FSU football coaching search: Who could replace Mike Norvell?

The FSU Seminoles are set to make a crucial hire after firing Mike Norvell.

FSU ended the Norvell era on Sunday after the Seminoles lost to the Clemson Tigers 36-24 on Saturday, falling to 3-5 on the season. They are in one of the worst two and a half year strectches in program history, going 10-22 since the start of the 2024 season. They have not won a road game during that time, an unprecedented collapse after Norvell appeared to have the program back on track in 2023.

FSU went 13-0, winning their first ACC championship since 2014, appearing to punch their ticket to the College Football Playoff. It was not meant to be, with them getting snubbed. The move was the beginning of the end for Norvell, with them getting blown out by the Georgia Bulldogs

in the Orange Bowl. The Seminoles signed him to a new contract during that offseason, with them set to pay him a buyout of $47.1 million, although it will be mitigated by his next job.

Making the search even more complicated is the fact that FSU is currently without an athletic director, after they moved on from Michael Alford earlier in the season. With no permanent replacement, it will seemingly fall on interim athletic director Bruce Warwick, school president Richard McCullough, and Board of Trustees Chairman Peter Collins to lead the search.

Here is a look at the top names to watch as FSU football's head coaching search begins, as well as some other names to know.

Bob Chesney, UCLA head coach

Sep 5, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Bob Chesney during the first quarter against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Bob Chesney has the UCLA Bruins 8-0 in his first season as head coach and has brought life to a program that has struggled for years. While it is his first time being the head coach at a power program, he led the JMU Dukes to the College Football Playoff last year, just his second season leading the program. He has spent the majority of his career at lower levels, but has won everywhere he has gone and has UCLA's recruiting trending in the right direction.

Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State head coach

Sep 5, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham after the game against the Morgan State Bears at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Can FSU pry Dillingham away from home? It will be tough, but absolutely worth trying to do so. He was FSU's offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021, and has enjoyed tremendous success ever since. He took over Arizona State in 2023, and while they struggled in Year One, he led them to the CFP in 2024 and is one of the top offensive minds in the country, who has excelled at using the transfer portal and recruiting at the high school level.

Charles Huff, Memphis head coach

Oct 10, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Tigers Head Coach Charles Huff looks on against the UAB Blazers during the second half at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Is FSU willing to hire another head coach from Memphis after Norvell flamed out? Huff is worth considering. The former Alabama assistant has quickly climbed the coaching ranks, going 32-20 at Marshall, 7-5 at Southern Miss before taking over the Tigers this season. An excellent recruiter, he has them competeting in the American and looks ready to make the jump to a power conference.

Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri head coach

Oct 10, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz on field against the Texas A&M Aggies during the second half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Drinkwitz has turned Missouri around in his seven seasons as a head coach, leading them on three consecutive winning seasons and on their way to a fourth. He is another offensive-minded head coach who has done good work in the transfer portal, but has struggled against ranked opponents throughout his career, although he has flipped up several quality wins this year.

Glenn Schumann, Georgia defensive coordinator

Nov 1, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann watches from the sideline against the Florida Gators at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images

It seems like the smart move for FSU is to hire a proven head coach, but if they do elect to go after a coordinator, Schumman is a great candidate. From Valdosta, Georgia, he has only ever worked at Alabama and Georgia, steadily climbing the ranks before becoming Georgia's defensive coordinator in 2022. He is a great recruiter and has seen how two of the top programs in the country are run, but is he ready to lead his own?

Manny Diaz, Duke head coach

Oct 31, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz before kick off against the Boston College Eagles at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Diaz failed at Miami, but has excelled at Duke, despite being having very limited resources. He led the Blue Devils to an ACC Championship in 2025, and despite losing Darianh Mensah to the Miami Hurricanes, he has them firmly in the mix this year. An FSU grad, the Seminoles could give him a second chance at a blue-blood school and a chance to show what he has learned since his time with the Hurricanes.

Jake Dickert, Wake Forest head coach

Oct 11, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons head coach Jake Dickert smiles on the sideline during the second half against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Dickert is just in his second season at Wake Forest, but he already turned them into the second-best team in the ACC. He has never coached at a Power Four school outside his time at Wake Forest, but he has won everywhere he has gone and has excelled at evaluating and getting the most out of his limited resources.