BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Jimbo Fisher, who won a national championship at Florida State in 2013, still believes Mike Norvell is a good coach amidst a four-game losing streak that has cranked up the hot seat talk in Tallahassee.
Florida State athletic director Michael Alford issued a vote of confidence in Norvell on Monday morning, saying "we are fully committed to helping Coach Norvell and the 2025 Seminoles strongly rebound in the coming weeks." Alford said a "comprehensive assessment" of the program would be conducted at the conclusion of the season.
That came off as an attempt to tamp down the considerable smoke Sunday that Norvell's job security could be in question after a 20-13 loss to Stanford as influential boosters expressed displeasure with the program's current trajectory. CBS Sports previously reported Norvell even addressed during a Sunday staff meeting that conversations about his future were happening.
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Fisher, who was speaking at Birmingham's Monday Morning Quarterback Club, was asked to assess what is wrong with the Florida State program that he led from 2010-17.
"It's easy to point fingers when you're outside or try to assess things but until you're inside you never really know because there are so many things that can affect how young men play, what goes on with coaches," Fisher said. "Sometimes you have a couple bad breaks and things don't go right, a few technical things, and all of a sudden your confidence goes.
"When those losing streaks happen, those coaches are still good coaches. Mike Norvell has had an undefeated season, he's coached great wherever he's been, those players have won. They beat Alabama in a great game so it's not like they can't play. But it's funny in sports how quickly it can turn from just a little bit of confidence, just a break here and there and your psyche. When those things happen, they can snowball the other way just as fast. I still think they have a good team, a good coach and they'll get it right."
Fisher knows what it's like when the outside noise starts cranking up and fans start calling for your job. He felt it in College Station when he was ultimately fired after a 45-25 record in six seasons. Similar in some ways to the Norvell situation at Florida State, Fisher was at one point viewed as unfirable because of a massive buyout of more than $70 million. Norvell would be owed more than $55 million if FSU fired him this week.
Eventually, the booster unrest and disappointing results pushed A&M to make a move on Fisher in what is still the largest buyout in college sports history. If FSU ultimately moves on from Norvell, it'd slot in at No. 2 all-time, just ahead of Penn State's recent $49 million buyout of James Franklin.
Fanbase disappointment can be impossible to avoid, though Fisher said he always stayed off social media as a coach. When it gets particularly loud, he says, that's when you have to rely on your self-belief and make sure you aren't letting the criticism impact you. That's a lot easier said than done, though, and Fisher believes it can be especially hard for the players.
"In today's time, they grew up on social media," Fisher said. "That's how a lot of their own self-worth is measured by what other people think of them. Hopefully these are hard lessons to learn but maybe they can see now not everyone is for you. They are for you when you're doing well but when it's not, they are just as harsh on you. It can be brutal."
Fisher is now working as a television analyst for the ACC Network. He last coached in 2023 but is itching to lead a program again soon. He said Monday he hoped to be on a sideline next season and missed everything from recruiting to practices.
In what is already a hectic coaching cycle that features seven Power Four jobs open already, Fisher is expected to be in the mix. His time at Texas A&M ended in disappointment, though he still has a resume that includes a national championship, three ACC championships and five top-10 finishes.
"I want to coach somewhere that's committed to winning," the former FSU coach said. "Just make sure they give us the resources to be able to win. I know it's about money, but you've got to have the resources to put into the game to win and do it the right way. The grass is just as green everywhere."
