Top Three Florida State Head Coach Candidates

After 80 games, the Mike Norvell era is officially over at Florida State.

The Seminoles were 3-5 amid Norvell’s seventh season in Tallahassee, with a third consecutive losing season looking likely.

Norvell led Florida State to an undefeated regular season in 2023, earning him Bear Bryant Coach of the Year and an eight-year contract extension. Since then, the Seminoles have gone 10-22.

Three years removed from the highs of the 2023 season, it was time for a change.

Who should Florida State turn to as its next head coach? Here are three top candidates for the Seminoles:

Glenn Schumann, Georgia Defensive Coordinator

The 36-year-old has no prior head coaching experience, but the rest of his resume is as impressive as anyone in the country. 

Schumann is the next in line in the Nick Saban and Kirby Smart coaching trees. He started his career as a student assistant and eventual graduate assistant under Saban at Alabama. Smart then brought him to Georgia to be his linebackers coach, where Schumann quickly ascended to co-defensive coordinator (earning the sole title in 2024).

He has been immersed with legendary coaches for his entire career, and Schumann is renowned for his intelligence, recruiting prowess and player development. After a decade at Georgia, he can take that experience and build a program of his own.

This would be a risky hire, no doubt. But Schumann has the highest ceiling of any candidate in this cycle. It is only a matter of time before he is the head coach of a Power program, and Florida State is the kind of job that could lure him from his current great gig in Athens. 

Jake Dickert, Wake Forest Head Coach

Everywhere Jake Dickert goes, winning follows. 

Dickert took over Washington State during a tumultuous period and built the Cougars into an 8-4 team in his third full year. He then won nine games in 2025 at Wake Forest, and has the Demon Deacons playing like College Football Playoff contenders in year two.

Despite having one of the least expensive rosters in the Power Four, Dickert has Wake Forest sitting at 7-1 and blowing out ACC opponents.

He is already outperforming the Seminoles in their own conference with far fewer resources.

The 43-year-old has no strong Florida ties, and spent his entire career north of the Mason-Dixon line before taking the Wake Forest job. That could lead to early recruiting growing pains, but Dickert has been able to find talent all over the country. 

A fresh face could be exactly what Florida State needs, and Dickert has the track record to warrant the opportunity. 

Manny Diaz, Duke Head Coach

If the Seminoles are looking for an alumni hire to energize boosters, Manny Diaz is the top target.

Diaz is well-established as one of college football’s premier defensive minds. As a head coach, he has led Duke to consecutive nine-win seasons, and the Blue Devils are once again ACC title contenders this year.

His tenure as Miami’s head coach disappointed many in the state, but Diaz has proven himself since the firing. 

The 52-year-old knows the school, knows how to recruit the area and is proving in Durham that he knows how to win. Diaz checks all the boxes for Florida State, but questions about his stint in Coral Gables still loom large for many.