FSU stems Tide; Mike Norvell receives massive new deal, staying with Seminoles

UPDATE: FSU announces new contract extension with head football coach Mike Norvell.

Release from FSU:

Florida State University and football head coach Mike Norvell have agreed upon terms for an enhanced contract, it was announced Friday.

“We came to Tallahassee four years ago, and it was a life-changing experience,” Norvell said. “Knowing the great history, tradition and expectation has guided our staff on a daily basis. It has been an incredible journey these last four years, and I have fallen in love with this program, the university and the people who I get to represent. I am so excited to continue our climb to push Florida State back to the top of college football. We are committed to being our best on and off the field while helping develop our players to be their best in every area of their lives. I am incredibly thankful for the amazing commitment into our student-athletes and staff from President McCullough, AD Alford and the Board of Trustees. #KeepCLIMBing and Go Noles!”

“We are thrilled that Coach Norvell has reaffirmed his commitment to Florida State University and our student-athletes,” Florida State Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford said. “Throughout his time at FSU, it has been clear how special he is as a person. He truly is so much more than merely a great football coach! His dignity, class, warmth, humility and professionalism is evident to anyone in his presence. We know how fortunate we are to have him as our head football coach, and our university is blessed to have him as one of its most visible ambassadors. As we move forward into a bright future, it is incredibly reassuring to know that Mike remained steadfast and focused on continuing his unifying, collaborative relationships with all of us at FSU. I am elated to continue this journey together.”

Norvell will enter his fifth season at Florida State in 2024 and ninth as a head coach with an overall record of 68-31, including 23-4 over the last two seasons. He became the eighth coach to win both the Dodd Trophy and Bear Bryant Award in the same season, earning each national Coach of the Year honor after leading Florida State to the seventh undefeated regular season in program history, an ACC Championship Game win over No. 14 Louisville and a No. 4 ranking in the final regular season Associated Press poll before an appearance in the Capital One Orange Bowl.

Norvell was also voted the 2023 ACC Coach of the Year and the AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year. He was one of five finalists for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award presented by the Maxwell Football Club and one of 12 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.

“Coach Norvell is an incredible person, and we are lucky that he is leading our football program,” Florida State University President Richard McCullough said. “He has built a culture that seeks to make our student-athletes successful and better each day on the field and in life. We are grateful to him for reinvigorating our football program. As Coach of the Year, Mike Norvell could have gone anywhere. He chose FSU. The climb has begun, and I am excited to see the heights this program will reach under Coach Norvell’s continued leadership. Go Noles!”

Norvell produced the third 13-win season in Florida State history, joining the 2013 national championship team and the 2014 College Football Playoff semifinalists, and the first ACC title for FSU since 2014. Norvell is the sixth different ACC coach to lead his team to an undefeated record in conference play since 2000. Florida State placed a program-record 25 selections on the All-ACC teams, including at least one at every position, led by Player of the Year quarterback Jordan Travis. FSU’s eight first-team selections were the most in the conference, and Florida State also topped the ACC in second-team and third-team honorees.

FIRST REPORT

Almost 40 years ago, Alabama went after Florida State’s head football coach.

The Crimson Tide were quite interested in Bobby Bowden back in 1986, and the soon-to-be legend admitted he almost certainly would have accepted the job if it had been offered to him.

Alabama asked to just interview him instead.

Bowden said, “No thanks,” because he thought he had already proven who he was and what he could do, and decided to return to Tallahassee, where he just so happened to start a 14-year dynasty run the very next year.

Well, in 2024, Alabama apparently was ready to come calling again.

And again, a Florida State head coach said, “No thanks.”

Mike Norvell was reportedly high on Alabama’s list of possible replacements for the retiring Nick Saban, but he has decided to stay in Tallahassee and continue to try to build the program to where it was during Bowden’s prime years at FSU. It is not known whether an official offer was extended, but Norvell is indeed staying with the Seminoles.

Norvell has agreed to a new contract extension with Florida State, two university sources have confirmed to Warchant.

Financial details have not been released, but ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger have reported that he will make an average of over $10 million per year.

That is about $2 million per year more than his current contract.

Norvell posted this message on Twitter/X:

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

The Seminoles are coming off a 13-0 season and their first ACC Championship in nine years.

They were, of course, left out of the College Football Playoff despite the undefeated record, in favor of a one-loss Alabama team and a one-loss Texas team.

When Alabama’s job came open on Wednesday and then Oregon’s Dan Lanning very publicly announced he’d be staying with the Ducks on Thursday, Norvell seemed to instantly move near the top of the Crimson Tide’s wish list.

And with good reason. He turned around a Florida State program that had reached new depths during the early stages of this decade. Not only did the Seminoles go 3-6 in 2020, but they started out the 2021 season by losing their first four games, including one to Jacksonville State.

Since September of 2021, though, Florida State has gone 28-7 over its last 35 games. And Norvell has not only beaten Miami three straight times and Florida twice, but the overtime win in Death Valley this year was the Seminoles’ first win over Clemson since 2014.

It was then clear that the Florida State program, with Norvell at the helm, had re-established itself as one of the best in the United States. And thanks to the news of the day, Seminole fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Because their head coach is staying put.

Join Warchant for Market-Leading Florida State coverage!

Warchant.com provides just what passionate FSU fans expect: Market-leading coverage of Seminole athletics and recruiting.

Join the largest Florida State fan community and receive all the benefits that come with it:

• Elite team and recruiting coverage of the program you love.
• Exclusive video and board Q&A’s with Warchant staff.
• Interaction with the most passionate Seminole fans across multiple board forums.
• 10% off all Garnet & Gold purchases while holding an active membership. Member exclusive discounts once a month at even higher savings.
• Access to Warchant member benefits and giveaways at site events.
• So much more!

SIGN UP: Join Warchant’s FSU Community for $1 today

Talk about this story with other die-hard Florida State football fans on the Tribal Council.