ESPN broadcaster says Jimbo Fisher 'bailed' on production meeting

Plenty of eyes are going to be on Ole Miss vs. Texas A&M this week as the Aggies try to put a halt to their three-game losing streak. The game is going to be on the SEC Network, and the broadcast team of Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers and Cole Cubelic was planning to meet with Jimbo Fisher for their regular production meeting on Friday.

But Fisher “bailed,” Hart said on The Paul Finebaum Show on Friday. He said the crew met with some of the coaches, but Fisher wasn’t available.

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“We were over there meeting with a couple of the coaches, but we did not have the opportunity to meet with Jimbo,” Hart said. “He bailed on that chance, so we did not get a chance to ask the head coach about the upcoming suspensions.”

Tom Hart: This is the first time I remember a head coach being unavailable

Like many fans and people around college football, Hart said he and his broadcast team wanted to know more about the reported suspensions issued this week. Fisher didn’t comment on the situation during the SEC coaches teleconference, meaning the statuses of the three freshmen reportedly involved are still up in the air.

For Hart, it marks the first time in his career a head coach didn’t participate in the production meeting.

“I don’t know why he was suddenly unavailable,” Hart said. “But that’s the first time — I’ve been doing this for a minute, Paul, I’m not a spring chicken like I used to be. This is the first time I ever remember a head coach being unavailable for production meetings the day before the game. There have been instances where maybe you have to wait for a little bit or something pops [up] on a guy’s schedule and you’re asked to bend your schedule, which of course, you’re more than willing to do.

“You’re a guest in their building and you’re a guest of [their] strict and regimented schedule most days, especially the day before a game. So whatever drama bubbled to the surface today is probably emblematic of a lot of issues that are going on over there right now.”

Hart on Jimbo Fisher missing production meeting: ‘We’re not going in there to throw stones or poke holes’

Ironically, the only time Hart could remember not meeting with some of the coaching staff was Kevin Sumlin’s last game as Texas A&M head coach in 2017. What’s even more interesting is that Cubelic played for Fisher at Auburn, and Hart explained the meeting was simply to gain more background on the program.

“It’s rare because as you mentioned, we’re very friendly with these coaches,” Hart said. “Cole [Cubelic] played for Jimbo at Auburn. He was his offensive coordinator. It’s a chance to share what’s going on in the program, to allow us to talk about it mostly in a positive light. On this very network, we’re not going in there to throw stones or poke holes.

“But it would be helpful to know who they’re starting at quarterback, what’s the situation with these upcoming thought-of suspensions with the younger players and where do they stand as a whole? Have they circled the wagons to get back on track or is a three-game losing streak going to turn into a four-game losing streak?”