We Are Still Questioning Jimbo Fisher In His Sixth Season At Texas A&M, Which Shouldn't Be The Case

Texas A&M continues to force its fans to question whether or not it will ever win the SEC under Jimbo Fisher, which has become an unfortunate theme. How many more excuses will we hear before something is done in College Station?

This is the type of question that weighs on the mind of Aggie fans. Coming off the loss to Miami, we're now left to wonder whether or not Jimbo Fisher can get to the finish line, which is the College Football Playoff.

If Jimbo Fisher did not have a massive buyout, would he still be the coach at Texas A&M? The answer is probably mixed between who you ask. But the sentiment around the football program centers around the talent not translating to wins. Coming off a 5-7 season, 2023 was supposed to be the year Fisher finally proves his worth.

But excuses continue to pile up for a team that is way too talented to lose in Miami. It's the same team that shouldn't have lost to App State last season, setting off fans who are desperate for a title. We all know that facilities aren't the problem, neither is the recruiting. But there's still that feeling of not knowing what will happen when Texas A&M takes the field, and that's the problem.

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher shakes hands with Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban. (Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports)

While Texas prepares for its SEC arrival in 2024, the Longhorns finally look to be putting it together after multiple swings. For an Aggies program that prides itself on not being the little brother to the Longhorns, it's time to see the results.

Since signing an extension that paid Jimbo Fisher almost $95 million over 10 years, the Aggies are 14-12, which doesn't cut it for a guy being paid that much money.

Will The $75 Million Buyout Cause Texas A&M To Punt

The dark cloud hanging over the Texas A&M football program is the buyout for Jimbo Fisher, all $75 million of it. If Jimmy Sexton weren't the agent for Fisher, this situation might have already been handled, knowing how boosters and Regents in College Station feel. Jimbo Fisher can only hang his cowboy hat on the Covid season for so long, we're past that point of recognition.

“At the end of the season, if A&M is looking at a mediocre record, that $75 million will not be a factor,” Paul Finebaum recently said. “Presidents don’t make those decisions in places like Texas A&M. It’s the guys with the cowboy hats.

“I don’t think will be able to survive if they don’t reach a certain mark and it’s a little bit hard to tell on September 10 what that number is, but if they are losing games like this on a consistent basis, then he has no future.”

Will 9-3 or 8-4 do the trick, after Fisher brought in Bobby Petrino to lead the offense and help quarterback Connor Weigman? These are the types of scenarios that are playing out in the head of the oil executives who can write the check. It's one thing to lose in Miami, but it's another thing to look inept on defense.

At some point, we need to see Texas A&M playing for an SEC Championship in Atlanta. Can they achieve this goal under Jimbo Fisher? He's had five seasons to make an appearance, with this year already inviting the question.

Jimbo Fisher Is A Good Coach, But Texas Is Coming

Who knows what will happen in the SEC for the remainder of 2023, but Texas A&M needs to make some noise. Upcoming games against Auburn and Arkansas will present that opportunity, but I'm not convinced the Aggies can win both of those games. That's the problem, I don't have enough confidence in Texas A&M right now to think they can defeat Hugh Freeze and his Auburn Tigers, in his first year on the Plains.

The Aggies can beat Auburn, but it's not a layup. For all the fantastic recruiting that Jimbo Fisher has put together, we're waiting to see that translate to the football field.

For a team that caught the eye of college football when it first arrived in the SEC, thanks to Johnny Manziel and that group of talented players around him, there hasn't been consistent play in College Station. Sure, beating Nick Saban at home was nice, but then you don't follow up the momentum into the next season.

Point is, these weird losses and awkward final scores are getting old for Texas A&M fans, with season ticket holders starting to get tired of the excuses. If Jimbo Fisher isn't the right guy to lead the Aggies in 2024, then just write him the check and try again.

Texas A&M was shooting for the stars when it hired Fisher away from Florida State years ago, and the football program is still waiting on a championship banner for Kyle Field.

Will Jimbo Fisher be the coach in College Station for the 2024 season if Texas A&M finishes 8-4? I guess that's the 76.8 million dollar question.