Top Five Potential New Florida State Coaches

The Florida State Seminoles are in the market for a new head football coach. Ideally they'd like someone who will stay as long as Bobby Bowden and win as quickly as Jimbo Fisher. Who will listen to an offer? Who will get an offer? Who will turn them down? Maybe everyone on this list!

1. Matt Campbell, Iowa State

Northern Iowa v Iowa State / David K Purdy/Getty Images

Campbell is the odds-on favorite to take the Florida State job. He's young and ready for a higher profile job. He has won two straight Big 12 Coach of the Year awards and turned Iowa State into a respectable program on the verge of their third consecutive winning season. The only problem is that he has a rather sizable buyout and they're already paying Willie Taggart not to coach.

2. Mark Stoops, Kentucky

Missouri v Kentucky / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Mark Stoops won 10 games at Kentucky last season, so that was probably his best chance to jump ship. Still, if the FSU hires Mark, fans might get confused and think he's the Stoops who beat Florida State in an Orange Bowl and not the one who lost a TaxSlayer Bowl to Georgia Tech.

3. P.J. Fleck, Minnesota

Minnesota v Purdue / Michael Hickey/Getty Images

After a slow start at Minnesota, Fleck has the Golden Gophers rowing their boats at 8-0 this season. They are ranked nationally for the first time since 2003 and ranked higher than they have been since 1967. Now that he's turned around Western Michigan and Minnesota, it's probably time for an upgrade.

4. Mike Leach

Washington State v Houston / Bob Levey/Getty Images

The circumstances are very different, but in Mike Leach's last two seasons at Texas Tech he went 11-2 then lost four games in his last season at the university. Last year he went 11-2 at Washington State and this season he's already lost four games. Leach has been living in Washington for eight seasons now and he owns a vacation home in Key West. At 58-years old he's nearing that age where living in Florida year-round seems more and more appealing. Besides, Leach at FSU would be mean-worthy.

I told my Twitter helper I wanted to say something about how I think Mike Leach would be a great candidate for the FSU opening. Told him to be creative. This is what he came up with. Said it was a meam and the kids would understand. https://t.co/0UczSoxUK8
— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) November 5, 2019

5. Bob Stoops, XFL

Allstate Sugar Bowl - Auburn v Oklahoma / Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Bob Stoops spent 18 years at Oklahoma before retiring. He was then coaxed out of retirement to coach in the revamped XFL. Florida State might be a preferable job to XFL because he knows the team will still exist in 3 years. Stoops says he isn't a candidate, but every coach says that right before they take a new job.

Just talked with Bob Stoops. Any reports that he’s a candidate for the FSU job are not accurate. Said “he’s not a candidate”. @CollegeGameDay @espn
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) November 5, 2019