Mike Norvell’s firing situation has been a never-ending saga for the past three weeks, and the school has yet to reach a decision. Just so you know, Mike Norvell’s safety net is lying behind his massive $59M buyout, which comes with a lot more numbers invested in the current Seminoles roster. Previously, it was FSU AD Michael Alford backing Norvell with all his might. But then Florida State’s 10-24 loss to a struggling Clemson may have pushed things over the edge.

The result? More discussions on firing and the program’s future. However, given the massive coaching carousel in the 2025 season across America, parting ways with Mike Norvell is not possible. National analyst Adam Breneman actually lays out the real reason behind FSU not deciding on Norvell. “Florida State and Wisconsin might not be able to fire its head coaches this year, not because they don’t want to, but because there aren’t enough coaches to hire right now,” Breneman said on his show. There are too many openings and not enough great candidates.

Breneman further adds, “Every school with an opening right now is calling the same five names: Lane Kiffin, Eli Dinkwitz, Jon Sumrall, and some coordinators who never even head-coached. For schools like Florida State, Wisconsin. This is a real problem.” So the problem is the lack of upgrades that these programs need. When Mike Norvell took over in 2019, things didn’t exactly click right away for Florida State. His first full year in 2020 was rough with a 3-6 record. It was the second-worst in school history. Plus, that 4-3 mark in the ACC didn’t help much either. The next season? Somehow worse, with just a 2-1 record in conference play.

Then came 2022 and a spark of hope. The Seminoles went 10-3 and started to look like themselves again. They kept that momentum rolling into 2023, finishing with an impressive 13-1. But just when it seemed like FSU was back, things took another dive. The team’s gone 6-15 from 2024 through part of 2025. It’s been a wild ride, to say the least. That’s why the school’s authorities are not going to bet on just anybody this time and repeat the same mistakes. But the problem is that the people they want to hire are getting a lot of attention from other programs that were brave enough to fire their head coaches midseason.

Lane Kiffin, Jon Sumrall, and Eli Drinkwitz are three of the hottest names in college football right now. And it’s easy to see why. Kiffin has turned Ole Miss into a playoff contender, backed by experience from the NFL (Raiders) and top college jobs at USC, Tennessee, and Alabama. Sumrall’s a proven winner with a 38-11 record and two Conference USA titles between Troy and Tulane. Drinkwitz has Missouri playing its best football in years. And don’t forget Ohio State’s Brian Hartline. His offensive play-calling has made him one of the most talked-about coordinators in the game.

All these candidates are getting a lot of love and attention from coach-less programs like Penn State, Arkansas, Florida, LSU, and Auburn. The level of competition is too much at this point. Plus, all these programs are ready to throw as much money as they want for these candidates. Florida State’s situation is rather complicated at this point. If they even pull in that $59m and bid goodbye to Norvell, what’s the guarantee that the next head coach they are investing in isn’t going to mess up even more? And it’s the same problem with the Wisconsin Badgers.

Coach is standing on thin ice

The financial factor plays a huge role in programs like Florida State and Wisconsin. “So Florida State will owe Mike Norvell nearly $60 million. Wisconsin will owe Luke Fickell about $25 million,” Adam Breneman said. “And when there’s no clear upgrade out there, when you don’t know how you’re going to compete with all these other openings in college football, sometimes it makes sense just to not do anything.”

The market for quality coaches is tighter than ever this season. Schools are dropping massive buyouts. Brian Kelly’s was a staggering $53 million. James Franklin has it at $49.7 million. And with so many openings in the mix, top coaches are chasing the powerhouses. Now, Luke Fickell’s buyout stands at over $25M. It’s the type of money a program like Wisconsin can’t actually afford, even if they are carrying ahead with a shameful 3-6 record and just one win in the Big Ten.

The Badgers’ AD, Chris McIntosh, has clearly shown support for Luke. “Everybody blames him, but it’s not his fault,” Chris said. “I believe it’s the team, it’s the players, it’s the whole Wisconsin Athletics as a whole. It’s not just coach Fick. He can’t go.” Fickell is yet another one with a massive safety net that the athletic director and his school can’t afford. It’s safe to say that both Mike Norvell and Luke Fickell are expected to keep their jobs at least until next year, barring any unfortunate crashes.