Mike Norvell is in Year 5 at Florida State — could it be his last? After starting the year 0-3, including a Week 3 home loss to Memphis, there’s a growing contingent of Seminoles fans calling for a change at the top. If FSU opts to oust Norvell, who are the top five candidates to replace him in Tallahassee?
Who Could Replace Mike Norvell at Florida State?
First things first: It’s unlikely Florida State will fire Norvell, especially after signing him to an extension in January that brings his buyout to a whopping $65 million. The Seminoles saw linear progression in each of his first four seasons, going 3-6, 5-7, 10-3, and 13-1.
However, they were expected to come down to Earth in 2024 following the loss of 15 players to the NFL — they just weren’t expected to fall straight through the equator. Norvell has eight games to try and right the ship, but if the Ls continue to pile up, FSU may be forced to reconsider his future.
An outside hire would be the most logical choice, even with offensive coordinator Alex Atkins receiving rave reviews entering the year. The offense is averaging just 274 yards and 16 points per game this season — making the OC the next HC won’t sit well with boosters or fans. So, which potential candidates make the most sense?
Deion Sanders, HC, Colorado
Coach Prime has said he isn’t leaving Colorado after this season, but we saw the same song and dance while he was at Jackson State. If the right opportunity comes knocking, Deion Sanders will leave Boulder, Colo., without a second thought, especially with both of his sons leaving for the NFL next April.
‘Noles fans are more than familiar with Sanders, who created his “Prime Time” persona while starring for FSU as a cornerback from 1985-88. He turned JSU into an HBCU powerhouse across his three seasons with the Tigers, but on-field success has eluded him at Colorado.
After kicking off the 2023 campaign 3-0, the Buffaloes finished 4-8, and although they sit at 2-1 in 2024, they suffered an embarrassing loss to rival Nebraska in Week 2. Sanders’ brash personality and leadership rub many the wrong way, but there’s no denying he sells tickets — is that enough?
Alex Golesh, HC, USF
Alex Golesh is from the Josh Heupel coaching tree, having worked with the offensive guru at UCF (2020, co-OC/TEs) and Tennessee (2021-22, OC/TEs). In 2022, Heupel handed partial play-calling duties to Golesh, and the results were astronomical.
The Vols finished the season ranked No. 1 nationally in scoring (47.33), yards per game (538.1), points per possession (3.24), and yards per play (7.35) during the regular season. Golesh became a Broyles Award finalist, which is handed to the best assistant coach in college football.
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Yet, in his first season at USF, he proved his scheme didn’t need future NFL Draft picks to be successful. In 2023, Golesh’s offense led the nation in plays per game (82.1) and produced the 17th most total yards per game (451.6), leading to a massive one-season turnaround for the program (1-11 to 7-6).
The Bulls set 12 team and 16 individual records, including the program’s first 3,000-yard passer (redshirt freshman Byrum Brown) and 1,000-yard receiver (former walk-on Sean Atkins). Under Golesh’s tutelage, Brown set school records for TD passes (26), completions (276), completion rate (64.6%), and 300-yard passing games (four).
Gus Malzahn, HC, UCF
Equipped with an SEC and national title pedigree from his eight years at Auburn, where he never posted a losing record, Gus Malzahn is primed for a bounce back to a blueblood program.
He began his UCF tenure with back-to-back nine-win seasons before going 6-7 and earning a bowl berth in the program’s Big 12 debut last year. With KJ Jefferson under center and RJ Harvey in the backfield, Malzahn has the Knights sitting pretty at 3-0 and with a real shot at competing for the conference title.
Kenny Dillingham, HC, Arizona State
A Norvell disciple, Kenny Dillingham may not be FSU fans’ first choice, but he should be considered. He’s built an impressive offensive résumé with stops at Memphis, Auburn, Florida State, and Oregon, receiving a nominee for the 2022 Broyles Award.
Yet, Dillingham’s biggest success is what he’s done at Arizona State. With the program’s hands tied behind its back due to the fallout from the Herm Edwards fiasco, the Sun Devils went 3-9 in 2023. But Dillingham has the team playing with its head on fire in 2024, sprinting to a 3-0 start. If the wins continue to pour in, he’ll be a top-tier candidate next offseason.
Brennan Marion, OC, UNLV
While Brennan Marion is the biggest longshot of these five candidates, he deserves a head-coaching opportunity.
Marion invented the Go-Go offense, which blends the core principles of traditional triple-option and modern spread concepts — wherever he goes, points are scored.
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Following a year as Texas’ passing game coordinator and WRs coach, Marion joined Barry Odom’s staff at UNLV and took the offense to unforeseen heights.
- A school-record six games scoring 40+ points, including four consecutively
- Scored at least 24 points in a school-record 10 straight games and record 12 overall
- Tied with Oregon and Old Dominion for the national lead in touchdown drives under a minute with 11
- Finished sixth in the nation in third-down conversions at 49.3%, posting more third-down conversions than any team in the country with 101
- Finished 22nd in the nation in scoring with 34.4 points per game — the second most in school history and most since 1980
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