So you want millions in a college football coaching buyout? It may cost you your careerMatt Hayes, USA TODAYMon, November 24, 2025 at 4:25 PM UTC·6 min readMike Norvell officially avoided the buyout pit of college football coaching, extending his time at Florida State by at least another year.
For what it's worth. And we’re not talking millions.
“I love Florida State,” Norvell said in a statement Sunday. “And I am fully committed to this program and our shared goals.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOdds are, it won’t last much longer. Nor will his perch among the elite of profession.
Of the Top 10 coaching buyouts in college football history, only two coaches returned to lead a different Power conference team: James Franklin (Virginia Tech) and Charlie Weis (Kansas).
Welcome to the world of walking away with millions upon millions of dollars — and more than likely the unofficial end of your high-profile career.
Cal fired Justin Wilcox on Nov. 23 with one game left in the regular season. The Golden Bears are 6-5 this season but 48-55 in Wilcox's seven seasons in charge.
Auburn fired coach Hugh Freeze on Nov. 2 following a home loss to Kentucky. Freeze was 15-19 in two-plus seasons on the Plains.
LSU fired Brian Kelly on Oct. 26 after an embarrassing home loss to Texas A&M the night before.
Florida fired Billy Napier on Oct. 19 during his fourth season as Gators coach. UF was 22-23 during Napier's tenure.
Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12 after a third straight loss. The Nittany Lions were 104-45 in 11-plus seasons under Franklin.
UAB fired Trent Dilfer on Oct. 12 after a 2-4 start to the 2025 season. Dilfer was in his third season as head coach of the Blazers.
Sam Pittman was fired by Arkansas on Sept. 25, a day after the Razorbacks were blown out by Notre Dame, 56-13. Pittman was 32-34 in his five-plus seasons as Hogs coach.
Virginia Tech fired Brent Pry on Sept. 14 after the Hokies started the season 0-3. Virginia Tech was 16-24 overall in Pry's three-plus seasons.
UCLA fired DeShaun Foster on Sept. 14 after the Bruins fell to 0-3 following a home loss to New Mexico. The Bruins were 5-10 in Foster's one-plus season in charge.
Mike Gundy was in his 21st season as Oklahoma State coach when he was fired on Sept. 23. Gundy was 170-90 as Cowboys coach, but started 1-2 this season after going 3-9 in 2024.
Oregon State fired Trent Bray on Oct. 12 after the Beavers started the season 0-7. The Beavers were 5-14 in Bray's season-plus in Corvallis.
Colorado State fired football coach Jay Norvell on Oct. 19. Norvell was 18-26 in his four seasons in Fort Collins.
Stanford coach Troy Taylor was fired prior to the 2025 season following allegations of mistreating staff. He was 6-18 in two seasons with the Cardinal and was replaced by interim coach Frank Reich.
Kent State coach fired coach Kenni Burns on April 15 after he posted a 1-23 record of and was placed on administrative leave by the school in March. Mark Carney is serving as interim coach.1 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Cal fired Justin Wilcox on Nov. 23 with one game left in the regular season. The Golden Bears are 6-5 this season but 48-55 in Wilcox's seven seasons in charge.1 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Cal fired Justin Wilcox on Nov. 23 with one game left in the regular season. The Golden Bears are 6-5 this season but 48-55 in Wilcox's seven seasons in charge.2 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Auburn fired coach Hugh Freeze on Nov. 2 following a home loss to Kentucky. Freeze was 15-19 in two-plus seasons on the Plains.3 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
LSU fired Brian Kelly on Oct. 26 after an embarrassing home loss to Texas A&M the night before.4 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Florida fired Billy Napier on Oct. 19 during his fourth season as Gators coach. UF was 22-23 during Napier's tenure.5 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12 after a third straight loss. The Nittany Lions were 104-45 in 11-plus seasons under Franklin.6 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
UAB fired Trent Dilfer on Oct. 12 after a 2-4 start to the 2025 season. Dilfer was in his third season as head coach of the Blazers.7 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Sam Pittman was fired by Arkansas on Sept. 25, a day after the Razorbacks were blown out by Notre Dame, 56-13. Pittman was 32-34 in his five-plus seasons as Hogs coach.8 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Virginia Tech fired Brent Pry on Sept. 14 after the Hokies started the season 0-3. Virginia Tech was 16-24 overall in Pry's three-plus seasons.9 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
UCLA fired DeShaun Foster on Sept. 14 after the Bruins fell to 0-3 following a home loss to New Mexico. The Bruins were 5-10 in Foster's one-plus season in charge.10 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Mike Gundy was in his 21st season as Oklahoma State coach when he was fired on Sept. 23. Gundy was 170-90 as Cowboys coach, but started 1-2 this season after going 3-9 in 2024.11 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Oregon State fired Trent Bray on Oct. 12 after the Beavers started the season 0-7. The Beavers were 5-14 in Bray's season-plus in Corvallis.12 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Colorado State fired football coach Jay Norvell on Oct. 19. Norvell was 18-26 in his four seasons in Fort Collins.13 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Stanford coach Troy Taylor was fired prior to the 2025 season following allegations of mistreating staff. He was 6-18 in two seasons with the Cardinal and was replaced by interim coach Frank Reich.
