Mike Norvell is currently on the hot seat at Florida State following their loss to Clemson. The Seminoles are currently 4-5 and 1-4 in ACC play after the loss. Fans have been calling for the FSU coach to be fired for a number of weeks.
According to PFSN’s playoff meter, Norvell’s team is set to finish the season with a 5-6 record, out of a bowl game. However, they still remain bowl eligible with games against NC State, Virginia Tech, and Florida coming up.
$867M Florida State Program Can’t Afford $58M Buyout For Head Coach Mike Norvell
After their 24-10 loss to the Clemson Tigers, CBS Sports College football analyst Kevin Carter gave his thoughts on the current Head Coach situation at Florida State. During this segment, Carter revealed a conversation he had with someone close to the program.
“Mike Norvell doesn’t quite have any equity built up with this Florida State program. But to me, if you’re Florida State, you don’t have the money to pay off that contract. When I was down at Florida State, speaking to someone at their quarterback club meeting. He said, KC we don’t have the money to fire Mike Norvell.” Carter claimed.
According to reports, Norvell’s buyout of his contract, which runs from 2025 to 2031, is expected to be around $58.4 million. This would make him one of the most expensive firings in College Football history, even after Brian Kelly and James Franklin’s recent costly buyouts.
According to a report from The Athletic, the Seminole’s program is worth over $867 million. Despite that, according to Carter, they do not have the money to fire Norvell. Athletic Director Michael Alford recently shared a message in support of the head coach.
“As we continue to move forward this season, our comprehensive assessment of the football program will be completed at season’s end. Meanwhile, we are fully committed to helping Mike Norvell and the 2025 Seminoles strongly rebound in the coming weeks.”
Despite that, Alford also mentioned that the Seminoles have plans to reevaluate the coaching situation during the offseason. Several replacement candidates are being considered for the head coach position. However, they have yet to guarantee any move, instead practicing patience.
“But I think they would love to be patient if they can, especially with what the market already is with Florida, Penn State, and LSU already open. I think they would love to kick this can down the road for one more year, but Mike Norvell has to win down this stretch.” CBS Sports analyst John Talty recently stated.
Outside of their poor run of results, Norvell’s recruitment has also been less than stellar during his time at Florida State. According to On3 Sports rankings, the head coach has had just a single recruitment class in the top 15 in the last four years, at 12th in 2024.
In order to secure a bowl game berth and potentially hold onto his job, the head coach must beat two of NC State, Virginia Tech, and the Florida Gators, who recently fired their head coach. However, the FSU seat is one of the hottest in the nation at the moment.
