Key keywords: Florida State Seminoles, Tom Herman, Texas Longhorns, support staff role, 2026 college football season, college football coaching hires, Mike Norvell, Power 5 football, recruiting strategy Multiple trusted college football insiders including those from ESPN and 247Sports confirmed on Wednesday that Florida State is finalizing a deal to hire former University of Texas head coach Tom Herman to a senior off-field support staff role, set to take effect ahead of the 2026 NCAA college football season. The hire marks one of the most high-profile support staff additions in recent Power 5 history, as Herman brings nearly two decades of elite coaching experience to a Seminoles program that has established itself as a consistent playoff contender over the past three seasons. Herman first rose to national prominence as the offensive coordinator for Ohio State’s 2014 national championship team, before earning his first head coaching job at the University of Houston, where he posted a 22-4 record across two seasons and led the Cougars to a top-10 final ranking in 2015. He was hired as Texas’ head coach ahead of the 2017 season, posting a 32-18 record over four years, including a Sugar Bowl win over Georgia in 2018, before being dismissed following the 2020 campaign. He most recently served as head coach at Florida Atlantic University from 2023 to 2024, leading the Owls to a bowl appearance in his second season. Per sources familiar with the terms of the deal, Herman’s role will not include on-field coaching responsibilities. Instead, he will focus on advanced game planning, offensive scheme refinement, high-priority recruiting strategy, and serving as a senior consultant for Florida State head coach Mike Norvell and his existing offensive staff. The hire comes after Florida State posted inconsistent offensive output during the 2024 season, particularly in red zone conversion rates and third-down success against top-ranked defensive units. Program leaders identified adding a high-level offensive mind with head coaching experience as a top priority during the 2025 offseason to shore up those gaps ahead of the program’s second season in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff structure. While neither Florida State nor Herman have officially confirmed the agreement, insiders note that the contract is fully agreed upon, with a formal announcement expected to come before the start of the team’s 2025 spring practice sessions. Industry analysts have widely praised the move as a low-risk, high-reward addition for the Seminoles, as they get access to a proven Power 5 head coach’s expertise without the cost of a full on-field coordinator salary, while Herman gets the chance to work for a playoff-caliber program as he looks to position himself for another head coaching opportunity at the Power 5 level in the future.