As Texas A&M searches for a new head coach after the Jimbo Fisher firing, college football analyst Paul Finebaum sees a tighter deadline than one might think for the Aggies.

“I think there’s a problem in chasing the hot names right now, the Lannings, the DeBoers, [and] guys like that because I don’t think A&M can sit around and wait for the CFP to be over,” Finebaum said on the McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning show on Monday.

Finebaum said Texas A&M should look for someone who is organized, and can handle the CEO-type duties better than Fisher.

Finebaum recalls how Athletics Director Ross Bjork previously hired baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle from TCU, which proves that he’s after quality, and that Bjork values past success.

“They need to have a pretty good idea who the coach is either two weeks from today, assuming that coach is in a conference championship game, or three weeks from today when we all know [the CFP field] because otherwise, they’re going to get wiped out here in the [transfer] portal and certainly take major hits in recruiting, which they really can’t afford,” Finebaum added.

A coach firing, a 6-4 record, and a late-season game with No. 19 LSU already pose challenges to the Aggies’ future for the transfer portal and recruiting. Texas A&M has the nation’s 10th-ranked 2024 recruiting class by 247 Sports, but that doesn’t ensure any of the recruits staying on board with the Aggies.

“I know the argument. Do you lose a year to get the right coach? Usually recruiting wins out,” Finebaum said.