Texas A&M College fired coach Jimbo Fisher on Sunday, a transfer that can price the varsity greater than $75 million and finish a tenure that started six years in the past with the Aggies presenting him with the engraved nationwide championship trophy he missed simply final yr.
“After a really cautious evaluation of all elements associated to Texas A&M soccer, I really helpful to President (Mark) Welch after which Chancellor (John) Sharpe {that a} change in program management was needed to ensure that soccer to achieve our full capability.” “They settle for my choice,” Texas A&M athletic director Ross Burke mentioned in an announcement. “We respect Coach Fisher’s time right here at Texas A&M College and want him nicely in his future endeavors.”
As an alternative of profitable a title, Fisher went 45-25 and 27-21 within the Southeastern Convention, by no means profitable greater than 9 video games in any season. The Aggies are 6-4 with two video games remaining, coming off 51-10 victory over Mississippi State Saturday night time in Faculty Station, Texas.
Fisher was lured away from Florida State, the place he gained a nationwide championship in 2013, beneath a large 10-year contract that was absolutely assured on the finish of the 2017 season. That contract was prolonged after he led the Aggies to a 9-1 document through the 2020 pandemic season, and he A&M’s finest yr beneath Fisher.
In accordance with his contract, Fisher is well worth the full quantity remaining on his deal — no matter whether or not he will get one other teaching job — a staggering buyout that’s greater than thrice the most important quantity ever given to a fired head coach. Texas A&M should now pay Fisher $19.2 million within the subsequent 60 days, then $7.2 million yearly via 2031.
Auburn paid about $21 million when it fired Gus Malzahn after the 2020 season.
Fisher was requested if the season was disappointing after Saturday night time’s win.
“It isn’t irritating, but it surely’s disappointing generally,” Fisher mentioned. “Like I mentioned, we’re three or 4 video games away from a playoff spot. However we have to get via it and develop from it and be taught from it for subsequent yr.
Touchdown Fisher was a robust transfer by Texas A&M athletic director Scott Woodward. The coach by no means left the varsity the place he gained a nationwide championship and instantly moved on to a different job since Johnny Majors left Pittsburgh for Tennessee in 1977.
Texas A&M has just one nationwide title to its credit score in 1939 and final gained a convention championship in 1998 as a member of the Large 12.
At Fisher’s introductory press convention, college leaders laid out their targets, engraving them with a 20——– nationwide championship trophy.
Fisher has by no means gained a Southeastern Convention division title, and when the Aggies went 5-7 final season to fail to advance to a bowl recreation for the primary time since 2008, the stress elevated in 2023.
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He was employed to exchange Kevin Sumlin, who was fired with one recreation remaining in 2017 with a 7-5 document that yr and a 51-26 mark in six seasons. However Fisher hasn’t even matched the success of Sumlin — who went 11-2 in his first season when Johnny Manziel gained the Heisman Trophy — not to mention elevated the workforce beneath him.
Fisher lastly relinquished the play-calling duties and employed former head coach Bobby Petrino to run the offense. There was some enchancment on that aspect of the ball, though accidents — most notably to promising midfielder Conner Wegman — have hampered progress.
An early-season loss to Miami made Texas A&M followers shortly start to surprise if something had modified. A string of three losses in 4 video games to Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi assured the Aggies of one other middle-of-the-pack season within the SEC.
The Aggies have remaining common season video games towards Abilene Christian and LSU.
