Florida State University (FSU) football head coach Mike Norvell announced the dismissal of offensive coordinator Alex Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller, and wide receivers coach Ron Dugans on Sunday. This decision came just a day after the Seminoles suffered a heavy 52-3 defeat to the eighth-ranked Notre Dame.

Linebackers coach Randy Shannon will step in as the new defensive coordinator, while Norvell will take charge of play-calling for the offense. The financial repercussions of firing these coaches will be around $8.5 million, which includes their salaries for the remainder of the season and buyouts, contingent on mitigation efforts.

According to their contracts, the fired coaches are obligated to actively seek new employment, and FSU can offset their severance pay if they secure new positions.

After a successful previous season with a 13-1 record and an ACC title, the Seminoles have struggled this year, standing at 1-9.

In a press statement, Norvell expressed gratitude for the contributions of the three coaches over the past five years. He acknowledged their dedication to the players and the program: “I appreciate the work these three men have provided over the last five years with me at Florida State. They are all great men with families. We had many great moments together here, and I have never doubted their passion for our players and for Florida State.”

He added, “Unfortunately, we have not upheld the Florida State standard with our results this season on the field. These decisions were not made lightly, but changes were necessary to restore our program to where we aspire it to be.”

Both Fuller and Dugans joined the coaching staff when Norvell took over in 2019, while Atkins was in his third year and first as offensive coordinator. Dugans is also known for his past as a wide receiver for FSU and in the NFL.

This past January, the NCAA imposed Level II sanctions on FSU, marking them as the first college football program to face punishment for using NIL payments to entice recruits.

Sanctions were directed at FSU, Atkins, and an unidentified booster for improper recruiting actions, including unwarranted communication with an NIL-related booster. As a result of these penalties, Atkins received a three-game suspension at the start of the 2024 regular season and was assigned a two-year show-cause penalty, meaning that any future hiring would need to be justified to NCAA officials.

Significant changes to the coaching staff at FSU are anticipated this offseason, with these firings being the first signs of what will likely be a comprehensive overhaul.

Currently, FSU holds one of the lowest scoring averages in the nation at just 13 points per game. Their performance against Notre Dame, scoring only three points, represents their worst showing this season. Additionally, the defeat marked a 49-point margin, making it one of the heaviest losses in the program’s history, second only to a 63-3 setback against Georgia last year.

The Seminoles are also struggling in offensive efficiency, averaging 4.6 yards per play, which includes just 2.7 yards per rushing attempt and 5.9 yards per completion—placing them in the bottom ten of Division I teams. With only an average of 80 rushing yards per game, they are currently ranked 130th.

Defensively, the team ranks in the lower half among all Division I programs in key statistics, allowing 29.8 points per game, which sits at 101st out of 134 teams. They have also allowed nearly 46% conversion on third downs and have given up 35 touchdowns this season.

In their last four games, FSU has been outscored by a staggering 146-44.