Danny Kanell names his top 3 candidates for Florida State job
Published:
Florida State fired head coach Mike Norvell on Sunday after a disappointing home loss to Clemson in Week 9.
The Noles have struggled mightily in ACC play in each of the past 3 seasons, prompting a change for 2027 and beyond. With Florida State set to be potentially the most attractive P4 head coaching job on the market this offseason, former FSU quarterback Danny Kanell named his top 3 preferred candidates for the position.
Kanell, who is now a college football analyst for CBS Sports, highlighted Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert, Duke coach Manny Diaz and Florida International coach Willie Simmons.
Like our coverage? Make SDS a preferred source in your searches!
Dickert is one of the rising stars in the profession. He had a successful tenure at Washington State before taking over at Winston-Salem before the 2025 season. The Deacons are arguably the second best team in the ACC this season behind Miami.
Diaz is a Florida State alum who also was previously the head coach at Miami. He’s led Duke to back-to-back 9-win seasons entering 2026 and helped the Blue Devils win the ACC Championship in 2025.
Simmons was the Florida A&M head coach before taking over at FIU in 2025. The Panthers reached a bowl game in 2025 and are currently 3-3 on the season with a chance to get back to the postseason this fall as well.
Florida State is also actively searching for a new athletic director.
Subscribe to the Saturday Football Newsletter — Get the latest news and updates on your team, your conference, and the college football nation straight to your inbox.
Having trouble seeing the signup form? Some privacy or ad-blocking tools can prevent it from loading. You can subscribe directly here.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
