Florida State coach Mike Norvell will reportedly call plays for the Seminoles during the 2026 season following the retirement of offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, according to 247Sports. Norvell promoted wide receivers coach Tim Harris Jr. to the OC role but has apparently decided to handle play-calling duties exclusively as FSU tries to bounce back from a 5-7 finish in the 2025 season.
Norvell’s choice is a critical gamble during a deteriorating tenure, one that included pledges made toward the end of last season to alter his recruiting and player development plans to ensure improvements. Norvell last called plays as head coach with the Seminoles prior to Malzahn’s arrival, throughout his Memphis tenure and is known for a tempo-based, attacking scheme. Before his hiring in Tallahassee, he previously directed the offense — with success — at Arizona State.
Just how schematically different the Seminoles look with Norvell in charge of play-calling based on an incoming transfer class that’s heavily slanted toward fitting in Malzahn’s run-based and RPO-driven offense will be a huge point of emphasis. How much will the offense change vs. the level of similar principles Norvell could carry over from Malzahn’s playbook?
FSU signed 23 transfers during the 2026 cycle, a class that ranked No. 26 overall. Auburn’s Ashton Daniels is expected to be the Seminoles’ starting quarterback with Texas transfer Quintrevion Wisner assuming a lead role in the backfield along with returning standout Ousmane Kromah.
Retaining wideout Duce Robinson was top priority for Norvell, whose offense will have a reliable No. 1 on the outside. This room of pass-catchers have a chance to be one of the top units in the ACC if Daniels is consistent and a rebuilt offensive line — also through college football’s free agency market — pans out.
Mike Norvell puts fate in his own hands
The impact of Norvell’s judicial decision to handle play-calling means there’s no fall guy if inconsistencies and failed execution on that side of the football deflate this team in 2026. Last year’s offense ranked No. 1 in the ACC in yards per game, third in scoring and first in third-down conversion rate with its high point coming in the season-opening victory over Alabama.
Consecutive losses in November caused the Seminoles to miss out on bowl season, while Malzahn’s departure — potentially unexpected given the timing — applies more pressure on Norvell outside of his duties as program lead.
Norvell said after Malzahn’s hire last spring he was looking forward to taking more of a managerial focus with the Seminoles. Now, the opportunity is over and his future employment will depend on FSU’s hit-rate offensively this fall.
Narrative-setting opportunities begin early for Norvell next season as the Seminoles open ACC play in Week 1 on Labor Day against SMU. They’ll get an open date before their next gargantuan matchup at Alabama later in September.
The vote of confidence Norvell received last season from FSU’s administration failed to quiet boosters, who ultimately decided his buyout was too high to begin a coaching search. One more losing season will be all it takes for those with power to determine his fate, which directly falls on offensive production — and wins.
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