Ross Bjork explains missing ingredient at Texas A&M amid Jimbo Fisher dismissal
Texas A&M football is missing something, and it isn’t just a high-level head coach. On Monday, athletic director Ross Bjork addressed what the program needs to take the next step.
“I make a joke when I speak to groups. I got introduced in fall 2019 as ‘the latest athletic director at Texas A&M.’ That’s not really a good thing,” Bjork said. “We need to find somebody who can build this sustainable tenure. We have to. Can we find the next RC Slocum, who can be here a long time? Build it Win those championships? Consistency of leadership and continuity, it is so important.”
Former Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher was a far cry from RC Slocum, who led the Aggies from 1989 to 2002. Slocum boasted a 123–47–2 record during his tenure with A&M, making him the program’s winningest coach of all time.
In comparison, Fisher coached Texas A&M to a 45-25 record over six seasons, including a 27-21 mark in SEC play. The short-lived relationship ended in a catastrophic split. On Sunday, Texas A&M fired Fisher and will have to pay him a record-setting $75 million buyout.
Texas A&M lacks stability across the board
Fisher was Texas A&M’s fifth head coach in the 21st century. Bjork claims the head coaching position isn’t place the school has suffered instability.
“Look at the president tenure here at Texas A&M. I’ve been here four and a half years, and I’m on my fourth president,” Bjork said. “We’ve got to have consistency. And so to me, that’s the key of getting the next hire right, is the consistent and continuity that we have to provide moving forward.”
Texas A&M’s shifting foundation doesn’t purely fall on Fisher. The program brought in offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino this season. In 2022, DJ Durkin was a fresh face at defensive coordinator. Despite a lack of success, the Aggies have not been able to hold onto their core pieces.
Whoever is next in line to lead College Station, Bjork believes they must be in it for the long haul. There’s certainly no shortage of names. SEC Network analyst believes A&M’s decision is just over the horizon.
“They need to have a pretty good idea who the coach is either two weeks from today, assuming that coach is in a cheap conference championship game, or three weeks from today,” Finebaum said. “Otherwise, they’re going to get wiped out here in the portal and certainly take major hits in recruiting, which they really can’t afford.”
For now, Texas A&M associate head coach Elijah Robinson is expected to serve as the interim head coach for the Aggies, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Texas A&M and Robinson have two regular season games remaining, plus a bowl game this winter.