FSU Head Coaching Hot Board 1.0: Counting Down 10 Potential Candidates
Florida State is searching for a new head coach after moving on from Mike Norvell. The Seminoles need someone who can recruit, develop talent and build a consistent identity.
In The Endzone’s first coaching hot board counts down 10 potential options. These rankings reflect our preferred candidates and their fit at FSU, rather than confirmed interviews or the university’s internal order.
10. Manny Diaz
Head coach, Duke
An FSU graduate who began his coaching career in Tallahassee, Manny Diaz offers Florida recruiting connections, a defensive background and experience leading ACC programs at Miami and Duke.
Diaz delivered consecutive nine-win seasons in his first two years at Duke and its first outright ACC championship since 1962 in 2025. His recent success deserves consideration, although FSU would need to evaluate his overall ceiling, lessons from Miami and potential offensive staff.
9. Jon Gruden
Former NFL head coach
Jon Gruden is the biggest wildcard on this board. He led Tampa Bay to a 12–4 regular season and a 48–21 Super Bowl victory in his first year, finishing his seven-season Buccaneers tenure with 57 regular-season wins and three playoff appearances. His offensive background and quarterback knowledge explain the appeal.
Gruden has never been a college head coach, making recruiting, the transfer portal and building a college staff significant questions. I believe he could attract a quality quarterback and run a strict program. The intrigue surrounding his name is why he makes my list.
8. Charlie Weis Jr.
Offensive coordinator, LSU
Charlie Weis Jr.’s work alongside Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss and LSU makes him an intriguing offensive option. In 2025, Ole Miss led the SEC with 489.7 total yards and 313.3 passing yards per game, scoring 65 total touchdowns with Weis as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Those results reflect a productive system, with credit shared among Weis, Kiffin and their staff. FSU would need confidence that Weis could lead an entire program, particularly through his defensive coordinator hire and recruiting operation.
7. Blake Baker
Defensive coordinator, LSU
Blake Baker’s coordinator experience at Miami, Missouri and LSU gives him familiarity with Southeast recruiting and major conference competition. His 2023 Missouri defense allowed 20.8 points per game, fourth in the SEC, helping the Tigers finish 11–2 and beat Ohio State 14–3 in the Cotton Bowl.
For an FSU program seeking dependable defense, Baker offers a résumé worth exploring. His previous experience in Florida would also provide familiarity with the recruiting landscape.
6. Jimbo Fisher
Former head coach, Florida State and Texas A&M
Few names would generate more discussion than Jimbo Fisher. He finished 83–23 at FSU, winning approximately 78.3 percent of his games, with a national championship, three consecutive ACC titles and a 29-game winning streak. His record explains the appeal of a reunion.
FSU would need to evaluate Fisher’s current approach rather than rely on past success. His departure, the ending at Texas A&M and his plans for today’s recruiting and transfer environment would all require convincing answers.
5. Eli Drinkwitz
Head coach, Missouri
Eli Drinkwitz offers head coaching experience at Appalachian State and Missouri, including the demands of SEC competition. Missouri went 11–2 in 2023 and 10–3 in 2024, a combined 21–5, marking just the third time the program recorded consecutive seasons with at least 10 wins.
His experience managing rosters, staffs and major conference expectations makes him appealing. Convincing him to leave Missouri would be the challenge, requiring FSU to demonstrate strong resources and organizational support.
4. Bryant Haines
Defensive coordinator, Indiana
Bryant Haines offers impressive defensive production under Curt Cignetti. In 2025, Indiana ranked second nationally in scoring defense at 11.7 points per game, second against the run at 77.2 yards per game and fourth in total defense at 266.0 yards per game. Haines also won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant.
Those results make him an appealing option for establishing a defensive identity. His lack of head coaching experience remains the question, along with his recruiting plan, offensive staff and ability to build independently of Cignetti.
3. Kenny Dillingham
Head coach, Arizona State
Former FSU offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham brings energy, offensive creativity and familiarity with Tallahassee. Arizona State’s 2024 Big 12 championship demonstrated his ability to lead a turnaround.
That season, Cam Skattebo topped 1,700 rushing yards and 600 receiving yards with 24 total touchdowns, finishing fifth in Heisman voting. Arizona State also went undefeated at home for the first time since 2004. The challenge would be pulling Dillingham away from his alma mater with a convincing plan for FSU’s future.
2. Glenn Schumann
Defensive coordinator, Georgia
Glenn Schumann combines championship experience under Nick Saban and Kirby Smart with an impressive record of player development. Georgia’s 2025 defense ranked fourth nationally against the run at 81.5 yards per game and 10th in scoring defense at 17.6 points per game. During its undefeated 2022 championship season, Georgia led the country in rushing defense at 77.1 yards per game.
His linebacker development includes three Butkus Award winners: Roquan Smith, Nakobe Dean and Jalon Walker. Smith became the eighth overall pick in 2018, while Quay Walker went 22nd overall in 2022. Dean and Channing Tindall also went in the first three rounds of the 2022 draft, with Monty Rice and Tae Crowder among his other NFL draft selections.
More recently, Jalon Walker went 15th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, adding another first-round linebacker to that pipeline. Georgia’s entire staff shares credit, but Schumann’s direct role coaching linebackers makes those results particularly relevant for FSU’s recruiting and development needs.
The biggest question is whether he can translate coordinator success into leading an entire program. His offensive coordinator choice, recruiting operation and ability to establish his own identity outside Smart’s program would be central to the evaluation.
1. Jake Dickert
Head coach, Wake Forest
Jake Dickert takes the top spot because his results this season strengthen an already appealing head coaching résumé. Through October 31, Wake Forest is 7–1 overall and 5–1 in the ACC, riding a five-game winning streak after beating Virginia 51–7. Combined with his 9–4 debut season, that puts Dickert at 16–5 through his first 21 games with the Demon Deacons.
Wake Forest has shown it can win convincingly on both sides of the ball. The Deacons generated 538 total yards, including 309 rushing yards, against Virginia. They also beat Stanford 57–3, giving them two 50-point performances against ACC opponents this season.
The quarterback production is another intriguing part of the résumé. Through eight games, Gio Lopez has accounted for 2,494 total yards and 24 touchdowns with just one interception. Although Dickert’s background is on defense, those numbers show the offensive success his staff has helped create.
Before arriving at Wake Forest, Dickert led Washington State through uncertainty surrounding its conference future. His experience managing difficult circumstances, paired with his current success, makes him an appealing option for an FSU program seeking dependable leadership.
Florida State would still need to evaluate his recruiting ceiling and the staff he could assemble in Tallahassee. But his ability to produce immediate results—and build on them in his second season—is why he leads this board.