The Florida State football program continues its search for a new head coach after firing Willie Taggart, and one name reportedly linked to the job is a former Seminoles star and Pro Football Hall of Famer. Enter the one and only Deion Sanders.
The news of Sanders emerging as a candidate for the Florida State head coaching gig came from none other than his NFL Network colleague Ian Rapoport.
“NFL Network analyst and Hall of Famer Deion Sanders has emerged as a candidate for the Florida St. head coaching job, sources tell me and Mike Garafolo,” Rapoport posted on Twitter. “A fascinating situation that could unfold.”
Sanders had previously expressed his frustration with the Seminoles after they made the decision to fire Taggart after only a year and a half. That led to Sanders saying, “I got time” — seemingly throwing his name into the mix.
And, well, it seems to have worked.
While Sanders has no coaching experience on the collegiate level, there is no denying that the all-time great would bring some immediate enthusiasm and excitement back to Tallahassee from the moment he started the job.
Of course, there are some other candidates with experience in the mix.
Other names that will reportedly be considered are former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops, ex-Ohio State and Florida leading man Urban Meyer, Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, Minnesota’s PJ Fleck, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops, Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, and even former Georgia and Miami head coach Mark Richt.
Stoops is currently considered the favorite.
From the Tallahassee Democrat:
He has ties to the state of Florida from when he was Florida’s defensive coordinator from 1996-98 and has won multiple coach of the year awards. The Sooners finished with 10 or more wins in 14 of the 18 years that he coached. Sources have told the Democrat that FSU would be looking to bring in an established coach that’s a known winner and that Stoops would likely be at the top of the list.
We’ll have to see who ultimately lands the job, but we know the Seminoles fan base is going to be looking for a winner.