James Franklin’s firing cost $48 million. Brian Kelly’s firing cost $53 million. Now, FSU’s Mike Norvell is among those who are looking at serious and imminent doom. However, all might still not be lost for the HC, who continues to battle it out at Tallahassee each week.

The calls for firing Norvell have been growing with each week. But after Week 10, there is a slim chance of him living to see yet another day. After a humiliating defeat to Stanford, the team won against Wake Forest 42-7. So, is his seat safe? According to On3’s Pete Nakos, that loss had NIL boosters “pushing for a coaching change.” But the Wake Forest win will probably delay those discussions until the end of the season, the insider reported.

Firing Mike Norvell is a tricky situation for FSU. The HC has hauled in 3 losing seasons, but he still managed to bring in FSU and an ACC title under his leadership. But since then, it’s been a lost cause for the 44-year-old. He’s 6-14 after the 2023 season, and the program doesn’t have a lot to look up to. But FSU administration is in a pickle itself.

According to Sports Illustrated, the Seminoles don’t have the funds to send Norvell off with his nearly $54 million buyout. But looking at how the program is faring this season, the HC can still be shown the exit doors. If Norvell wants to enter the 2026 season as FSU’s HC, he has to go 4-0 in the remaining stretch of the schedule. However, the HC is still teetering over the edge of danger.

An FSU source told Nakos that the recent win “doesn’t change anything” for Mike Norvell’s job safety. But he can still hope to take the Seminoles to a bowl game if he wins at least 2 more games this season. To make matters worse, the road is far from easy for the HC.

FSU plays Clemson next, which is also looking to save the rest of its season. They also play it at Death Valley, which is going to be a hostile environment for Norvell and FSU. The Seminoles then play Virginia Tech, NC State, and Florida. The Gators don’t have Billy Napier to lead them, but they still have enough juice to plant their flag at the Doak. Firing Norvell will be costly for FSU. But other programs have set an example of putting together similar prices to fire their own this season.

If FSU boosters are already up to see Norvell go, who knows? Maybe he’ll be next up on the coaching carousel if he drops another one. However, a former FSU star called for the team to help the struggling HC catch a break.

Former FSU star defends Mike Norvell, throws blame on the team

The ACC Coach of the Year does not have a lot of fans right now. But he has one in his former QB, Jordan Travis. He and Norvell charted highs and lows together. However, Travis stressed that he was not the only one responsible for the state FSU is in right now. “I am so tired of the negative and the losing seasons that Coach Norvell brought to Florida State. Norvell did not do that s— We did that s—,” the former QB said on his podcast. Travis saw Norvell put out those losing seasons in 2020 and 2021. But he was also there in 2022, when FSU went 10-3.

“[That’s] what the players need to do this year, is take initiative, take it upon themselves to put their bodies on the line,” Travis said passionately. The Seminoles don’t have enough time to make that happen. Neither do they have an easy space to help make that possible. But they have to do their all to at least help Norvell see a bowl game in the postseason.

Thomas Castellanos, Norvell’s current QB1, doesn’t want to see his coach go. “I hate all this stuff, all the fire Coach Norvell, nah, nah, nah. Coach Norvell has been absolutely awesome and everything and more for us. I know you guys don’t see that,” he said, also coming to the defense of his HC. But now is the time this feeling becomes the driving force that helps keep Norvell on for one more year.