Jimbo Fisher offers high praise to Brian Kelly

It’s no secret that the transfer portal and player movement has been one of the biggest storylines this college football offseason. But coach movement, not so much. Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher was asked at SEC media day about new LSU coach Brian Kelly now being in the conference and in his division from Notre Dame.

“I’ve played Brian twice in the past in games we had at Florida State when he was at Notre Dame, but I’ve always had great respect,” Fisher said. “Brian’s won everywhere he’s been, he’s been successful everywhere he’s been, at different levels of football and I think it takes a great mind. At different programs; Power 5s, not Power 5s, to Division II. I mean, that tells you his knowledge of the game and what he does.

“And I think he’s one of the great coaches in college football and he’s another great challenge you have in the SEC, but whoever’s coaching all these teams are going to be very good coaches. So very challenging, I have great respect for Brian.”

Fisher’s squad got the best of Kelly’s in their two previous matchups at their former schools, with Florida State besting Notre Dame once in the 2011 Champ’s Sports Bowl, and another time in a 2014 win led by Jameis Winston. Fisher and Kelly will have to wait until the final week of the regular season to face off, when LSU visits College Station on November 26. A game, that depending on how the season goes, could have huge SEC west implications.

Jimbo Fisher reacts to ‘Wild Wild West’ after offseason SEC quarterback transfers

At SEC media day, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher was asked about all of the quarterback movement across the college football landscape recently. Reporter Phillip Marshall mentioned that the Aggies now have LSU‘s starting quarterback from last year (Max Johnson), and that Auburn now has their starting quarterback from last season (Zach Calzada), and asked how crazy this has been for Fisher.

“South Carolina’s got Oklahoma’s starting quarterback, USC’s got Oklahoma’s starting quarterback, wild wild west isn’t it?” Fisher said. “It is crazy, it’s the times we’re in and that’s just the world and did you ever think it would come to that? No, but at the same time I transferred, there’s reasons to transfer I get that, but sometimes I hope these guys will at least try to stick some things out at times but there are reasons and it makes it an interesting show that’s for sure.”

The transfer portal has definitely lended itself to more player movement, specifically at the quarterback position. But for now, Fisher’s focus will be on his own quarterback battle between transfer Max Johnson, Haynes King, and Connor Weigman.