Paul Finebaum believes Jimbo Fisher has become college football's next big punchline
ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum, like many, is starting to lose faith in Jimbo Fisher as a coach. After beginning the season ranked No. 6, the Texas A&M head man has the Aggies at just 3-5 so far and on a four-game losing streak.
As the losses continue to pile up in College Station, Finebaum made an appearance on ESPN on Sunday where he noted that Fisher’s lack of success has made him an easy target for jokes.
“Everyone still refers to him as a great coach and a great offensive play caller,” Finebaum said. “I’m trying to figure out, what are they seeing that I don’t? These are Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, starting quarterbacks and successful NFL players, but I really don’t see it anymore. I think you just have to be realistic. He has wasted a great recruiting class. I don’t know where they currently are, I know they’re highly regarded, but here’s the issue: Another loss and it just feels like there’s something stuck to this program, the stigma that Jimbo Fisher can’t talk his way out of. What are those players going to do? Are they going to stay? There’s going to be a lot of pressure on him in the offseason and next season.”
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Since taking over at Texas A&M in 2018, Fisher has compiled a 37-19 record and taken the program to a bowl game each season. However, the Aggies goals are clearly much higher than that, and it doesn’t help that Fisher has yet to achieve 10 wins in a season either.
In the case of this year, Finebaum noted that Fisher has tried to maintain a positive attitude, constantly telling reporters the Aggies are right on the verge of success.
“One thing about Jimbo Fisher: It doesn’t matter what the score is,” Paul Finebaum said. “It doesn’t matter how many losses (he has). He’s talking about the freshman young quarterback Conner Weigman and great, great. Everything’s great. Jimbo, again, you juxtapose that with the $86 million buyout and he’s acting like he has a lifetime deal, which he may.”
That buyout is a big reason why the Aggies may decide to stick it out with Fisher through his struggles. The coach is under contract at A&M until 2031 after signing a four-year extension this offseason. However, Finebaum could also see it reaching a point where the Aggies finally pay up if things don’t change.
“I don’t know how Texas A&M boosters think,” he said. “I have no earthly idea. We can joke about them having all the money in the world, but nobody wants to spend this kind of money to buy a guy out. So, you have to look at this objectively. Why did he get an extension after last season? What is the school going to do if this doesn’t get any better? I’ll give you a cliche here because I really don’t know the answer. Your guess is as good as mine.”
Fisher will hope to turn things around in the final four games, which he must win three of to become bowl eligible. That starts with a game against Florida at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday in College Station.