BREAKING: Kenny Dillingham leaving Florida State for Oregon
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell didn't lose an on-field assistant during his first two seasons leading the program. Now, Norvell has lost two valuable members of the coaching staff in less than a week.
Linebackers coach Chris Marve was the first member of the staff to leave this offseason after he accepted the defensive coordinator position with Virginia Tech on December 7.
READ MORE: Report: Oregon Ducks interested in Florida State's offensive coordinator
On Wednesday morning, it was reported by 247Sports that Florida State offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham would be joining the Oregon Ducks in the same role. Dillingham has a previous relationship with new head coach Dan Lanning
After spending seven of the last eight years working under Norvell at three different jobs, Dillingham is finally making the leap to create an offense of his own in Eugene. He worked hand in hand with Norvell on play-calling duties during his two years in Tallahassee. That said, Dillingham will be able to tailor his system how he sees fit with Oregon.
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This could wind up being a big loss for Florida State. The chemistry between Norvell and Dillingham cannot be understated. There's a lot of familiarity between the two and the roster is headed into year three under this regime. It's not immediately clear how big of a negative this is on the trail but Dillingham was involved in FSU's recruitment of talented wide receiver Kevin Coleman.
The most logical move for Norvell is likely to promote offensive line coach Alex Atkins to offensive coordinator. Atkins has also been involved in the offense and there have been clear signs of development from the offensive line. Plus, Atkins is starting to become a hot commodity in coaching circles.
READ MORE: Former Florida State tight end commits to Florida Atlantic
Regardless, Florida State is now in the market for a new offensive coordinator and quarterback's coach. It'll be intriguing to see how Norvell goes about naming Dillingham's eventual replacement.
Stay tuned to NoleGameday for more on this breaking news.
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