Paul Finebaum explains backstory of Jimbo Fisher, Nick Saban feud

When Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher began bickering back and forth this past week over NIL, it came as somewhat of a surprise. Many assumed the two coaches to be friends considering Fisher previously worked as an offensive coordinator under Saban at LSU from 2000-04.

However, as a report from The Athletic recently detailed, their dislike for each other was apparently on display even 20 years ago in Baton Rouge. Coaches who were on the staff at the time described a lot of friction between the two, saying they were “always at each other’s throats.”

With that in mind, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum provided more context to how the strained relationship between Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher ultimately led to the blowup that we witnessed this past week.

“It goes back to LSU,” Finebaum said Monday on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning. “Every person who has ever worked for Nick Saban has similar stories. It’s something you laugh about. Like, you probably hated your high school coach the first day out, but you grow to love them. In Saban and Jimbo’s case, this was 20 years ago. This was Nick Saban in his late 40s or early 50s who was tyrannical and trying to make a name for himself. He treated his staff likewise. I just think that began to grow.”

That mutual dislike became public when Saban — the head coach at Alabama since 2007 — accused Fisher of buying the No. 1 recruiting class this offseason at Texas A&M. It wasn’t the first such claim that he made, but it was the breaking point for Fisher, who fired back with an absolutely brutal attack on Saban’s character.

“It’s despicable that a reputable head coach can come out and say this when he doesn’t get his way or things don’t go his way,” the Aggies head man responded. “The narcissist in him doesn’t allow those things to happen and it’s ridiculous when he’s not on top. …It’s amazing, some people think they’re God. Go dig into how God did his deal, you may find out about a lot of things you don’t want to know. We build him up to be the czar of football, go dig into his past, or anybody who’s ever coached with him. You can find out anything you want to find out. What he does and how he does it, and it’s despicable.”

Saban later apologized for his accusations, saying it wasn’t his intent to “single anybody out.” Fisher said he still hasn’t spoken with Saban regarding the recent comments and has no plans to, even with the apology.

Finebaum pointed out that Fisher was a former player and assistant coach under Terry Bowden, the son of legendary Florida State coach Bobby Bowden. Fisher later took over for Bobby Bowden as Seminoles coach in 2010. So by the time he was at LSU, he had grown a preference for the Bowden system, which was different from the one Saban employed with the Tigers.

According to The Athletic, Fisher would often bring up the Bowdens to other members of the LSU staff and complained that he “couldn’t stand” the way Saban coached.

“I think Jimbo — we always talk about him as a Saban disciple, but he’s more a Bowden disciple,” Finebaum said. “And I mean a Terry Bowden disciple. He played for him, coached for him and then he continued with the Bowden tree. I think he was the first one the break away and he did not want to go back in 2007 as we all know. I think that’s really where it lies. …But what are you supposed to say when you coach for Nick Saban? You don’t want to start a fire fight. Jimbo has always been disciplined enough to keep this within, but I think after what Saban said a week ago, Jimbo said, ‘You know what? I don’t care. I’m done.'”

Whether the reasons are recent or have been building up, it’s become abundantly clear of late that Jimbo Fisher is no friend of Nick Saban. And after this past week, it looks unlikely that will ever be the case.