The Associated Press
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Landing Jimbo Fisher, the coach with a nationally-ranked resume, appears to be just what Texas A&M needs to finally become a contender.
But Fisher failed to succeed at Florida State in six years with the Aggies and head coach Ross Bjork fired the coach Sunday despite being owed more than $75 million.
“That’s the hard part of it all,” Bjork said. “How many coaches have won the national championship? Therefore, everyone had high hopes. But it only goes back to the last few years. Do we have the power? Do we have hope? How are things going? And we didn’t see that the methods that were working well were going well. “
Instead of winning the title, Fisher went 45-25 and 27-21 in the Southeastern Conference, never winning more than nine games in any season. The Aggies are 6-4 with two games remaining, coming off a 51-10 win against Mississippi State on Saturday night.
Bjork met with university President Mark Welsh and Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp earlier this week and told them the academic reform was “absolutely necessary.”
“The assessment I gave was that we’re not getting everything done,” Bjork said. “We are not in a competitive position and something was wrong with our approach and our plans.”
Assistant Elijah Robinson has served as the shortstop for the past two games. Assistant director of football operations Mark Robinson was also released on Sunday.
Bjork presented the news to Fisher on Sunday morning at Kyle Field in an AD meeting that he called “quick and kind.”
Fisher was lured away from Florida State, where he won a national championship in 2013, with a massive 10-year contract, fully guaranteed at the end of the 2017 season.
The contract was extended to 10 years after he led the Aggies to a 9-1 record in the 2020 season, marking A&M’s best year under Fisher.
According to his contract, Fisher is owed all of the money left on his contract — regardless of whether he gets another coaching job — a massive buyout that more than triples what is known for a fired head coach.
One year is enough
Mississippi State fired Zach Arnett on Monday after less than one season as head coach, just over a year after he took over the Bulldogs following the tragic death of Mike Leach from a heart attack.
Arnett leaves the university after a 5-6 record, including a 4-6 mark this season with a program that is last in the Southeastern Conference West Division at 1-6.
Senior offensive lineman Greg Knox, who has worked in the SEC for 28 of his 35 coaching years, will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2023 season, the university announced.
Mississippi State has a game remaining against Southern Mississippi and the Mississippi State Championship.
Arnett, 37, was the first of a four-year contract that pays $3 million a year plus incentives. The length of the contract is the maximum permitted under Mississippi state law.
Ready to retire
SAN DIEGO – San Diego State says Brady Hoke will retire at the end of a disappointing season that saw the Aztecs play in front of many empty seats in their new stadium and fall to the bottom of the Mountain West just two years after a 12-game winning streak. .
The school announced that Hoke will retire after coaching the final two games, at San Jose State on Saturday and at home against Fresno State on Nov. 25. The Aztecs are 3-7 overall and tied for last in the Mountain West with New Mexico at 1.-5.
A new boss is coming
The College Football Playoff is about to change, including expanding, its next media rights deal and possibly changing its role as the governing body of college sports.
Everything will be done by breaking the new leader. Lt. Gen. Richard Clark was hired last week to become the CFP’s second director, replacing Bill Hancock. Clark was a former Air Force quarterback and served in the military for 38 years.
Mississippi President Mark Keenum praised Clark for being a leader and ambassador.
The first time
Boise State athletic director Jeremiah Dickey stepped into an unheralded position when he let football coach Andy Avalos go 10 games into his third season.
No Broncos football coach has been fired since the program joined the FBS level of college football in 1996. One thing Dickey will have to decide is to look outside the Boise State family as he searches for a replacement.
Each of the past four coaches was a former Broncos player, former or current assistant or a combo of both.
He’s back
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami quarterback Emory Williams’ severely injured left arm is expected to recover in time for the spring game.
Miami coach Mario Cristobal announced the injury on Monday. Williams injured his arm in the final minutes of Miami’s 27-20 loss to No. 4 Florida State on Saturday.
Tyler Van Dyke, who has been Miami’s starter for the past three years, will be back on Saturday when the Hurricanes play their home game against No. 9 Louisville.