Former FSU OC Predicted to Be Seminoles’ Future Head Coach

With spring underway, Florida State is set to open camp on March 9 as preparations begin for the 2026 season. Pressure continues to mount in Tallahassee, with some suggesting the heat beneath head coach Mike Norvell’s seat is only intensifying. Adding to the conjecture, Ralph D. Russo of The Athletic recently conducted an exercise projecting the trajectories of every Power 4 head coach, predicting who will still be in place not in 2026, but four years from now in 2030.

While the exercise was mostly meant for entertainment, in the new world of college football, quite literally anything can happen. FSU fans could see a familiar face as the next man taking the reins in Tallahassee, Florida.

Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham Predicted to Return in 2030

Dillingham served as Florida State’s offensive coordinator during the early years of Norvell’s tenure, spending the 2020 and 2021 seasons in Tallahassee. He helped develop future star Jordan Travis and several NFL Draft picks before the two parted ways following 3–6 and 5–7 seasons. The Arizona native then spent a season at Oregon prior to landing the head coaching job at Arizona State.

"The 35-year-old Dillingham is positioned to be maybe the hottest candidate in the upcoming hiring cycle, and Florida State could be the best job available. It seems like a match, though convincing Dillingham to leave his alma mater won’t be easy," Russon wrote. "He was FSU’s offensive coordinator in 2020-21."

Dillingham was named Big 12 Coach of the Year after leading the ASU to their first College Football Playoff appearance and 11 Sun Devils with All-Conference Honors. Whether he is even on the market by 2030 remains to be seen.

Norvell’s Contract Adds Another Layer to the Discussion

Oct 4, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell during the first half against the Miami Hurricanes at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Norvell’s contract, valued at approximately $84 million, runs through December 2031 after he received an extension ahead of the 2024 season. As it stands, Florida State would owe roughly $54.4 million to dismiss him without cause, which is a hefty buyout that will gradually decrease as the deal nears its end.

Given the university's patience shown to Norvell over the past two seasons, and the recent collapse of the Seminole football program, how plausible would it be that Norvell will still be at Florida State in four years? Dillingham just signed a massive "top-tier" salary ahead of last year's College Football Playoff, earning him roughly $7M annually, but it does conveniently end in 2030.

Dillingham coming full circle back to Florida State as a head coach would be something, though.

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