The Alabama job was right there for Mike Norvell once Nick Saban stepped away, and for a stretch it looked like he might actually walk through that door.
When Saban stunned college football in January 2024 by retiring after 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa, the search for his replacement immediately turned into one of the sport’s biggest soap operas. According to ESPN’s Chris Low, Norvell and Washington’s Kaleb DeBoer were Greg Byrne’s top targets. That was a real compliment to Norvell’s rise at Florida State, where he had gone from two losing seasons in 2020 and 2021 to a 10-3 year in 2022, then a 13-1 run in 2023 that included an ACC Championship.
But that 2023 season ended in frustration. A season-ending injury to Jordan Travis knocked FSU out of the playoff picture, and Alabama got the bid instead. The Seminoles then absorbed a 63-3 Orange Bowl loss to Georgia, and the coaching chatter around Norvell only intensified.
Low reported that the conversations between Byrne and Norvell had gotten so far along that Florida State officials were ready to pivot to Lane Kiffin if Norvell left. Norvell admitted he was sorting through the decision in real time.
"You respect the place. You respect the position," Norvell said via ESPN of Alabama.
"At the end of the day, it still comes down to the right fit. It still comes down to the place you want to be."
In the end, he stayed put. Florida State gave him a new extension that pushed his salary to $10 million and runs through 2031. Norvell made it public on Jan. 12, writing:
GREAT DAY to be a FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLE!! The #CLIMBContinues grateful for to lead the #NoleFamily with our incredible staff.
Appreciate @PresMcCullough @SeminoleAlford and @Seminoles for continued commitment on our journey back to the TOP! The Future is bright in Tallahassee 😎 pic.twitter.com/maUJ1uuyio
- Mike Norvell (@Coach_Norvell) January 12, 2024
That same day, Alabama was moving quickly too, and DeBoer was officially named the Tide’s head coach later on Jan. 12.
Since Norvell signed that extension, the results in Tallahassee have gone sharply the other way. Florida State went 2-10 in 2024, the worst record in school history, then finished 5-7 last season and is 1-1 right now.
The pressure has only grown. Florida State fired athletic director Michael Alford earlier this week, and while Alford did not hire Norvell, he has been the athletic boss for most of Norvell’s time there.
FSU president Richard McCullough told ESPN’s Andrea Adelson, "We love coach Norvell. We love what he does for student athletes," McCullough told ESPN's Andrea Adelson.
"We're rooting for him for lots and lots of reasons. Nobody wants to win more than Mike Norvell - except maybe me.
He's in the business of winning and so he knows where he is. But that's not a decision we're talking about today."
Even with that public support, the direction of the program is impossible to ignore. Norvell’s team heads to No. 10 Alabama this week as a 19.5-point underdog, and after the AD change, the spotlight on his future is only getting hotter.
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Mike Norvell's Future Suddenly Carries A Price FSU Fans Will Hate
Mike Norvells tenure at Florida State has reached a stage where every result feels heavier, and the financial reality around his job only makes it more complicated. He is in his seventh season in Tallahassee with a 39-35 record, and after signing an eight-year extension in 2024 that runs through 2031 and pays roughly $10 million to $11 million annually, the Seminoles are now dealing with the fallout of a much different kind of pressure than the one that came with that deal.
Florida State also recently fired athletic director Michael Alford, the administrator who signed Norvells extension, which has only added to the uncertainty around the programs direction. Add in the buzz generated by a viral photo of a moving truck at Norvells home, and the speculation has only grown louder, especially with the upcoming game against Alabama looming and a potential buyout of about $48 million hanging over any sudden change. [Read more 🡒]
FSUs Comeback Just Took A Brutal Turn In The Backfield
Florida States comeback effort against Alabama took a worrying turn in the backfield when Samuel Singleton Jr. went down after a 65-yard catch and was later seen leaving the field on crutches. Before the injury, Singleton had already been an important part of the Seminoles offense, helping provide some much-needed explosiveness as the game wore on.
The immediate concern now is his knee and what it could mean for Florida State moving forward, since the team has not yet offered an official update. If Singleton is forced to miss time, the Seminoles will have to turn to other running backs to absorb the workload and keep the ground game moving. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Has One Powerful Edge Heading Into Alabama
Bobby Bowdens ties to Alabama go back farther than most people remember. He was a candidate for the Crimson Tide job in 1987 before Alabama chose Bill Curry, and Bowden went on to turn Florida State into one of the defining programs of the 1990s, piling up national championships and year-in, year-out relevance on the sports biggest stage.
That history gives Mike Norvell and Florida State something real to lean on heading into this matchup. The Seminoles are not just facing Alabama as another opponent, but as a program with a complicated past link to the man who helped make FSU a national power, and that kind of legacy can still resonate when the lights come on. [Read more 🡒]