FSU appoints Jeff Purinton as athletics director

Florida State University named two-time graduate and former athletics-department employee Jeff Purinton vice president and director of athletics on Nov. 9, 2026. He succeeds Michael Alford, who stopped serving in the role on Sept. 14.

President Richard McCullough announced the appointment. Bruce Warwick served as interim director while FSU searched for a permanent successor. The interval from Alford’s departure to the appointment announcement was 56 days—exactly eight weeks. FSU did not state when Purinton’s service would begin.

The football-coach search is separate i

Purinton’s appointment does not name FSU’s next head football coach. The university announced a national search for a head coach on Nov. 1; reporting on Nov. 9 described that search as still underway. Rick Stockstill was named interim head coach. The appointment therefore resolves the open athletics-director position, while the separate coaching search remains in progress.

Purinton’s FSU and athletics career i

Purinton began working in FSU’s athletics communications office as an undergraduate in 1994. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management in 1997 and a master’s degree in athletic administration in 2006, both from FSU. He left the university in 2006.

After FSU, his career included work for the Orange Bowl Committee, 15 years at the University of Alabama, leadership of Arkansas State athletics and, most recently, a senior executive position at Learfield. FSU says he was involved in 12 football bowl appearances during his time at the university.

FSU describes Purinton as having more than 30 years of collegiate athletics experience. That figure refers to his broader career, not more than 30 years at FSU: the university dates his FSU employment from 1994 to 2006, a 12-year span.