This summer, former Texas Longhorns head coach Tom Herman was hired as an assistant for the Florida State Seminoles, seemingly setting him up to replace FSU's current head coach Mike Norvell, who entered the season on one of the hottest seats in the country.
Now that the Noles have already suffered their first loss of the season, starting 1-1 on the year, Norvell looks primed to get fired, but Herman no longer looks like the frontrunner to replace him, even on a temporary basis.
Instead of Herman, who is currently the Seminoles' assistant head coach, the program is reportedly looking to bring back its own former head coach, Jimbo Fisher, who led the team to their 2013 National Championship.
Fisher spent eight years at FSU from 2010 through 2017 before taking the HC job with the Texas A&M Aggies, before getting fired in 2023.
While with the Noles, Fisher went 83-23 overall, won three ACC titles (2012-14), won five postseason games, including the National Championship, and led the Seminoles to their first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff in 2014.
Jimbo Fisher has superseded Tom Herman for FSU job
Florida State fired Athletic Director Michael Alford on Monday, and it looked like the first shoe to drop on the way to Norvell getting fired. Most insiders expect the formal announcement to happen on Saturday, after the Seminoles' Week 3 game against Alabama (unless FSU pulls off a shocking win).
Immediately, people started pointing to Herman as his replacement. However, with Fisher expressing that he "really wants the job," it looks like the Noles are already moving on from the Longhorns' former head coach.
Florida State is looking into bringing back Jimbo Fisher as head coach if they fire Mike Norvell, per @BruceFeldmanCFB.
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 18, 2026
Fisher reportedly "really wants the job" after spending 8 seasons as the Seminoles' HC and winning a national championship in 2013. pic.twitter.com/D893DluIDx
While at Texas (2017-20), Herman led the Horns to a 32-18 overall record but never reached the standard that is expected at the University of Texas and was fired after four years. In 2023, he was hired as the head coach of the Florida Atlantic Owls, leading them to a 6-16 record before getting fired halfway through the 2024 season.
From the outside looking in, the 17-point victory over New Mexico to start the year wasn't enough to save Norvell's job, with the Noles suffering a three-point loss to the No. 19 SMU Mustangs in Week 2 and expecting a loss to the No. 10 Alabama Crimson Tide in Week 3.
Everyone buckle up pic.twitter.com/KMcUNnHqUC
— Burner (@NotaBurnerr007) September 16, 2026
For now, Norvell still has the head coaching gig at Florida State, but a second loss this year could have him walking out the door as soon as Saturday night. However, even when Norvell eventually gets the axe, it's looking more and more like Herman won't be the next man up.
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