvell’s dismissal, and Dillingham responded with a laugh before quickly redirecting the conversation toward the Sun Devils’ upcoming game against the Colorado Buffaloes.
“We’ve done this before,” Dillingham said. “I am 100% of the mindset of let’s go play our best game versus Colorado.”
Dillingham’s connection to Florida State makes him a natural name in the early speculation surrounding the opening. He served as Norvell’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at FSU during the 2020 and 2021 seasons before leaving for Oregon.
Kenny Dillingham when
asked about the Florida State opening: "(Laughing) We've done this before... I am 100% of the mindset of let's go play our best game vs Colorado." He's said "probably not" about Mike Norvell, one of his close mentors, coming to ASU. pic.twitter.com/Fb3fyrAcMV
— Jakob Brooks (@Jakobrooks) November 2, 2026
The relationship between the two goes back even further.
Dillingham’s first college coaching opportunity came at Arizona State in 2014, when he joined the staff as an offensive assistant while Norvell was the Sun Devils’ offensive coordinator. Dillingham later followed Norvell to Memphis, eventually becoming his offensive coordinator in 2018 before the two reunited in Tallahassee.
That history has made Dillingham one of the more obvious coaches to connect to FSU after the university announced Sunday that Norvell had been relieved of his duties. Florida State named former Seminoles quarterback Rick Stockstill interim coach and said it would immediately begin a national search for its next head coach.
Dillingham, however, offered no indication Monday that he intends to entertain the speculation. His focus remained on Arizona State, which sits 4-4 after a 27-20 loss at BYU and hosts Colorado on Nov. 7.
He was also asked whether Norvell, one of his closest coaching mentors, could potentially join him at Arizona State. Dillingham’s response was similarly brief: “Probably not.”
Still, with his deep ties to Norvell, two seasons already spent at Florida State and a résumé that includes an 11-win Big 12 championship season at Arizona State in 2024, his name figures to remain part of the discussion as FSU begins searching for its next head coach.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Kenny Dillingham responds to early FSU coaching rumors
