FSU players taking Fisher rumors in stride
TALLAHASSEE — Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher may be in limbo this week about whether he wants to stay at the school or bolt for Texas A&M.
But the Seminole football players are trying their best to deal with the distractions surrounding the team while preparing for the season finale.
FSU will host Louisiana Monroe on Saturday in Doak Campbell Stadium with hopes of improving to .500 this season. More important, the Seminoles can earn bowl eligibility and extend the nation’s leading bowl streak to 36 years with a victory.
Still, the thought of Fisher leaving after his eighth season as head coach and 10th overall looms in what could potentially become a historic week for Florida State’s athletic program.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but Jimbo is my head coach right now, and he’s a great head coach,” said reserve defensive tackle Walvenski Aime. “He’s just trying to keep us motivated and keep us going.”
Fisher on Sunday was offered the Texas A&M coaching job after the Aggies fired Kevin six seasons.
Fisher, the Aggies’ top target, could earn $7.5 million annually if he took the position. He is currently the sixth highest paid coach in the country making $5.7 million this season.
On Monday, Fisher Sumlin after declined to comment when poached by media on the rumors surrounding his offer from Texas A&M before a team meeting to begin FSU’s practice week.
Aime and standout safety Derwin James said Fisher’s message to players was to keep sight on the fact they are one step closer to continuing history with the program’s 41st consecutive winning season in mind instead of the coaching rumors.
“There are rumors about everything in this world, so you can’t let rumors stop what we’re trying to accomplish as a team,” James said. “There are always going to be rumors or different things, and we can’t let that stop us.”
Fisher’s name has become the center of coaching rumors for an SEC team for the third time in as many seasons. He used each of the previous two years of chatter surrounding the open LSU job to receive raises and contract extensions.
Fisher’s current deal, which could play him $57 million lasts through 2024 with a nearly $40 million buyout if fired from FSU. If Fisher is hired away from FSU, his contract buyout would be roughly $7 million.
“He just told us to worry about the game right now,” Aime said. “There’s always been rumors — every year Jimbo has been coaching, there’s been a job offer. He’s just telling us to stay focused on ULM because that’s the main focus in keeping the bowl streak going.”
When the coaching rumors become an annual distraction for the Seminoles players, they try to take them in stride.
FSU standout defensive end Josh Sweat said players on the team frequently discuss the topics among themselves.
“At the end of the day, we have to control what we can and that’s just playing, honestly,” Sweat said. “Everyone speculates on what they think is going to happen and what’s
If Fisher were to take another job, however, players on the team could feel a mix of emotions about losing their longtime coach and being led by a new staff next season.
“I might be fooled, but everyone seems into Florida State. We’ve pretty much bought into this program. That’s how he makes me feel and that’s how I feel about it,” Sweat said. “If he leaves, you’ll have some people that don’t want to be a part of it anymore. They probably think they signed with someone they want to get coached by.
“But if he leaves, best of luck to him. I don’t want to talk about it too much because I don’t know much about it. But you’ll have some people that’ll be unhappy about it, some may leave and some may stay. There’s a lot that comes with it that we really can’t tell.” not going to happen.”