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Jimbo Fisher Needs to Fire Himself as Texas A&M Play Caller

It's time for the Aggies coach to find a true offensive coordinator to modernize the attack.
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Jimbo, make a move.

For your sake.

What’s going on with Texas A&M right now, especially with the football, is on Mr. Fisher.

Yes, Jimbo can recruit with the best of ‘em. The narcissist in Alabama knows as much.

But where Jimbo is coming up short – way short – when compared to Nick Saban was perfectly summed up Saturday in Starkville. And, to be honest, throughout this season.

“We’re not where we want to be,” Fisher said Saturday. “We have to get better.”

The problem is, Jimbo doesn’t change. Doesn’t adapt. Saban does, despite successes that suggest no reason to fix what ain’t broke.

Saban, with national championships already under his belt at Bama, knew it was time to update his offense. Coordinators like Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian put the Tide’s offense on par with any attack in the country.

And when armed with the best players, well, it’s academic what happens.

Jimbo is getting the players. What he’s not getting is the best out of them.

There was a time when Fisher was considered every bit of the offensive mastermind of Kiffin or Sark or Mike Leach, who roamed the opposite sideline Saturday. Remember, Jimbo was Nick’s OC for a natty at LSU.

Fisher also developed the reputation of a quarterback whisperer. A former QB himself, Jimbo tutored the likes of Jameis Winston, Christian Ponder, JaMarcus Russell and even Kellen Mond at A&M.

But those innovative offenses built around NFL-bound signal callers seem so ancient now. The modern game has passed Fisher by. Leach offered up another lesson in the 42-24 drubbing that dropped the disappointing Aggies to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the SEC.

Texas A&M began the season at No. 6. The newest Top 25 rankings will, undoubtedly, be minus the Aggies. The season could be quickly slipping away.

Blame it on the play caller. The Aggies, even with Max Johnson replacing Haynes King, aren’t just ordinary on offense. They’re among the most unproductive teams in the country, whether it’s passing or running or scoring.

Poor blocking, predictable schemes and an offensive philosophy seemingly built around playing close games are just not working.

Maybe it’s personnel breakdowns. Missed assignments and dropped passes don’t help. But waiting on Devon Achane to break a big one isn’t the recipe for sustained success.

The Aggies, we’ve been told, have playmakers all over the field, even with Ainias Smith out. Fisher needs to figure out how to use them.

Better yet, Fisher needs to hire someone who can. There is no shame in updating and evolving. Another fresh set of eyes with even fresher concepts can take A&M to the level that Fisher was hired to deliver.

Despite saying recently that he’d give up play calling if needed, Jimbo doesn’t sound like someone willing to do so.

“The system and plays are there,” he said. “We just have to execute and coach them better. It's the same system a lot of people use.”

Fisher isn’t getting fired. No matter the Twitter chatter. This is about who gets hired. The offseason can’t come soon enough.

Jimbo needs to relinquish control of the offense to regain control of the program’s destiny. Saban did it.

Another reminder is coming Saturday in Tuscaloosa.


You can find Art Garcia on Twitter @ArtGarcia92.

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