Gabe Fertitta’s job description at Florida State is a newly created role that perhaps is a nod to his roots. He was a successful high school football coach who won a pair of state titles and is familiar with wearing many hats. And he’s from Louisiana, so the jambalaya is better when a little of everything is thrown in the pot and is allowed to simmer.
Fertitta is back at FSU, where he was an analyst and worked with the offensive line from 2022-24, and he’s been on the job for just a month as Director of Football Strategy / offensive assistant. While admitting some of his myriad jobs within FSU’s football program could be considered “nebulous,” his job description is clearly written to support and advise coach Mike Norvell.
And it makes sense for someone like Fertitta, who is in a different offensive meeting room before each practice and has a goal to one day be a college head coach.
“I’ve always taken the stance that: What is your end goal? And my end goal is that I eventually one day want to be a head coach,” Fertitta said. “That’s something that I’ve talked to coach Norvell about. You look at those opportunities and you say, ‘OK, does this opportunity get me closer to the opportunity that I ultimately want to do for myself, for my family, in this profession?’ ”
Fertitta said he and Norvell had some good conversations about what the head coach wanted and needed. And it was also about what worked for Fertitta in his coaching career, one where he captured state titles in 2017 and 2020 at Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic. Fertitta also spent 2025 at FCS Nicholls State, where he was quarterbacks coach / offensive coordinator.
In his new job, Fertitta will support Norvell and offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. with game planning, studying offenses and defenses, self-scouting and player development. Fertitta was introduced by FSU on Feb. 12, just 10 days after offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn announced his retirement.
“Gabe has strong values that align with how we operate, and he has a deep knowledge base of successful offensive production,” Norvell said in a statement in February announcing Fertitta’s hire. “He will be a great asset to me, Coach Harris and our entire program.”
Fertitta worked daily with FSU’s offensive linemen in his first stint in Tallahassee. Now he tries to “bridge gaps in meetings between the coaches” as he floats from room to room. On Wednesday, following FSU’s second spring practice, Fertitta described being able to relay blocking assignments on a particular play while in the receivers room on a particular day.
Norvell has often discussed how he feels confident in the transition to play-caller for a number of reasons. There’s the hiring of John Garrett and Taylor Edwards to manage the roster. There’s the promotion of Harris, who has familiarity with the receivers but also philosophically lines up with Norvell’s desire to run the ball based on his prior jobs at Miami and UCF.
And there’s also Fertitta, who was brought back to bring his expertise of offensive line play but also the big picture of what makes offenses efficient.
In discussing his return, Fertitta remarked that he and his family were excited to be in Tallahassee again. But it was also the chance to work with Norvell because “you are going to get the same person every day, day in and day out.” And he’s also enjoyed working with Harris, who is taking on an expanded role.
“His leadership is really unique,” Fertitta said of Harris. “He knows what he wants and he knows what he likes. He’s not afraid to voice his opinion in that room. I’ve seen a really good balance between him, coach Norvell, the other coaches in the room.”
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