Mike Norvell underneath siege at Florida State as boosters mull file buyout

What’s occurring at Florida State is an ideal illustration of how fluid the thought of job safety is in school soccer’s new period. 

The Seminoles have been an early-season darling after a convincing Week 1 win over Alabama and raced off to a 3-0 begin — precisely what coach Mike Norvell wanted coming off a 2-10 2024 marketing campaign. 

Then got here an time beyond regulation loss to Virginia. Then Miami. Then Pittsburgh. At that time, the warmth had turned as much as about medium on Norvell — no speedy firing, however maybe at risk after this season if all hell broke free, and if nothing else the lead face of all 2026 sizzling seat content material. 

However now issues are at a scalding temperature. Within the early hours of Sunday morning, on the East Coast a minimum of, Florida State misplaced 20-13 to lowly Stanford, a recreation the Seminoles have been favored to win by 17.5 factors. 

The fourth straight loss (the fourth time Norvell’s had a four-game shedding streak in Tallahassee) was, within the phrases of 1 business supply, when Norvell’s seat went from heat to “legit hearth sizzling.”

It is a lengthy flight from Palo Alto to Tallahassee. Many boosters, per sources, spent these journeys again commiserating and planning. Conversations in Tallahassee about Norvell’s standing have continued all through the day; Norvell even acknowledged throughout a Sunday employees assembly that conversations about his future have been occurring, sources inform CBS Sports activities. His buyout of round $55 million, per Noles247, not looks as if a significant roadblock to creating a change many across the program view as needed. 

🏈 💰Most Costly Buyouts in School Soccer Historical past

Some imagine Norvell’s message is getting misplaced on his workforce. After the loss to Stanford, a supply instructed CBS Sports activities that gamers have been cracking jokes within the locker room about having to “reply” but once more. “Reply” is a typical phrase for Norvell to his workforce as losses mount. CBS Sports activities’ Brandon Marcello, who spent Saturday within the ACC replay heart, mentioned on the School Soccer Insiders that he may see Florida State’s sideline within the All-22 digicam view and was struck by the shortage of participant engagement. 

Florida State is 5-14 going again to the beginning of the 2024 season. 

The Seminoles once more went all-in with the portal this offseason, signing 23 transfers to show this system round. However identical to it noticed in 2024, a part of the danger of a transfer-heavy technique is that one-year leases aren’t steeped in this system tradition, which issues when issues go sideways.

As for the on-field enterprise, this isn’t an affordable roster. Between rev share and front-loaded identify, picture and likeness funds, sources say FSU’s roster value properly into the $20 million vary. 

The mix of costly additions and compounding losses places Norvell within the crosshairs, particularly when you think about there aren’t any straightforward repair strikes remaining after Norvell modified each of his coordinators final offseason.

If the Seminoles hearth Norvell, it might value this system excess of simply that $55 million. They might spend hundreds of thousands shopping for out assistant coach contracts. There are additionally multiyear offers for Seminole gamers on the roster the following head coach won’t need to hold. Add in a brand new coach, his employees and a full portal class of salaries and it may value near 9 figures to fireside Norvell. 

That is a staggering sum for a program, lower than a yr in the past, that overtly rebelled in opposition to the ACC to generate extra income.

Fifty-five million could be the second-largest buyout in school soccer historical past. However it’s a quantity some round Tallahassee take into account needed with no sustained indicators of enchancment. 

Might Norvell survive? Completely.

Firings in school soccer are inherently political, and Norvell may claw his means out of this. However even when he escapes Sunday along with his job intact, Norvell is not essentially protected provided that the Seminoles are on a bye week, an opportune time to make a change regardless of the day. 

Norvell seems like he’ll make it via Sunday. Monday, Tuesday and the remainder of the yr after that? We’ll see.

Noles247 brings followers trusted protection from a devoted workforce of insiders who’re all around the newest with Norvell and Florida State. 

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