Florida State has fired Athletic Director Michael Alford after just four years on the job, according to school president Richard McCullough. The announcement came Monday morning after the football team’s 27-24 home loss to SMU.
Florida State has appointed Senior Associate Athletics Director Bruce Warwick as interim Director of Athletics while it conducts a national search for a permanent successor.
“Michael Alford has served the University and our student-athletes with dedication, and we thank him for his contributions to our athletics programs,” McCullough said in a statement. “As we begin this transition, our focus remains on the success of our teams and continuing to provide every competitive advantage we can to our student-athletes, coaches, and staff.”
“Florida State is committed to maintaining the highest standards for our student-athletes and staff. We want all of them to be able to play for championships. This leadership change reflects that commitment.”
Florida State football has been trending downward for several years
The Seminoles, once a college football powerhouse, have gone 8-18 since a 13-1 2023 season – the one loss being a 63-3 drubbing in the Orange Bowl by Georgia. Head coach Mike Norvell has gone just 39-35 over six-plus seasons and just 22-27 in the ACC.
Early in Norvell’s career, Alford became president and CEO of the Seminole Boosters. Alford took over as Norvell’s supervisor and athletic director at FSU in 2022. Alford earned a base salary of $1.45 million annually under a $6.7 million contract extension he received in 2024 and runs through 2028.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, during his tenure, Michael Alford oversaw several coaching hires and notable achievements in FSU athletics. He also oversaw $500 million in facility projects and upgrades, including renovations of Doak Campbell Stadium and the opening of the Dunlap Football Center. FSU’s athletics revenue also increased by 31.5% since 2022, the largest growth in the department’s history.
However, Alford also had to deal with the department’s enormous debt ($437 million for the 2025 fiscal year) and faced scrutiny over how it handled roster funding and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, especially in football.
“Changes like this are never easy, but sometimes necessary,” said Florida State Board of Trustees Chairman Peter Collins in a statement. “We have made significant investments and structural changes in our athletics program and Seminole Boosters over the past few years, but more are needed. This step begins the next phase of restructuring that the University must commit to in order to compete in this era of college sports. The President and the Board are in lockstep on the mission and what the results must be.”