With Texas A&M regents scheduled to meet, Jimbo Fisher speculation increasing
The noise about Jimbo Fisher possibly leaving Florida State for Texas A&M is getting louder.
Fisher addressed reporters ahead of FSU’s makeup game against Louisiana-Monroe on Monday. With the A&M job officially open following Sunday’s firing of Kevin Sumlin, speculation about the Aggies’ interest in Fisher has only grown.
Naturally, Fisher was asked about it (like he has been about LSU the past two years). He said the other day he would not comment on other jobs and reiterated that stance Monday when asked how he addresses coaching rumors with his players.
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“We’re getting ready to play this week and ULM. I’m gonna be here coaching you, so let’s go.” Fisher said. “We’re going to be ready to play. They don’t ask.”
But what about the fans?
“I’m not going to speak about jobs right now.”
Less than hour before Fisher’s press conference, A&M announced a special Board of Regents meeting was on the docket for 2:30 p.m. Thursday. The purpose of the meeting will make FSU fans feel quite uneasy:
“The purpose for the meeting is for discussion of legal and personnel issues relating to the football program, including issues relating to appointment of new head coach, Texas A&M University,” the A&M media advisory says.
Why Thursday? Per Mark Passwaters of A&M Rivals site AggieYell.com, there needs to be advance notice for any such meeting.
The reason the Board of Regents have to meet Thursday and not before is state law requires any meeting with a quorum to be posted for 72 hours.
— Mark Passwaters (@mbpRivals) November 27, 2017
Things are trending in a positive direction for A&M, according to Passwaters:
BREAKING: FSU sources tell me that Jimbo Fisher is now expected by people in Tallahassee to take Texas A&M’s head coaching job.
— Mark Passwaters (@mbpRivals) November 27, 2017
The Houston Chronicle shared similar reporting:
A&M athletic director Scott Woodward on Sunday announced the firing of sixth-year coach Kevin Sumlin, and signs continue to point toward the impending hire of Jimbo Fisher from Florida State.
A lot can change over the course of two days, just ask Tennessee, but these rumblings seem a lot more significant than the Fisher-to-LSU talk of the past two years.
A&M certainly has more money to offer, as Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel wrote last week:
Fisher had overtures from LSU the past two years and declined. That’s telling, as LSU is a much better job than Texas A&M, where they haven’t won a league title since 1998 and a national title since 1939. Fisher’s family situation is complicated, with a recent divorce and a child with a rare medical condition. If he was going to leave, wouldn’t he have taken the better gig? There’s a strong relationship with athletic director Scott Woodward, but does that trump all the other complications? The one thing we know is that A&M isn’t afraid to pay, but there aren’t a bevy of coaches on the board dying to go to College Station. Look for Fisher to break the bank if Woodward can land him.
FSU president John Thrasher was asked about Fisher possibly leaving earlier this month.
“Jimbo’s here forever,” Thrasher said. “As long as he wants to be. He’s good. He’s good as gold. He’s going to be here.”
After improving to 5-6 with a win over Florida, Florida State can clinch bowl eligibility on Saturday against UL-Monroe. If this is going to go down, after the ULM game seems like a fairly safe bet.
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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
