Texas A&M got the SEC coaching carousel started on Sunday morning. The Aggies relieved head coach Jimbo Fisher of his duties after six seasons as head coach, TexAgs’ Billy Luici first reported.
“After very careful analysis of all the components related to Texas A&M football, I recommended to President [Mark] Welsh and then Chancellor [John] Sharp that a change in the leadership of the program was necessary in order for Aggie football to reach our full potential and they accepted my decision,” Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork said in a statement. “We appreciate Coach Fisher’s time here at Texas A&M and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Fisher left his perch atop Florida State’s football program to secede Kevin Sumlin as the Aggies’ head coach ahead of the 2018 season. The Aggies went 26-10 in Fisher’s first three seasons including a 9-1 campaign in the COVID-19 impacted 2020 season.
But despite a victory over Alabama the next season, Texas A&M couldn’t sustain its success and went 19-15 in the last two and a half years before getting fired.
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The Aggies are now on the hook for a record $76.8 million buyout for the former National Championship winning coach at Florida State.
Texas A&M currently holds a 6-4 (4-3 SEC) record and relieved Fisher of his duties just a day after the Aggies’ handedly defeat Mississippi State 51-10.
Fisher faced Tennessee twice in his Texas A&M, earning a 34-13 at Neyland Stadium in 2020 before falling to the Vols 20-13 in Knoxville earlier this season.
Texas A&M is the first school in the SEC to fire its head coach this season but they may not be the last. Arkansas coach Sam Pittman is firmly on the hot seat after a disappointing few seasons. South Carolina and Mississippi State are both having disappointing seasons but a coaching change doesn’t seem particularly likely at either school.
