saturdaydownsouth
The Florida State head coaching search has rapidly emerged as one of the most talked-about narratives of the 2026 college football coaching cycle, and the intrigue is well-founded.
As the most prominent vacancy currently on the market, the FSU opening has already drawn connections to multiple potential candidates from prominent analysts and insiders.
Danny Kanell, a former Seminoles quarterback and current CBS Sports analyst, has been monitoring the situation closely. On Wednesday, he appeared on The Next Round podcast to share which realistic candidates sit atop his list for his alma mater.
"You've got Jake Dickert at Wake Forest, who's been phenomenal. He won at Washington State. And then Manny Diaz at Duke," Kanell said. "Manny Diaz was at Florida State when I was there. He was a graduate from there. I think that he's one of the best minds out there, one of the best eyes for talent."
Both Dickert and Diaz have undeniably impressed by elevating their current programs, and either would represent a substantial upgrade over Mike Norvell for the Seminoles. Each brings extensive Power Four coaching experience and has demonstrated an ability to succeed at schools with far fewer resources than would be available at Florida State.
Both coaches are expected to be heavily involved in the Tallahassee search, and it remains to be seen whether one of them ultimately secures the position when the process concludes.
Originally reported by saturdaydownsouth.