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Florida State Fires AD Alford Amid Football Program Turmoil
Confirmed
In Short: Florida State University has fired its athletic director, Michael Alford, as the football program faces ongoing scrutiny and questions about its future direction.
Florida State University has fired its athletic director, Michael Alford, amid growing concerns over the football program's performance and leadership. According to reports, Alford's job security had been in question alongside head coach Mike Norvell since the start of the 2024 season, which ended with a 2-7 record.
Alford's departure reflects a broader commitment to competitive standards, according to Florida State President Richard McCullough. The decision comes after a tumultuous period for the football program, including a 2-10 season and a 5-7 finish in the 2024 campaign. Alford was a key figure in Norvell's contract extension following the 2023 ACC championship, which included a significant buyout.
Bruce Warwick, the senior associate athletics director who joined FSU in 2020, will serve as interim director of athletics while the university conducts a national search for Alford's permanent successor. The move also comes as Norvell faces increased pressure after two consecutive losing seasons and a 1-1 start to the 2024 season.
Alford's tenure at Florida State was marked by both successes and controversies. He was instrumental in securing Norvell's contract extension after the 2023 ACC championship, but his leadership was also criticized for the program's subsequent struggles. Additionally, Alford's public criticism of the College Football Playoff selection committee and his advocacy for the ACC added to the scrutiny surrounding his role.
McCullough expressed gratitude for Alford's contributions, stating, 'Michael Alford has served the University and our student-athletes with dedication, and we thank him for his contributions to our athletics programs.' The university is now focused on finding a new athletic director to steer the program through its current challenges and towards future success.
What's confirmed
- Florida State president Richard McCullough has fired athletic director Michael Alford, ESPN's Andrea Adelson reported Monday morning.
- Florida State has fired Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford, moving on from its four-year leader during a tumultuous time for the football program.
What's still developing
- Alford along with the board chose to bring Norvell back for 2026 despite a 2-7 finish to last season that followed a 3-0 start.
- Now Alford won't be the one deciding whether that bet pays off, or who leads a potential coaching search if it doesn't.
- The years since that 2023 ACC title have unraveled that goodwill fro Alford.
- One source told CBS Sports on Monday the decision had been trending for weeks and FSU's board did not want Alford making the football program's next coaching hire.
- Florida State's football payroll currently sits in the lower half of the ACC, a shell of what programs like Miami and SMU are spending for talent within the league.
- However, after being left out of the four-team College Football Playoff, Alford blasted the CFP Selection Committee and helped lead a multi-week tirade against the sport in favor of the ACC.
- A 2-10 disaster followed on the gridiron, bleeding into last season's 5-7 finish that featured Alford and the athletic department giving Norvell "full commitment" toward the future along with a "comprehensive assessment" of football at year's end.
- FSU fires AD Alford as questions loom over football program | ESPN La Crosse 105.5 You are using an outdated browser.