Jimbo Fisher on latest with Nick Saban: 'We're great'

Reporters hit Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher with questions about his offseason drama with Nick Saban first thing after his opening statement at SEC Media Days. The Aggies skipper chalked it up as a thing that happens between “two competitive guys,” before turning the table on the NCAA and the current NIL process.

“Listen, we’re great,” Fisher said. “Two competitive guys that go at it. Listen, we all learn from things we do in our business. Two competitive guys on a topic that is very ‘everywhere,’ as they say. There’s no rules in this thing and where it goes. Each state has a different law and everything.”

Jimbo Fisher echoes Nick Saban following offseason drama

Fisher’s response to the questions mirrored what the Alabama coaching legend said on Tuesday. He even referenced part of Saban’s interview with the SEC broadcast crew where he mentioned the squabbles the two used to get into while coaching together.

“And like he said, I heard his statement, the arguments we had in the staff room and on the basketball court and all those things,” Fisher said. “Well, on the basketball court we didn’t have them because we were always on the same team, so we usually had ’em against other people.”

Both coaches lamented the fact that their argument occurred so publicly, with Saban’s first blow coming at a speaking event in Birmingham.

“I have great respect for Nick,” Fisher said. “Unfortunately, our thing went public and sometimes that happens in this world. Nothing’s private anymore is it? But I have great respect from Nick. And we all learned from it. I have great respect for him and the program like always.”

The two coaches face off on Oct. 8 this season. The offseason feud and last year’s upset by the Aggies make it one of the most hyped games of the preseason.