It appears you can put this particular piece of drama to bed.
In the days after Willie Taggart was fired as Florida State’s head coach, Bob Stoops’ name was connected to the opening through various levels of speculation. At one point, FSU’s athletic director, David Coburn, publicly stated that the current head coach and general manager of the XFL’s Dallas franchise is a candidate for the job; Stoops subsequently stated that “the rumors/reports of him being a candidate for the Florida State job opening are not accurate.”
Nearly two weeks later, and citing two sources familiar with the search, the Tallahassee Democrat is reporting that “Florida State has been in contact with representatives of former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and does not consider him a candidate for its vacant football coach position.”
With the former Oklahoma coach out of the running -- if he was even in the running in the first place -- FSU could turn its attention to current FBS head coaches such as Memphis’ Mike Norvell, Penn State’s James Franklin and Iowa State’s Matt Campbell. Interim head coach Odell Haggins is also drawing support from current Seminole football players to take over the job permanently.
Coburn has long maintained that the university is on track to have a replacement in place before the end of November.