Jimbo Fisher shares mindset to approach for Alabama

Texas A&M has generated a fairly known rivalry with Alabama over the past few seasons. Still, ahead of the Aggie’s next matchup with the Crimson Tide this weekend, Jimbo Fisher is continuing to maintain that it’s just another game for his program.

Fisher spoke about A&M’s approach to their next contest with ‘Bama during his press conference on Monday. He said that, with all due respect, teams want to beat quality opponents with big names like the Tide but that it’s also just the next name on the schedule.

“You worry about beating Alabama, you know who they are. But, I mean, I don’t mean any disrespect to them but, at the same time, that’s your next opponent,” Fisher said. “You’ve got to get ready to play.”

“Of course it’s Alabama who’s a very, very good football team,” said Fisher.

That’s the mindset that Fisher wants the Aggies to adopt and understand. Regardless of who they’re prepping for each week, he wants A&M to attack it the same way by looking inward and building themselves up during practice.

“Our guys are learning to understand that. All you can control is yourself – how you prepare, how you think, the self-talk you tell yourself. What you see on film, how you prepare, and the intensity and focus you come to practice with,” said Fisher. “As I say, you can go through the motions and sometimes you’re not there. You’ve got to be there in practice, you’ve got to be invested”

“It’s like the old Michael Jordan saying that every play for him in practice was for the NBA title. That’s why he could do what he did at the end of games,” said Fisher. “You’ve got to buy into that, that mentality, and how important it is.”

Texas A&M has won just two of their 11 matchups with Alabama since joining the SEC. The two are quite memorable, though, as both came against top-ranked versions of the Tide. The first was Johnny Manziel’s win in Tuscaloosa back in 2012. The second was the game-winning kick from Seth Small in College Station in 2021.

That’s not even to mention some other close matchups like last year’s 24-20 win for ‘Bama that came down to the final play on the two-yard line.

Still, Fisher doesn’t want A&M to get too worked up over the team they’re preparing for this week. He wants them to have the same attitude and process as always in order to give them their best chance to take down the 11th-ranked Tide.