Mike Norvell was named Florida State’s 11th full-time head coach on December 8, 2019. In his first season, he led the youngest team in the country through a year impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic, and he became the only coach in ACC history to beat a top-5 team in his first season. In year three, he led the Seminoles to their 25th 10-win season and a bowl victory over Oklahoma before springboarding that into a perfect 13-0 regular season and the program’s 16th ACC title in 2023.

Willie Taggart returned to his home state when he was named Florida State’s 10th full-time head coach on December 5, 2017. The Palmetto native guided FSU through a transition in 2018 with 25 student-athletes making their collegiate debut and 19 starting as a Seminole for the first time. That year, FSU beat a ranked team for the first time since 2016. His tenure ended nine games into the 2019 season with the Seminoles holding a 4-5 record.

Interim Head Coach

A former FSU player, defensive line coach Odell Haggins served as interim head coach at the end of the 2017 and 2019 seasons. He led the Seminoles to a 4-2 record over two stints.

Jimbo Fisher led the Florida State program for nearly eight full seasons. He finished his career with five bowl wins, including the 2013 National Championship and two Orange Bowl titles. He earned the highest winning percentage in ACC history (.783) and his 78 wins in his first seven years were the most by a Power Five coach through their first seven seasons in modern history. Fisher guided the Seminoles to three consecutive ACC championships from 2012-2014, winning a school- and ACC-record 29 straight games in the process. In 2013, Fisher planted the Seminoles back at the top of the college football world, leading Florida State to a 14-0 record en route to the final national championship of the BCS era.

Bobby Bowden spent 34 years at the helm of the Seminole program that he resurrected beginning in 1976. By far the winningest coach in school history, Bowden accumulated more wins than the previous seven head coaches combined. He finished his career as major college football’s all-time second-winningest coach. Bowden took the Florida State program to the top of the college football world and won two national championships (1993, 1999). Bowden’s Seminoles were one of the most dominant bowl teams ever posting a 21-9-1 record with NCAA records for consecutive bowl wins (10) and consecutive bowl appearances without a loss (14). Bowden is the only coach in the history of college football to lead teams to 10 or more wins over 14 straight seasons. He is also the only coach ever to lead his team to 14 straight finishes among the Associated Press Top Five.

* Due to sanctions imposed on Florida State by the NCAA, the NCAA recognizes Bowden with 377 overall victories and 304 wins at FSU.

Darrell Mudra was a successful coach before arriving at Florida State, and he was successful after he left. At FSU, Mudra inherited an 0-11 team and wasn’t able to bring the program back to the glory years it enjoyed under Bill Peterson. Mudra coached from the press box instead of the sidelines.

Larry Jones compiled a 15-19 record in three years as the Seminole head coach. In his first two seasons, the popular coach led his teams to a 15-8 record; but he is probably remembered most for the 1973 campaign, when his team did not win a game.

Bill Peterson took over a football program in deep trouble in 1960. When he left, 11 years and four bowl games later, he had become the most significant coach in the first 25 years of Florida State football. Under “Pete,” the Seminoles went 62-42-11. The most memorable Peterson year was 1964, when the “Seven Magnificents” led Florida State to a 9-1-1 record and FSU’s first ever win over Florida.

Moss was one of two FSU coaches who spent only a year at the school. Midway through the 1959 season, reports were published that Moss would leave to join the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. True to the reports, he departed after a brief year in Tallahassee.

Tom Nugent had a successful coaching stint at Florida State, as indicated by his 34-28-1 record in six years at the Seminole helm. Florida State participated in two bowl games during Nugent’s tenure and his 1958 squad was the first FSU team to play Florida. Nugent also served as athletic director while head coach of the Seminoles.

Don Veller won 30 of his first 34 games as head coach at FSU before the Seminoles began playing a major college schedule. His overall record included an undefeated (8-0) season in 1950, the year the Tribe moved into Doak Campbell Stadium. Veller owns the second highest winning percentage of FSU coaches (.716). He is credited with laying the early foundation for the FSU football program.

Ed Williamson was appointed Florida State’s first coach just a few weeks before the inaugural football season. He had no stadium, no scholarships and no team name. With only 45 ex-high school players, his teams came close to winning three games that year, although it finished 0-5. Williamson was not paid for coaching the team.