After a disappointing 5-4 start to the season that included losses to pretty much every top program they faced, Texas A&M took out some frustration this weekend with a 51-10 win over Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon.
That performance will apparently be the last under head coach Jimbo Fisher, as his tenure with the school is set to end after almost six seasons in College Station, according to Billy Liucci of TexAgs and confirmed by Pete Thamel of ESPN.
BREAKING: Per multiple sources, Texas A&M set to part ways with Jimbo Fisher as early as today.
Decision was reached at the recommendation of the Athletic Dept/University president during last Thursday's Board of Regents meeting.
— Billy Liucci (@billyliucci) November 12, 2023
Sources: Fisher's dismissal is expected this morning. The school plans to honor his contract in full. @TexAgs first reported the firing. https://t.co/EGA8QeqQwc
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 12, 2023
Fisher finishes with a 45-25 record at A&M, but more important to his firing is a middling 27-21 record in SEC play. Aside from the weird 10-game 2020 season (9-1), the Aggies were never particularly competitive in the SEC West in terms of being a threat to make it to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game. The good news for Fisher is he has one of the most hilariously large buyouts in college football history, as he’ll get paid $76 million to not coach Texas A&M going forward, with no offsets if he gets another job in the future — and a lot of that money coming his way soon.
Buying out Jimbo, buying out the staff and paying for the next person means this entire transaction is going to cost around $100 million.
Jimbo’s deal requires 25 percent (about $19.5 million) due within 60 days and the rest paid in regular installments over the term.
So all…
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) November 12, 2023
As for Texas A&M, they figure to be one of the most coveted jobs in college football despite having not been a national title contender in decades, as they have incredible resources, money, and recruiting area. Thamel’s initial coaching search frontrunners include the likes of Oregon’s Dan Lanning, Duke’s Mike Elko, and, hysterically, Kliff Kingsbury who has never been particularly successful as a head coach at any level but happened to be at A&M when Johnny Manziel was there.
Early list of potential names for Texas A&M, knowing money is no object: Lane Kiffin, Mike Elko, Mike Norvell, Dan Lanning, Jeff Traylor, Chris Klieman, Kliff Kingsbury and Kalen DeBoer.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 12, 2023
If nothing else, Texas A&M becoming an open job means coaches everywhere are about to get big time extensions, as Jimmy Sexton is set to go to work with the leverage of the Aggies throwing their money around trying to land a splashy hire.
