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Mike Norvell contract, buyout details: What FSU owes if it fires Seminoles football coach
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- Mike Norvell contract, buyout details: What FSU owes if it fires Seminoles football coach
How one season can change the fortunes of Florida State football and coach Mike Norvell.
The Seminoles opened the 2023 college football season with a 13-0 record before being snubbed for the College Football Playoff. Since then, the Seminoles have lost their last four football games, including a 0-3 start following a 20-13 loss to Norvell's former program, Memphis , on Saturday. Even worse, FSU paid Memphis $1.3 million for the loss.
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The Seminoles are 0-3 for the second time in five seasons under Norvell, who had gone 23-4 over the last two seasons before this current two-game losing streak. FSU entered the season ranked No. 10 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, expecting to contend for the playoff and a second straight ACC Championship.
However, back-to-back losses likely warmed Norvell's seat again, as he was under fire following an 0-4 start to the 2022 season, including a loss to then-FCS Jacksonville State . Norvell signed a new contract extension in January after flirting with the open Alabama coaching position after Nick Saban retired.
Here's what to know about Norvell's contract, including details of his buyout should Florida State decide to part ways with him this year:
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Mike Norvell Florida State contract
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Length: 10 years
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Total value: more than $84 million before incentives
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Annual Average Value (AAV): $10,000,000 in 2024
Florida State signed Norvell to an eight-year extension worth more than $84 million before incentives after he had flirted with the open coaching position for Alabama following Saban's retirement, per numbers obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
Norvell's annual average value (AAV) is $10 million for the 2024 college football season. That would have ranked sixth on USA TODAY's highest-paid college football coach database among coaches of public universities and colleges. Norvell made $5.55 million in his fourth contract year in 2023, which ranked 15th among coaches.
Note: Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher no longer are active coaches from that list .
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Mike Norvell-Florida State buyout details
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Cost: $65 million
The Seminoles are 0-3 for the second time under Norvell, coming off an undefeated regular season in 2023. FSU has lost to Georgia Tech , Boston College , and Memphis to open the season, with only the Tigers ranked inside the Coach Poll at the time of the loss.
However, a buyout of Norvell would prove costly for the university. Norvell would be paid $65 million not to coach the Seminoles or 85% of his base salary and supplemental pay for the remainder of the contract, which expires on Dec. 31, 2031.
Mike Norvell Florida State record
Here's a year-by-year look at how the Seminoles have fared under Norvell:
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ACC record in parentheses
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2020: 3-6 (3-6)
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2021: 5-7 (4-4)
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2022: 10-3 (5-3)
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2023:13-1 (8-0) Won ACC
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2024:0-3 (0-2)
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Mike Norvell contract buyout: How much FSU would owe coach if fired
