College Football
Texas A&M hired Jimbo Fisher to win national titles, but can he do it in season number one? This is the big question. Fisher did little to squelch any thought that that was a possibility coming out of the SEC Media Days this week. There may have been 75 million reasons why Jimbo Fisher came to Texas A&M but there are only three reasons that matter to the Aggie faithful in 2018.
1) Jimbo Fisher Will Not Shy Away From Anyone or Any Challenge.
With the introduction of a new head coach into a major college football program, there always seems to be a learning curve. However, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher says not so fast. SEC football media day was barely underway when Fisher took to the microphones. He quickly assured the Aggie faithful that there was not rebuild underway, he expects to win now especially in the SEC West.
Big words from a coach who was a one time Nick Saban assistant and now is a Nick Saban adversary. Yes, the Nick Saban, the one who has won five national titles at Alabama since 2007, as well as the one who is undefeated (12-0) against his former assistants. Of course, none of those former assistants had the credentials of Fisher either. None of those headmen are being paid $75 million over the next 10 years like Texas A&M is handing out to Jimbo Fisher. The five previous assistants before Fisher were expected to win (tongue in cheek) but most would have been surprised had they done so. Fisher is the exception.
Under Nick Saban
Fisher was the offensive coordinator under Nick Saban (2001-2004) at LSU. During that time, the Tigers won a national title. Every day he was going up against Saban’s defense. If there’s one thing we know, a tiger doesn’t change its stripes. Fisher is not one to step gingerly or tread lightly when it comes to talking about the task at hand. Texas A&M has had just two losing seasons since 2007, the year Saban arrived at Alabama.
In SEC play, the Aggies have had just two winning seasons (2010, 2012) in 10 years. They have finished .500 four times with three of those coming in the last four seasons under Kevin Sumlin. Sumlin had won eight or more games every season in College Station but that wasn’t good enough, just as it wasn’t good enough for Ohio State coach John Cooper. Despite winning 103 games in 13 seasons with the Buckeyes, Cooper could only beat rival Michigan twice over that same span. Texas A&M has lost to “Bama” in five straight.
Fisher’s pronouncement at the College Football Hall of Fame on Monday put the SEC on notice as to how soon Texas A&M could compete for a national title.
“I think your timetable is as quick as you can put things in place and everyone buys into what you’re trying to do,” Fisher told media on Monday. “You have a timetable, your timetable is now.”
2.) The Players Are All-In
Any time a coach speaks about winning it all and not just one step at a time, the ears of his stars perk up. When said coach has two national titles, one as an assistant and one as a head coach, players sit up a little bit straighter. And when that coach has the longest winning streak in the last decade (29 games) — yes even better than any Nick Saban has put together — players begin to bow their backs and believe.
In one of his very first meetings with the Aggie players, Fisher spoke not of winning an SEC title but a national title, according to A&M’s explosive running back Trayvon Williams. The third-year back recalled it this way: “He came in and set the standard early from the first meeting on. We honestly didn’t know each other and we didn’t know much about him as a person and he didn’t know much about us as individuals. It was like we’re going to go and try to fight and win a national championship.”
Williams, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2016, has been a bruising runner since his days at C.E. King High School in Houston. He explained why players are buying into Fisher’s plan before having ever played one game.
“Attention to detail,” Williams replied. “Attention to detail is completely different. Coach Fisher is a guy that comes in and he is so focused on the little things because the little things make up the big picture. Those things, the little things, win ball games so I definitely kind of say the attention to detail.”
3.) Winning is Not Everything, It’s the Only Thing
Vince Lombardi knew a thing or two about winning and so does Jimbo Fisher. Texas A&M is not paying for an eight-win season, nor are they paying for mediocrity in the SEC West. They’re also not paying to be an also-ran. Texas A&M is paying Jimbo Fisher to take them to the promised land for the first time since 1939. Since taking over the reins of Florida state in 2010, Fisher’s winning percentage is .783 plus a national title in 2013.
The Seminoles under Fisher won 10 games or more in all but two seasons. More importantly, the Texas A&M head man beat the FSU rivalry teams (Florida/Miami) in six of his first seven seasons.
Winning may not be everything but it’s the only thing expected at Texas A&M.
