Mike Norvell is retaining this former Miami Hurricanes coach to guide FSU’s wide receivers
Mike Norvell continues rounding out his staff days after he was announced as Florida State’s latest head coach.
On Friday, the school announced Norvell is retaining Ron Dugans as the Seminoles wide receivers coach. Dugans was an assistant for three seasons at Miami, before joining Willie Taggart’s staff in 2019 to guide the receivers.
Dugans has one left year on his contract for $450,000, according to multiple reports.
Dugans was on FSU’s 1999 national championship team, and got his start in college coaching as a graduate assistant at FSU under Bobby Bowden in 2005.
“I’m excited to announce that I will be retaining Ron Dugans as our wide receivers coach here at Florida State University,” Norvell said in a press release. “Ron is a true Seminole, a man who represents the Florida State football family with class, character and an incredible sense of pride for our university. The development of our wide receivers over the last year and the relationships that have been built gives us a tremendous foundation to build upon moving forward.”
“Coach Dugans will be an asset on the field as well as one of the top recruiters in the country due to the relationships he has established over the years. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work side by side with Coach Dugans and his family as we elevate Florida State football back to the top.”
Dugans’ receiving corps. improved in his one season, ranking 19th nationally in completion percentage which is the highest mark for the unit since 2014. His group also contains six players with 15 catches or more this season.
“I’m happy for the opportunity to continue serving my alma mater,” Dugans said in the release. “Tallahassee is home, and being able to invest in this community means a lot to me and my family. I am excited to join Coach Norvell and our tremendous student-athletes as we work to put Florida State back among the nation’s elite.”
Before returning to Tallahassee, Dugans was in Coral Gables for three seasons with the Hurricanes. At UM, Dugans was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2018 in addition to his wide receivers coaching role. That season, Miami converted at least 45 percent of its third-down conversions in seven games.
Dugans also previously coached wide receivers at USF (2014-15), Louisville (2010-13) and Georgia Southern (2007-09).
His USF tenure saw Bulls receivers break the program’s single-season touchdown mark in both of his seasons in Tampa. He also guided Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker and Palmetto High alum Damian Copeland during his time at Louisville.
Dugans is the second coach Norvell is retaining. He announced earlier this week that longtime assistant Odell Haggins was staying. Following that, Norvell hired Auburn offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham and Memphis defensive coordinator Adam Fuller for the same roles at FSU.
Dillingham had previously served under Norvell at Memphis before landing at Auburn for one season.
