Florida State paid $ 1.3 million for Saturday’s game at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee against No. 25 Memphis, the former school of Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell.
The outcome was a 20-12 defeat, leaving the Seminoles with an 0-3 record for the second time in five seasons.
Florida State is the first team preseason-ranked in the top 10 to start a non-COVID year at 0-3 since Texas A&M did so in 1988. During the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Penn State, ranked 7th in both polls, lost its first five games.
Norvell coached at Memphis for four seasons, achieving a 38-16 record before being hired by Florida State in December 2019 to replace the fired Willie Taggart. He led the Tigers to four consecutive postseason appearances, including a trip to the Cotton Bowl.
The contract for the Memphis game was signed six months after Norvell’s hiring, and the $ 1.3 million payment is due by February 15, 2025.
As Florida State struggles with a 0-3 start for the second time under Norvell, the school is financially committed to his tenure. If they were to fire him now, it would cost approximately $ 65 million due to his buyout, which amounts to 85% of his base salary and supplemental pay for the duration of his contract, which runs until December 31, 2031. This total would be adjusted based on any income he earns from a new job.
“I understand what it takes to win games and for our team to perform at a high level. We all need to improve our efforts throughout the week,” Norvell said after Saturday’s loss. “We can’t keep coming into games and seeing issues that do not reflect who we are.”
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