ESPN Analyst Lists FSU Football's Mike Norvell As Target For Alabama Football Job

The Seminoles have Norvell under contract through the 2029 season at an average of $8.05 million per year.

The college football landscape is about to have a big shift with the news that legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban is retiring. The move is currently sending shockwaves throughout the country as one of the most coveted jobs on the market becomes available for the first time in over 15 years.

The question now is who will the Crimson Tide target to replace possibly the greatest college football head coach of all time? In the aftermath of the Saban news becoming public, ESPN's Pete Thamel unveiled a potential target list.

The group of high-profile names included Florida State head coach Mike Norvell. Thamel also listed Oregon's Dan Lanning, Washington's Kalen DeBoer, Clemson's Dabo Swinney, Penn State's James Franklin, and Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman.

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The inclusion probably has some FSU fans feeling a little PTSD after former coach Jimbo Fisher bolted from the program for Texas A&M six years ago. With that being said, every circumstance is different.

With no likely internal replacements at Alabama, here’s a quick projected target list. Dan Lanning, Kalen DeBoer, Dabo Swinney, James Franklin, Mike Norvell and Marcus Freeman. All come with complications and big buyouts, as it’s difficult to move entrenched coaches. https://t.co/0K2NWk8CtL

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 10, 2024

Norvell has publicly expressed his happiness at Florida State while guiding the program out of one of the worst stretches in program history. The Seminoles have compiled a 23-4 record over the past two seasons and won their first ACC Championship since 2014 in December.

Ahead of his fifth year in Tallahassee, Norvell is signed to a contract that lasts through the 2029 season and pays him an average of $8.05 million per year. He agreed to that extension last February and probably has another one on the way after guiding the program to its third 13+ win season of all time.

Norvell was also regarded as a candidate for the Texas A&M job after Fisher was fired last fall. At the time, he discussed how grateful he was to be leading the Seminoles.

"I can't control any of that. Obviously, we're so excited about what we're building, where we're going, the opportunity that's ahead," Norvell said in November. "This is a special place, and I think that speaks for itself. I'm grateful for the opportunity, but I can't control all those things."

The Action Network's Brett McMurphy reported Wednesday that Alabama's top option for Saban's replacement is Oregon's Dan Lanning. Coincidentally, Lanning worked under Norvell at Memphis before moving on to Georgia and ultimately earning his first head coaching opportunity with the Ducks.

The entirety of Florida State's on-field coaching staff were rewarded with extensions until at least 2026 following their most recent campaign. Norvell's contract buyout is reported to be far less than the other candidates who were listed as potential choices for Alabama.

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