Jimbo Fisher calls on-field dynamic with Bobby Petrino ‘a lot of fun’

In Texas A&M‘s dominant 52-10 win over New Mexico on Saturday, fans caught their first glimpse of the dynamic between head coach Jimbo Fisher and offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. After the triumph, Fisher evaluated the pair’s in-game dynamic.

“It was great,” Fisher said. “We were talking back and forth, what we could go to, what we could not. Giving suggestions of what we think we could see down there. Reminding things we do in the game plan, just like we do in the meetings. It was excellent. I had fun, a lot of fun.”

Fun wasn’t a familiar term for the Aggies last season. Despite boasting the No. 1 recruiting class in 2022, Texas A&M posted a mediocre 5-7 while picking up just two wins in conference play. A&M’s offense was a major contributor to the team’s struggles.

In the 2022 campaign, the Aggies finished 101st in the nation in scoring, recording just 22.8 points per game. Consequently, A&M lost five games by six points or fewer. To mend its wounds, Texas A&M added veteran OC Petrino this offseason.

In 14 seasons of head coaching experience, Petrino boasts a 119-56 record and three top-six finishes (2004, 2006, 2011). Petrino’s earned his significant accolades against significant talent. At Arkansas, Petrino’s offenses ranked second in the SEC in scoring in 2010 (36.5 points per game) and first in 2011 (36.8 points per game).

Despite Petrino’s impressive resume, Fisher was hesitant to openly admit Petrino would be the team’s sole play caller.

“I’m not going to get into that,” Fisher said at SEC Media Days this summer when asked about the issue. “Bobby was hired for a reason. Tremendous guy. Tremendous football mind. Hopefully, he’ll call the game & have suggestions.”

Whatever balance the pair decided on, it worked. The Aggies rattled off 411 yards in its season opener, scoring touchdowns on their first five possessions. Further, the team did not commit any turnovers. A&M could’ve ran up its lead but opted to replace QB1 Conner Weigman with backup Max Johnson ahead of the fourth quarter.

After the game, Weigman was complimentary of his new offensive coordinator.

“It was awesome,” Weigman said of Petrino. “We went out there, we executed the game plan. … And I just give it to my playmakers and they make my life easy out there.”

Fisher and Petrino will aim to work their magic again on Saturday when Texas A&M takes on Miami at 3:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ABC.