Florida State fires Mike Norvell after 6-plus seasons and takes on his nearly $50M buyout

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State fired coach Mike Norvell on Sunday, roughly 12 hours after a home loss to Clemson and despite a buyout of roughly $50 million that is among the largest in college football history.

Norvell and the Seminoles are 10-22 since the start of the 2024 season, and Norvell’s hand-picked quarterbacks — DJ Uiagalelei, Tommy Castellanos and Ashton Daniels — all struggled with accuracy.

“We have made the decision to change the leadership of our football program,” school president Richard McCullough said. “We thank Mike Norvell for his commitment and service to Florida State and wish him and his family the very best. We understand the deep passion of Seminole fans and share their high expectations for this program."

Assistant coach Rick Stockstill was named interim head coach while a search for Norvell's successor plays out.

Florida State is 1-5 against Power Four programs this fall, including Saturday’s 36-24 loss to Clemson in which the Seminoles were a 5-point favorite. The Seminoles have not defeated one of their main three rivals — Miami, Florida or Clemson — since the 2023 season.

Norvell went 41-39 in his six-plus seasons in Tallahassee, including stunning losses to then-lower-division Jacksonville State in 2021 and Memphis in 2024. Norvell was 24-30 in Atlantic Coast Conference games since 2020. His team's incredible run three years ago to a 13-0 record — only to be left out of the College Football Playoff — seems long ago now.

His buyout is roughly $47 million, which is 85% of his remaining salary through the end of his contract that runs through the 2031 season. His contract does include offset language that would mitigate some of the buyout if he lands another job. Norvell was scheduled to make $10.3 million in 2026. Buying out his assistants would push the buyout far past $50 million.

The combined buyouts for Maryland’s Mike Locksley, N.C. State’s Dave Doeren and Baylor’s Dave Aranda are less than Norvell’s total. Florida State’s opening is now the fourth among Power Four schools.

Florida State (3-5, 1-4 ACC) plays at Boston College (4-4, 2-3) on Saturday.

Even with a competitive player-acquisition budget compared to ACC schools, Florida State won just five Power Four games in the last 2 1/2 seasons. The Seminoles suffered back-to-back losing seasons and are scrambling to become bowl eligible this fall with an interim head coach. The school fired athletic director Michael Alford in mid-September.

McCullough issued a statement last Tuesday acknowledging fans' frustration.

“We are not asking you to ignore the results,” McCullough wrote. “We are committed to changing them. And we are not asking you to believe that everything is fine. We know it isn’t.”

Florida State has mostly struggled since 2015, going 44-49 under Jimbo Fisher, Willie Taggart and Norvell. The 'Noles did win 19 consecutive games between the middle of the 2022 season and the ACC title game in December 2023, a stretch that landed Norvell a new contract.

AP Sports Writer Mark Long contributed.

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