SEC Analyst Says Aggies' Jimbo Fisher Wouldn't Be Head Coach if Not for One Player
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College football's most epic one-sided rivalry treads on.
College football expert and SEC analyst Paul Finebaum was likely giddy with joy after the Texas A&M Aggies and coach Jimbo Fisher were blown out 42-24 on the road at the hands of the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday.
Despite an impressive win over previously-ranked No. 10 Arkansas on Sept. 24, the Aggies now sit at 3-2 as a matchup with No. 1 Alabama looms.
It's not crazy to think that Fisher's job security could hang in the balance if the Aggies slip during the middle stretch of the season. But ask Finebaum, and he'll tell you that Fisher should never have been in this position anyway if not for the Heisman-winning heroics of former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, who, as a freshman, spearheaded Fisher and the Seminoles to a win in the 2013 BCS National Championship over the Auburn Tigers.
“Somebody texted me yesterday during that game one of those riddles, ‘What’s the difference between Jimbo Fisher and Gus Malzahn?’ And the answer is Jameis Winston,” Finebaum said on ESPN. “You take Jameis Winston out of this guy’s arsenal and he may not be a head coach right now. That’s how important Jameis Winston was."
Winston led a dynamic Florida State offense to a 14-0 record alongside future NFL players like receiver Kelvin Benjamin, running back Devonta Freeman, and cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Florida State's thrilling 34-31 win - a victory that saw the Seminoles trail 21-3 at one point - catapulted Fisher into the top tier of coaching ranks and is essentially what helped him land the head job at A&M in 2018.
Fisher's 37-16 record through 5 1/2 seasons with A&M isn't exactly horrible, but it fails to reach the standard that brought him to College Station.
Finebaum is sarcastically looking for any positives with the Aggies right now ahead of Saturday's 7 p.m. kickoff in Tuscaloosa.
"The good news for A&M, if there is any good news after this weekend, and I’ll come back to that, is that the schedule gets very easy and manageable, but so what?" Finebaum said.
A&M will visit the South Carolina Gamecocks on Oct. 22 before hosting the Ole Miss Rebels on Oct. 29, who are currently the No. 9 team in the country.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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