Could Jimbo Fisher Leave Florida State For Texas A&M?

Could Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher be willing to leave the Seminoles for the Aggies? As with anything regarding sports, it depends on who you ask.

Here is what Fisher has said:

“I never comment on jobs,” the FSU coach said during a Tallahassee radio show. “My focus right now is winning against ULM and playing our season. I don’t get in to the rumors and the rumor mill. If there was ever something to it then at the appropriate time, but right now there’s no reason to comment and I’m focused on beating ULM.”

There have been multiple reports over the past week, including those from ESPN, USA Today and Brent Zwerneman of the Houston Chronicle, mentioning Fisher's name with the Texas A&M job. Several Texas sources say it's a done deal.

The decision could come down to money. Fisher is set to make $6.5 million in 2018 for the Seminoles. How high will the Aggies go to lure Fisher to College Station. Could it be $8 million a year? Alabama's Nick Saban makes $11 million per year.

Fisher, who won a national championship in 2013, could be using the A&M situation to get a raise or maybe raises for his staff, reports say. Or a commitment for new facilities.

Fisher recently said he believes rival Clemson has surpassed Florida State in its financial commitment to football with its new $55 million football facility.

Ira Schoffel of Warchant.com reported that "as of right now, we don't believe (agent Jimmy) Sexton and Fisher are going to focus on a bump in his salary. What they'll likely push for instead is more facilities upgrades and more money for the ever-increasing pool used to hire assistant coaches."

Fisher has rebuffed interest from other schools in the past, most notably from LSU before Ed Orgeron was hired in November 2016.

Fisher has a long relationship with Texas A&M athletic director Scott Woodward, dating back to their time at LSU. Woodward worked as administrator at LSU during the time Fisher was LSU offensive coordinator under Nick Saban.

ESPN reported on Sunday that Texas A&M would pursue Fisher with a "lucrative offer." Additionally, Billy Liucci of TexAgs and the Houston Chronicle reported that A&M regents have a meeting planned for Thursday with part of the agenda being: “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 Chronicle has reported that Fisher has a "handshake agreement" to be Texas A&M's next coach. After coach Kevin Sumlin’s firing on Sunday, the Chronicle reported signs continue to point toward the impending hire of Fisher from Florida State.

Mark Passwaters of AggieYell.com tweeted on Monday: “FSU sources tell me that Jimbo Fisher is now expected by people in Tallahassee to take Texas A&M’s head coaching job.”

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?"

FSU fans could point out that many of these reports are coming from Texas sources. But not everything seems to be positive in the FSU football program, which only fuels the rumors.

Tomahawk Nation reports that players and members of Fisher’s staff say “the mood in the program this year is different than in previous years.They don’t trust Fisher’s assurances this time around (that he will stay) Even if he stays, he’s going to have to rebuild some relationships. If Jimbo Fisher decides to leave, he can get out of having to fire his friends on the coaching staff. This is something our sources believe he knows he must do, but does not want to have to do.”

In a Sunday column in the Tallahassee Democrat, sports reporter Corey Clark said: “Florida State fans are about done with this, having to deal with these types of rumors every Thanksgiving. They’d love to hear their coach, who was just given one of the biggest buyouts in college sports history, come out and say he’s not going anywhere. That the school has showed so much loyalty to him that he wants to reciprocate and build the program back to where it was a few years ago.

That’s what they want to hear, but that’s not reality.”

FSU president John Thrasher has said Fisher will be at FSU “forever.”

Thrasher said: “As long as he wants to be. He’s good. He’s good as gold. He’s going to be here.”

Florida State can clinch bowl eligibility on Saturday against UL-Monroe. Yahoo Sports reports that if Fisher decides to jump to the Aggies “after the ULM game seems like a fairly safe bet.”

Image via AP Photo/John Raoux