Is Bringing Coach Prime Home Worth the Risk for FSU?

Florida State has officially moved on from Mike Norvell, leaving the program with a chance to bring in a familiar face who can restore the Seminoles to their former standard.

Could a change of scenery for Deion Sanders and the injection of confidence he would bring to the program be just what’s needed to restore that standard to Florida State?

The Seminoles lost to Clemson on prime-time Saturday night in a game where the 36-24 final score looked much closer than it actually was. Will that loss turn out to be what brings prime time back to Tallahassee?

Even before the game started, the frustration reached another level when fans paid to fly a banner over Doak Campbell Stadium calling for the coach to be fired.

But after yet another disappointing loss, calls for the administration to end Mike Norvell’s tenure became too loud to ignore anymore.

On Sunday, the fans finally got what they wanted.

The decision was finally made. Florida State would be moving in a different direction, with the leadership of its football program relieving Norvell of his duties after six and a half seasons.

With the news came the million-dollar question: Who will be the next head football coach at Florida State?

Well, it appears, at least from what President Richard McCullough said he wants, that the next coach should be someone from inside the Florida State family.

“To me, this is just me speaking; I'm not the only person here, but it's got to be a Florida State person,” McCullough said.

And since they still haven’t even started searching for a new athletic director, McCullough could have a major say in who ultimately becomes Norvell's successor.

McCullough believes Florida State should target someone with strong ties to the university. Or, as he put it, “a Florida State person” who can serve as the next CEO of its football program.

It's not just about coaching, either. The university wants someone who can fundraise and help restore financial stability within the athletic department.

“We want people that will fit in; they're going to work hard and do things,” McCullough said. “Look at Coach (Luke) Loucks; he is a super nice guy, great fundraiser. He's a really tough, tough coach, and he's definitely a guy who fits into the FSU culture.”

Would family ties and a personality capable of exciting the fanbase and driving money into the program be enough to open the door for a Coach Prime return?

Keeping it in the family, Sanders was a three-sport athlete at Florida State, competing in baseball, track and football under legendary head coach Bobby Bowden.

During his time with the Seminoles, Sanders earned unanimous All-American honors in 1987 and 1988 and won the 1988 Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back.

He also made a name for himself as one of the nation's top punt returners. His No. 2 jersey was retired in 1995, and Bowden referred to Sanders as his measuring stick for athletic ability.

A simple “I'm coming home announcement, accompanied by a picture of Coach Prime back in FSU gear plastered across social media, could be all fans and donors need to see to open their wallets and bring an influx of financial resources back into the football program and athletic department.

And with a debt well over the $400 million mark, the ability to create a return on investment almost immediately could be too much to pass up.

One of the biggest reasons Deion Sanders could make sense for Florida State is what he accomplished financially and in terms of national exposure during his time at Colorado.

When Sanders took the job in Colorado, the Buffaloes became one of the most talked-about programs in college football.

That excitement translated into increased ticket prices and sales, merchandise revenue, corporate sponsorships and national attention.

If that can happen in Boulder, imagine what could happen if Sanders returned to Tallahassee.

While Sanders has yet to establish Colorado as a consistent national contender, his ability to generate significant financial interest shows his impact reaches beyond the results on the field.

Florida State needs its next leader to bring in a significant cash infusion. That's what makes this coaching search more complicated than most.

The Seminoles don't just need a new head coach; they need someone who can rebuild the entire financial viability surrounding Florida State athletics.

To do that, they need someone who can restore excitement among the fanbase, attract donors and sponsors first, and then get the program back to competing at the highest level.

While the results on the field haven't been what Florida State is looking for, recruiting in Florida could make things much easier for Sanders than it was in Colorado.

Add in the possibility of having significantly more resources at his disposal, and the potential rewards could outweigh the risks of making the bold move and bringing one of the program's favorite sons home.