TEXAS A&M
The Texas A&M Aggies backed up the truck to land Jimbo Fisher from Florida State, giving him a 10-year, $75-million contract to coach the team.
Many have wondered why Fisher would leave a place where he’s won a national title to join a program that is trying to take the next step to becoming a serious contender.
ESPN host Paul Finebaum said on “The Opening Drive” on WJOX on Monday that he thinks Fisher made the right move, though, citing Florida State’s up-and-down relationship with him, the tough recruiting environment in Florida and a boatload of Aggie money as the biggest reasons why Fisher made the right decision.
“I do like the move by him, because I think he knew the upside,” he said. “He and (Auburn coach Gus) Malzahn have followed very similar paths — up and down, playing for championships, falling in and out of favor. I think he realized that, first of all, the state of Florida is getting more difficult with Mark Richt, with Dan Mullen, with (Lane) Kiffin, with everyone else in that state. Sometimes you just need a change. We’ve all been there at some point.
“It would be one thing to make a lateral move to LSU for not as much money, but when the boys at Texas A&M say, ‘Just write the check,’ that gets your attention. There is nothing like Texas money.”
Finebaum added on the SEC Network on Monday that he would be surprised if the Aggies aren’t playing for an SEC title within the next few years:
This is a complete and total game-changer – @finebaum #12thMan pic.twitter.com/rpuEKfpdxi
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) December 4, 2017
Fisher has his hands full to compete against teams like Alabama, Auburn and LSU in the SEC West, but the Aggies are counting on him to turn things around in College Station.
This just adds to the challenge. Fisher would have taken the LSU job for about a million less per season, but LSU wouldn’t consider a 10 year contract. Fisher was pretty determined to get it, and he did. Gonna be interesting.
Fisher is a genius. he got 75 mill over 10 years guaranteed. Other than Saban, coaches don’t have a long shelf life in the SEC west. Then you got the competition. Everybody always list LSU, Auburn and Alabama, but never mention Ole Miss, Arkansas and especially Miss St. all of which can mess up good run for any team, especially with home field advantage. A good coach will be fired next year and I’m betting the LSU coach is it, not that he will deserve it, but everybody else is new. All said A&M just got screwed financially
The vast majority of his salary is being paid by donors. You put a few multimillionaires together and $7.5 mill/year isn’t that big of a deal. All things said, A&M will be fine. Jimbo will work out or he won’t. If he doesn’t, the deep pockets will buy out his contract and look for another hire. That’s the way of the world in college football these days. Gotta give A&M some credit. You can’t say they’re not trying to compete.
“Gotta give A&M some credit. You can’t say they’re not trying to compete.”
This^^^
Time and time again we hear Ags cry and moan over BMA’s and the BOR not making moves to ensure success. Well, we can’t complain now, can we?
you’re right. I just think they should have taken a younger coach with more energy and for less money, not one looking for retirement in 5 or 6 years
Younger coach?? You do realize Fisher is only 52 right? Saban is 66, I’ll let you do the math.
How do you figure they got screwed financially?? People seem to think A&M boosters, fans, and AD actually expect nothing less than a NC in the next few years. Everyone says outwardly that’s the goal, it should be every schools goal. The reality is they expect consistency, not dominance in the first half of every season and utter failure in the second half. They expect to at least be in the running for a conference championship in good years rather than consistently placing in the bottom half of their own division. None of these expectations are beyond reason with Fisher at the helm and A&M honestly could care less about the money, they have more than enough to spare. This is absolutely a win for A&M, not a bit of a screw job anywhere, financially or otherwise.
75 million divided by 6 equals 12.5 million, because 6 years and he’s done. That’s more than Saban. not a good deal for A&M, unless you like to over pay for things.
You seem to be making to assumptions there. One is the completely ridiculous assumption that he will fail within 6 years. The other is that the 1 solitary “source” that ESPN used is highly suspect in claiming the entire contract is guaranteed. Word here is that the first 5 years only are guaranteed. You seem to be speaking more out of emotion than logic.
Sorry I don’t get emotional about football. You know after your last comment I decided to look at A&M’s record and found that A&M has truly been average for a very long time, at least since the early nineties and with several different coaches. I’ll stand by 6 years if that long hey, it’s college football why not make assumptions. I try never to make assumptions about things that matter and college football at the end of the day, doesn’t matter
Not sure what A&M’s record has to do with it. I keep hearing this false narrative but it makes no sense. Anyone truly familiar with A&M’s history understands there are many notable differences now that are shaping the future and the course is highly unlikely to be the same as the past. Don’t people understand there are zero teams out there that have been competitive from day one of their inception? Exactly zero. Things change. A&M has never been in a position to acquire a top tier coach before so to assume history will repeat makes no sense in any logical sense.
Dang, I like your positive thinking. I’m the same way with Miss St. and I’m positive we’ll beat you next year. Go Dawgs!
That should be a very interesting game with both teams having newly hired coaches. It’s definitely one I’m looking forward to.
Finebum and JC said Fisher would never end up here. lol
I’ll warm up the stove to prepare that crow for ya’ll!
Soooo many made that claim. The funniest ones to read now are all the FSU fans that have all of a sudden changed their tune from “It will never happen”, to “I’m glad he’s gone.” Do they really not see how pathetic that comes off? It’s not a good look for them. Suck it up, admit you lost the fight and move on.
People cope with losses differently. Media guys tend to be the sore-loser types because their egos and credibility hang by the thin thread of making correct predictions. smh