Florida State’s search for its next football coach could circle back to a very familiar face.
With the Mike Norvell era nearing its end, and the university already dealing with the firing of athletic director Michael Alford earlier in the week, the Seminoles are reportedly exploring a reunion with former head coach Jimbo Fisher. Bruce Feldman reported that FSU is looking into Fisher as a possible option if the job opens up.
Fisher is no stranger to Tallahassee. He coached Florida State for eight seasons from 2010 through 2017, piling up an 83-23 record while winning three ACC championships from 2012-2014 and the 2013 national championship. According to reports, Fisher "really wants" the FSU job if it becomes available and hopes the two sides can make it happen.
The timing makes the idea even more interesting. Fisher’s last stop came at Texas A&M, where he coached from 2018-2023 and went 45-25 before being fired just two weeks before the end of the 2023 season. Since then, college football has moved deeper into the transfer portal and NIL era, raising the obvious question of whether Fisher’s style would fit the sport’s new reality.
For now, the whole thing could still be pushed aside if Norvell somehow leads Florida State on a wild run to the College Football Playoff. That remains unlikely, but it’s the only path that would keep this search from becoming immediate. If Norvell’s exit comes soon, all eyes will be on whether Florida State turns back to Fisher.
In Other News...
Alabama Suddenly Has A Backfield Problem Kalen DeBoer Didn't Need
Alabamas backfield has already had to adjust early this season, and AK Dears status is still one of the more important moving parts heading into the next game. The sophomore running back has missed the first two contests because of a high-ankle sprain he suffered in fall camp, but he has at least taken part in warm-ups and remains in the mix as the Crimson Tide prepare for Florida State.
In the meantime, Daniel Hill, EJ Crowell and Trae'shawn Brown have helped carry the load in Dears absence, giving Alabama some depth while it waits on a clearer answer. Even so, the uncertainty around Dear is not ideal for Kalen DeBoer, especially this early in the season when every healthy body in the backfield matters and the staff would prefer to have more certainty before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Brings Alabama A Very Different Offensive Test
Florida State has already looked like a different operation than the one Alabama saw in 2024, when the Seminoles struggled to get much going with D.J. Uiagalelei at quarterback and finished at just 15.4 points per game. The 2025 reboot under offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and quarterback Tommy Castellanos changed the tone quickly, with the offense jumping to 33 points a game and giving the Tide a much more active test to prepare for.
Now comes another layer of uncertainty for Alabama to sort through. Tim Harris Jr. has been promoted to offensive coordinator, Mike Norvell has taken back play-calling duties and the Seminoles are leaning on a strong running game while quarterback Ashton Daniels works through passing efficiency issues. For a defense trying to get ready in September, the challenge is less about one familiar scheme and more about adjusting to an attack that keeps evolving. [Read more 🡒]
Derrick Henrys Alabama Recruitment Still Says Everything About His Legacy
Doug Nussmeier is getting a familiar look this week when the Saints head to M&T Bank Stadium to face the Ravens, and the reunion brings him back to one of the more memorable recruiting stories from his Alabama days. Nussmeier, now the Saints offensive coordinator, was part of the staff that helped bring Derrick Henry to Tuscaloosa, and he recently revisited what made Henry such a unique prospect even before the rest of college football caught up to him.
What stood out then still defines Henry now: the size, the style, the sense that he could eventually become something bigger than a normal running back. Nussmeiers reflections were a reminder of how Alabamas staff viewed Henry long before he was powering NFL defenses, and why his recruitment still lingers as part of the broader story of his legacy. [Read more 🡒]