A Jimbo Fisher return to Florida State would be fun – but the Seminoles simply can't do it
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A Jimbo Fisher return to Florida State would be fun – but the Seminoles simply can't do it originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Florida State fired its athletic director Monday. The Seminoles are three-touchdown underdogs against No. 10 Alabama in Week 3, and their coach is on a terminal hot seat. What's the solution on the Florida State message boards?
"We want Jimbo!"
Is a reunion with Jimbo Fisher what the program needs to get back to national prominence?
Fisher, 60, isn't the long-term answer – even if the temptation to bring him back is there given the state of affairs at Florida State. The school fired athletic director Michael Alford on Monday. Senior associate athletic director Bruce Warwick will serve as the interim athletic director. Mike Norvell, who has a 39-35 record in his seventh season, is on the hot seat with an expensive buyout seemingly his only protection.
Ira Schoffel – the managing editor at Warchant.com. – addressed the sentiment to bring Fisher back on Warchant TV.
"You have to have amnesia — or you have been in a coma since 2014 — to think that's the best Florida State can do," Schoffel said.
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Why do Florida State fans want Jimbo Fisher back?
Fisher had an 83-23 record with the Seminoles from 2010-17. He won the program's last national championship in 2013 – a 14-0 season with Heisman Trophy quarterback James Winston.
Fisher accumulated talent at an exceptional level as Florida State's coach. According to 247Sports.com, the Seminoles had seven top-10 classes during the Fisher era – including the No. 2 class in 2011 and 2017.
Yet the exit was ugly. After a 59-20 loss to No. 3 Oregon in the first College Football Playoff semifinal on Jan. 1, 2014, Fisher could not find the right quarterback replacement for Winston. Everett Golson, Deondre Francois and James Blackman struggled as starters the next three seasons.
Florida State finished 5-6 in 2017 – and Fisher left to take the Texas A&M job on a 10-year, $75-million contract. Fisher had a 45-25 record in six seasons with the Aggies before accepting a record-breaking buyout worth approximately $76 million in 2023. He is now an analyst for the ACC Network and made an emotional return to Florida State in 2025.
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Florida State needs to catch up off field
Florida State is reportedly third in the ACC in roster spending but remains concerned about closing the revenue distribution gap with the Big Ten and SEC. Those issues need to be addressed, but there is a gap with Miami in the ACC, too. The Hurricanes are coming off an appearance in the CFP championship game. Miami is ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll with an offense built around quarterback Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney.
Florida State president Bruce McCullough spoke to ESPN on the decision to fire Alford.
"We're trying to do everything we can in this era of tremendous change to do everything we can to modernize our athletics department and do things to bring in revenue and make other organizational changes, so that we can win at every level," McCullough said via ESPN.com.
That puts all the pressure on Norvell. Florida State is 1-1 heading into Saturday's matchup against the Crimson Tide. The Seminoles beat Alabama 31-17 in the season opener last season. Florida State is 5-8 since – and the sting of missing the CFP in 2024 still somehow hangs over the program.
The talent isn't the same either. The average ranking of Fisher's eight recruiting classes was 4.9. From 2018-26 – the average recruiting class ranking is 17.1 with no top-10 classes. Willie Taggart – Fisher's replacement – had a 9-12 record in two seasons.
So it's easy to see why there is an appetite to bring Fisher back for another run.
Which FSU options are better than Jimbo Fisher?
The first step is finding a new athletic director. According to ESPN.com, "McCullough said the goal is to hire someone with a fundraising background who can help generate revenue, acknowledging the significant gap in revenue distribution."
The next step is giving Norvell every opportunity for a turn-around knowing there is a buyout reportedly worth $51 million. The Seminoles lost 27-24 to No. 16 SMU on Labor Day – a game that will be remembered for being delayed because of a power outage at Doak-Campbell Stadium. Fisher lives in Tallahassee – so would he be the logical answer should Norvell be fired this season?
Reunions don't always work out as planned. USC's John Robinson went 61-14-2 with a national championship in 1978 in his first stint with the program from 1976-82. He finished 37-21 from 1993-97. North Carolina's Mack Brown was 96-46-1 with three 10-win seasons with the Tar Heels from 1988-97. He was 44-33 after returning in 2019 and there was a messy exit that led to the hiring of Bill Belichick.
Fisher hasn't coached in three seasons – and this feels more like a reclamation project than quick fix on – and off – the field. Perhaps Fisher could return as a stop-gap – but the notion the Seminoles will be an instant national championship contender again ignores the current state of the program.
So, who would be an ideal candidate? Charles Huff is one option – but with caution since Norvell also coached at Memphis before making the jump to Florida State. Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham – who was rumored to be in the mix at Michigan last season – would be another younger candidate worth investing in. SMU's Rhett Lashlee – a former Miami offensive coordinator – is 40-16 at SMU. Even Colorado coach Deion Sanders – a Florida State icon – would be worth a conversation. The Buffaloes are 18-21 since 2023 – which is not all that far behind Florida State at 21-19.
A Fisher reunion sounds good – but some of those options sound a little better. It's worth remembering should Norvell be fired this season.
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