Mike Norvell just got canned, making way for the third-highest buyout in college football history at $50.3 million. And get this: the craziest name swirling around Florida State for the head coaching job? None other than Jimbo Fisher. Yep, the same guy who ditched the Seminoles nearly nine years ago, leaving a massive hole, is now a rumored candidate to return. The wild part? Thanks to a staggering $77.6 million buyout from Texas A&M, Jimbo would essentially come cheap to Tallahassee.
The Legacy, The Exit, The Disaster That Followed
Let’s rewind, because this is wild. Jimbo Fisher had a *run* at Florida State after taking over for legendary Bobby Bowden. We’re talking an 83-23 record, three ACC titles, and that glorious 2013 national championship. He built a powerhouse. Then, nearly nine years ago, it ended abruptly. A 10-foot Christmas tree in the trash outside his house, and hours later, he was gone, off to Texas A&M. And what happened to the Seminoles? Disarray. Willie Taggart came in, poached from Oregon, and with mostly Fisher’s leftover players, he posted a miserable 9-12 record before getting fired in his second season. Now, with Norvell out, the program is at a crossroads, and it’s looking at the man who started their decline for a solution.
The Pro: Jimbo Knows the Noles (and Comes Cheap as Dirt)
So, why even consider a guy who bounced? Here’s the kicker: he *knows* Florida State. Jimbo emerged as one of the most respected coaches early on, having worked under both Bowden and Nick Saban. He leveraged that know-how and his relationships to build a monstrous operation in Tallahassee before. If he returned, he’d bring major booster support and financial backing with him, and could quickly mend relationships, especially if he shows some contrition for leaving. Plus, the man is a relentless recruiter. He could quickly recreate recruiting inroads in Florida, which is crucial. But can he still compete with Miami and Georgia emerging as recruiting superpowers? That’s the million-dollar question. Actually, it’s more like a seventy-million-dollar question, because Texas A&M already paid him over $70 million when they fired him. Florida State could scoop up a national championship coach for peanuts, relatively speaking.
The Con: Has Jimbo Gone “Washed” on the Field?
Here’s the problem. While Fisher was at Texas A&M, he was still one of the top recruiters in the country. He even signed the No. 1 recruiting class in 2022, the best in history at the time, headlined by eight five-star players. Incredible talent acquisition, right? But when it came to actually *deploying* that talent on the field, his tenure was “largely a disaster.” Jimbo’s offense relies heavily on developing quarterbacks, and he just kept struggling there. College football has evolved, moving even further away from traditional quarterback development, which could make his complex offense a serious liability. The real gut punch? Quarterbacks Conner Weigman (now at Houston) and Haynes King (now at Georgia Tech) both went on to become exceptional college quarterbacks *after* leaving Fisher’s system. It makes you wonder: was it the players, or was it the coach?
Florida State is staring down a monumental decision here. Do they bring back a national championship winner who would cost them next to nothing, but whose on-field performance struggled immensely in his last gig? Or do they look elsewhere, and miss out on a potential bargain? The future of the Seminoles rests on who they pick, and Jimbo Fisher is a gamble unlike any other right now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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