Florida State has turned to one of its own to help steer the program out of a rough stretch.
Jeff Purinton is set to become the Seminoles’ next athletic director after a months-long search, sources confirmed to CBS Sports’ John Talty. A Florida State alum, Purinton arrives after serving as Arkansas State’s athletic director and later as an executive vice president at Learfield.
His first big assignment is obvious: find the next football coach. But the job goes beyond that. Florida State wants an AD who can help shape the long-term direction of the department and keep the Seminoles positioned among college football’s elite.
The move comes on the heels of Florida State firing Mike Norvell last week and absorbing a $46 million buyout to move on from a tenure that ended at 41-39. Norvell’s high point came in 2023, when Florida State went 13-0 in the regular season, only to be left out of the College Football Playoff.
That season, along with Alabama opening up after Nick Saban retired, helped trigger the contract extension that quickly became one of the sport’s most criticized deals. Since then, Florida State has slipped from playoff hopeful to a middle-of-the-pack ACC team, a fall that became too much for a program built to chase national titles.
Purinton knows the standard in Tallahassee. He’ll be expected to land the right coach and help energize the donor base so Florida State can build a roster that matches those ambitions.
What also makes him stand out is his recent work at Learfield, where he led school partnerships in the SEC. That background matters because Florida State’s eyes are fixed beyond the ACC. The Seminoles have ambitions of eventually moving to the SEC or Big Ten in a possible superleague landscape, and Purinton’s ties could prove useful if the realignment picture shifts again.
He also brings 15 years of experience in the Alabama athletics department, another connection that could matter as Florida State tries to stay in the conversation for a place at the top table of college football.
Still, none of that will matter much unless the Seminoles first get back to winning at the level they expect. Before any conference dreams can pay off, Purinton has to solve the coaching search and help Florida State find the right leader after two misses in the post-Jimbo Fisher era.
In Other News...
Florida States Final ACC Home Game Just Got More Intriguing
Florida States homecoming date with NC State on Saturday afternoon already had plenty attached to it, and now the matchup carries even more weight. The Seminoles will host the Wolfpack at 3:30 p.m. ET at Doak Campbell Stadium in what will be Florida States final ACC regular-season game, with the contest also lined up with the universitys Seminole Heritage game and 175th anniversary celebration.
The coaching backdrop adds another layer to a game that was already going to draw attention. Both programs enter with interim head coaches after recent firings, and NC State is reportedly finalizing a deal with Philip Rivers to become its next head coach. For Florida State, it turns a late-November home date into more than just another conference game, with the setting and the uncertainty around the Wolfpack giving the afternoon a different edge. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Turns To A Familiar Name For A High-Stakes AD Hire
Florida State is expected to officially hire Jeff Purinton as its next athletic director, bringing in a familiar face at a moment when the department needs stability and a clear direction. Purinton is an FSU alumnus who also spent time on staff at Florida State and Alabama, giving the Seminoles a candidate who knows the campus, the expectations and the pressure that comes with the job.
Purintons resume also includes a stop as athletic director at Arkansas State and, most recently, a role as executive vice president of Learfield Sports Properties, so he arrives with both administrative and business-side experience. He is set to replace Michael Alford, who was fired in September, and the hire gives Florida State a chance to reset one of the most important positions in the athletic department. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Women Are Sending An Early Warning With This Start
Florida States women kept rolling Tuesday with a lopsided 101-42 win over Florida A&M, a result that pushed the Seminoles to 3-0 and offered another early sign that this group is already playing with real force. Junior guard Tatum Greene led the way with 17 points, nine rebounds and four steals, and five different players finished in double figures as Florida State controlled the game with efficient shooting, work on the glass and pressure on defense.
For a team trying to establish itself early in the season, that kind of balance matters as much as the final margin. The Seminoles are not leaning on one scorer or one style to get through the opening stretch, and the way they handled Florida A&M suggested a roster that can win in a variety of ways while setting a demanding tone for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]