Florida State University fired head football coach Mike Norvell on Sunday, November 1, 2026, following a 3-4 start to the season and a Week 9 loss to Clemson. The move makes the Seminoles the fourth Power 4 program to change coaches in the 2026 carousel.
Norvell compiled a 23-4 record over the 2022 and 2023 seasons but the program declined sharply afterward, going 2-10 in 2024, 5-7 in 2025, and 3-4 in 2026. Interim head coach Rick Stockstill guided the team to a 31-24 victory over Boston College in Week 10.
The Seminoles face a reported buyout of approximately $50 million owed to Norvell, which could complicate the search under recently hired athletic director Jeff Purinton. Florida State is historically considered one of the premier destinations in college football.
According to Noles247, the 247Sports affiliate covering Florida State, Duke head coach Manny Diaz is a leading candidate. Diaz, a Miami native and 1995 Florida State graduate, is 7-2 at Duke this season with back-to-back 40-point wins. He previously served as Miami's head coach from 2019 to 2021 and as Penn State's defensive coordinator. Diaz signed a contract extension through 2031 in April after leading Duke to the 2025 ACC championship.
Additional candidates, described as proven program builders, have been identified by Noles247 but have not been publicly disclosed.
