Mike Norvell Agrees to Deal to Become Florida State's Next Head Coach

After four seasons at Memphis, Mike Norvell has agreed to a deal with Florida State to become its next head coach.

Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

After four seasons at Memphis, Mike Norvell has agreed to a deal to become the next head coach at Florida State, the school announced Sunday. Norvell's deal is for six seasons.

"I’m humbled and honored for the opportunity to be the head coach at Florida State University, one of the iconic brands in college football,” Norvell said in a statement. “I’m so very excited for the future and the opportunity to return Florida State football to one of the nation’s elite. I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running, putting together a great signing class, a tremendous coaching staff and joining arms with our current and former players to help elevate our football program each and every day.”

Over the last four seasons, Norvell has helped elevate the Tigers' program, accumulating a 38–15 record and winning three-straight AAC West division titles. Memphis took home the AAC championship Saturday with a 29–24 victory over Cincinnati.

Under Norvell, Memphis has set multiple school records on offense, scoring 30 or more points in 43 of his 53 games coached.

The 38-year-old Norvell would replace Willie Taggart, who was fired on Nov. 3 after just 21 games. FSU was 4–5 when it fired Taggart. 

After failing to make a bowl game in 2018, the Seminoles will be bowling once again as interim head coach Odell Haggins led FSU to wins over Boston College and Alabama State.

FSU's Director of Athletics David Coburn said Sunday that Haggins would remain with the program.

“We are excited that our football program has attracted one of the finest coaches in the country,” Coburn said. “We had a list of criteria that our new head coach needed to meet that went well beyond his record, and Mike Norvell exceeded all of them. At the top of that list was attracting a coach who could lead the program back to competing for championships. We believe we have the coach to do that.”