Florida State’s next coaching move is shaping up as one of the biggest decisions in the program’s recent history, and the list of possible replacements for Mike Norvell already points in a few very different directions.
The Seminoles are not just shopping for a familiar name. They need a coach who can rebuild a roster, keep recruiting moving, and handle the realities of college football’s changing financial picture. That matters here, because the cost of making a change could be part of the equation as Florida State weighs experience, fit and price.
One option is Manny Diaz, the Duke head coach with ties to the school. A Florida State graduate, Diaz already has head-coaching experience from his time at Miami, and he rebuilt his standing as Penn State’s defensive coordinator before taking over at Duke.
His work there has shown he can lead without the kind of resources the sport’s biggest brands usually enjoy. He also knows Florida recruiting, has ACC experience and could bring a defensive edge to a program that has lacked consistency.
The real questions are whether Florida State would hire a former Miami coach and whether Diaz would leave the stability he has built at Duke.
Kenny Dillingham is another name that makes sense on paper. He spent 2020 and 2021 as Norvell’s offensive coordinator at Florida State, so he already knows the place.
Since becoming Arizona State’s head coach, he has shown he can build a competitive team through development, recruiting and offense. That prior stop in Tallahassee would give him useful familiarity, though his link to Norvell could make the hire look complicated from the outside.
The bigger hurdle may be getting him out of Arizona State, where he has established strong personal and professional ties. Florida State would likely need to pay up to make that happen.
Rhett Lashlee brings a different kind of appeal. The SMU head coach has built a reputation as an accomplished offensive mind while guiding the program through its move into the ACC.
His work in Dallas has shown he can handle the pressure that comes with a school investing heavily in football. For Florida State, that offensive background could be attractive if the goal is to bring back the explosive style associated with the program’s championship years.
Lashlee also understands the ACC and the importance of quarterback development. Still, SMU’s commitment to football and its financial backing could make him hard to pry away.
If Florida State wants to go in a more defensive direction, Glenn Schumann is on the board. Georgia’s defensive coordinator has worked under Kirby Smart and helped build units tied to the Bulldogs’ national championship run.
He also has experience from Nick Saban’s Alabama program, which gives him a strong foundation in the standards required at the top of the sport. Schumann knows recruiting, player development and organization at a high level.
The drawback is obvious: he has no head-coaching experience. After Norvell’s struggles, Florida State has to decide whether it wants a proven program leader or a highly regarded assistant with upside.
Charles Huff rounds out the group as a coach who has already shown he can build and manage a roster. Now at Memphis, Huff previously led Marshall and Southern Miss, earning a reputation for putting together competitive teams.
His background also includes time at Alabama and Penn State, where he gained experience recruiting and developing players. He knows the Southeast, and his ability to handle roster turnover could matter in the current era.
There is also a notable connection here, since Norvell came to Florida State after building his own profile at Memphis. Hiring another Memphis head coach could raise eyebrows, but Huff’s broader résumé makes him worth a look.
Florida State does not have the luxury of another long rebuild. The program has to balance the cost of a coaching change with what it will take to hire the right person and assemble a competitive roster.
Diaz, Dillingham and Lashlee bring head-coaching experience. Schumann offers the chance to hire a top assistant from a championship environment.
Huff brings a track record of rebuilding programs and handling roster churn. The next move will go a long way toward showing whether Florida State can get back to national relevance or keep searching for the stability it has been missing.
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