14 / 14College football coaches fired already in 2025 season. See who's on the growing list
Kent State coach fired coach Kenni Burns on April 15 after he posted a 1-23 record of and was placed on administrative leave by the school in March. Mark Carney is serving as interim coach.If there’s one thing we’ve learned from colleges paying exorbitant buyouts to failed coaches, it’s that those fired don’t often return to the profession. And when they do, it’s certainly not at the same level.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhether it’s the uncomfortable idea of paying a coach more millions after he was gifted a golden parachute for failing, or a coach’s weaknesses being exposed, universities aren’t thrilled about second chances with high-dollar coaches.
If Franklin didn’t give up a majority of his $49 million buyout from Penn State to take the Virginia Tech job, this undeniable trend would look uglier than it already does.
The slow roll: Had Florida done what it should have last year, it would already have Lane Kiffin
Will he or won't he? Why would he? Lane Kiffin says he loves it at Ole Miss. We'll see
A look at the Top 10 college football buyouts, and where each coach landed.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement1. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
The buyout: $76.8 million
The fallout: Sat out the past two seasons, but not for a lack of trying to get a job. He wanted the West Virginia job at the end of 2024, but it went to Rich Rodriguez.
Fisher has a career winning percentage of .727 in 14 years at FSU and Texas A&M. He won a national title at FSU in 2013, and has four major bowl wins. And is no closer to getting a job than when Texas A&M paid him to leave.
2. Brian Kelly, LSU
The buyout: $53.8 million
The fallout: He has been fired twice, according to LSU officials. Or is that once? Because LSU says he wasn’t officially fired the first time in late October, but this time — as recent as late last week — you better believe they’re firing him (it’s a Louisiana politics thing). Kelly, 64, released a statement two weeks ago saying he wants to continue coaching after failing at LSU.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe's the winningest coach in Notre Dame history, and has had success everywhere he has coached (.725 winning percentage in 22 seasons at major college programs). But no one will touch him if he’s in the middle of a lawsuit with LSU.
3. James Franklin, Penn State
The buyout: $49 million.
The fallout: Franklin got right back in the hunt by accepting the Virginia Tech job, but only after he gave up all but $9 million of his Penn State buyout to do so. Franklin won 104 games in 12 seasons at Penn State, and had back-to-back nine-win seasons at Vanderbilt — a program best until this year’s team won its ninth game Saturday.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement4. Gus Malzahn, Auburn
The buyout: $21.4 million
The fallout: Fired at the end of 2020, Malzahn took a job with UCF while it was still a member of the American Conference. He resigned after four years to take the offensive coordinator role at FSU, more than likely getting ahead of another firing.
5. Billy Napier, Florida
The buyout: $21.2 million
The fallout: Fired by Florida in late October, Napier was later seen at a Georgia practice — though Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said it was because the two are close friends.
Napier’s only job prior to his three and a half years at Florida was a four-year stint at Louisiana. He has 62 wins in 97 career games, and will likely have to take the assistant coach route to get back into the business.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement6. Charlie Weis, Notre Dame
The buyout: $18.9 million
The fallout: The industry leader in buyouts for years, Notre Dame fired Weis following the 2009 season. He took assistant coach jobs with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, and with Florida under coach Will Muschamp.
Weis eventually returned as a Power conference coach when hired by Kansas in 2012. He was fired four games into the 2014 season and hasn’t coached since.
7. Willie Taggart, Florida State
The buyout: $18 million
The fallout: Taggart arrived in Tallahassee after one season in Oregon, and after Fisher left a mess in Tallahassee in the locker room and classroom. Taggart spent a majority of his time getting players to actually go to class (back when it meant something), and coached 21 games at FSU before getting fired with a 9-12 record.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe moved to FAU, where he was fired three years later with a 16-20 record. Taggart has been the running backs coach with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens since 2023.
8. Ed Orgeron, LSU
The buyout: $16.9 million
The fallout: Orgeron won the national title at LSU in 2019, in part, because he convinced backup Ohio State quarterback Joe Burrow to transfer to Baton Rouge. Orgeron never recreated the magic of the most prolific offense in the modern era, and was fired in October of 2021.
Orgeron hasn’t coached since, but not because he hasn’t tried to get back into the profession. He now says he’d be interested in returning to LSU as a position coach.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement9. Tom Allen, Indiana
The buyout: $15.5 million
The fallout: The high-water mark was the 2020 pandemic season, when the Big Ten changed its rules to return midstream to get Ohio State in the conference championship game — ahead of Indiana.
Allen won eight games in 2019, and six of eight in 2020, and IU threw crazy cash at the coach who looked like he had it figured out at the basketball school. Allen won nine games over the next three seasons, and was fired. He has been the Penn State and Clemson defensive coordinators since.
10. Tom Herman, Texas
The buyout: $15.4 million
The fallout: Once the hottest young coach in the game, Herman spent four years in the sport’s best job and was fired after the 2020 season. He was 32-18, and looked like he had the program turned with a 10-win season (and a bowl win over Georgia) in 2018.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe took a job with the NFL’s Chicago Bears as an analyst following the blowout at Texas, and was then head coach at FAU for two years before getting fired in November of his second season. He’s currently not coaching.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coaches who make millions in buyouts typically struggle after
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