Advertisement

Jimbo Fisher isn’t helping himself by staying silent on Texas A&M

The Florida State coach still isn't commenting on the latest Aggies rumors.
 
Published Nov. 27, 2017|Updated Nov. 27, 2017

Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher still isn't addressing the Texas A&M rumors. There's even more smoke now that A&M has added "issues relating to appointment of new head coach" to a board of regents meeting scheduled for Thursday. 

"You know I never comment on jobs…" Fisher said this morning on the Jeff Cameron Show. "Right now, there's no reason to comment."

Of course there's a reason to comment. A TV station in Texas reported that he'll be the Aggies' next head coach. I remain highly, highly skeptical of the report, but it's out there. Fisher had a chance to shoot it down. He chose not to.

Again.

And then he chose not to, again, during his weekly news conference Monday afternoon.

"I'm just not going to talk about it," Fisher said.

That's what Fisher does. In the past, it has served him well. Speculation about him bolting Tallahassee (for LSU, for example) leads to contract extensions, raises and a $5.7 million salary. The leverage also helps with facilities upgrades that Fisher believes are necessary to continue contending for championships.

But it might not be serving him well this time. FSU is 5-6. It still has one game remaining – not a championship game, of course, but the Louisiana-Monroe contest that was rescheduled because of Hurricane Irma. A win over the 4-7 Warhawks would allow the Seminoles to make an NCAA-record 36th consecutive bowl game. Not exactly the kind of achievement FSU fans were expecting this year.

Given that backdrop, I'm not sure how much leverage Fisher has now, as the A&M situation hangs out there. If the Aggies offer him $8 million, I don't think FSU can match it. FSU has made significant facilities upgrades recently – a player's lounge, new locker room, renovations at Doak Campbell Stadium and an indoor facility. A football-only complex is in the works, too, although some key logistical hurdles remain.

So I'm not sure what Fisher can gain out of the silence.

I do have an idea of what he can lose. I don't think fans are happy about listening to the regular Fisher rumors after an objectively disappointing season. Some boosters are getting tired of it. I'm not sure how recruits will take the uncertainty, either, and with an early signing period, that matters more than ever for FSU's future.

Fisher didn't seem convinced on that part.

"We've recruited very well since I've been here, haven't we?" he said Monday.

The wildcard is Fisher's family. He's a divorced dad. His youngest son, Ethan, has a rare blood disease, Fanconi anemia.

Only Fisher knows how much his family situation complicates this situation – if he even knows yet.

Stay tuned. The next week could be very, very interesting in Tallahassee.