Fisher isn’t missing scramble for recruits
COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher knows what peers such as the University of Houston’s Dana Holgorsen and other newcomers to their jobs are dealing with right now: Spending their energy on a two-month recruiting offensive instead of, say, finetuning a two-minute offense.
A year ago Fisher was one of the guinea pigs of the early signing period, in an unprecedented scramble to lock down a solid recruiting class mostly comprised of prospects drawn to A&M by a different coaching staff.
“Last year I was saying, ‘Don’t sign with anybody, let me (still) come see you,’ ” Fisher said. “This year we were saying, ‘Sign, sign, sign.’ ”
That’s because Fisher, who has pieced together one of the nation’s top recruiting classes, is settled into his new job. But he’s still empathetic to what the newbies are going through elsewhere, including 100 miles away in Houston.
“I like this a lot better than last year,” said Fisher, who led the Aggies to their first nine-win season (9-4) since 2013. “I only had had two weeks before (signing day) last year. That’s tough on a new coach — I’m not going to lie about that.”
The Aggies entering Fisher’s second season took full advantage of the second year of the early signing period just before Christmas, inking 23 recruits. The adjective “early” already is outdated with the new setup — what took place Dec. 19-21 is truly the new signing period.
What has become the late signing period — and what was recently the primary signing period — begins Wednesday, when the Aggies are expected to sign at most three more players.
“Whether that happens remains to be seen,” Brian Perroni, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports.com, said of Fisher using his full allotment this week. “One of the current (verbal) pledges, defensive end Braedon Mowry (of Katy Taylor), likely will sign. The Aggies also are after a Texas pledge, offensive tackle Javonne Shepherd.”
A&M also surprisingly is in the running for an Alabama pledge, cornerback Christian Williams. Perroni said he likely will wind up signing with LSU or the Aggies despite his commitment to the Crimson Tide.
“Finally, a linebacker out of Tennessee, Christopher Russell, is a big target for A&M, and he’s down to either Arkansas or the Aggies,” Perroni said.
With the departures of dependable starters Otaro Alaka and Tyrel Dodson and a lack of returning depth, linebacker is the Aggies’ biggest position of need entering a season in which they play the top three teams — Clemson, Alabama and Georgia — in ESPN’s offseason top 25. The Aggies are ninth in the just-for-kicks poll.
A&M has signed linebackers R.J. Orebo of Dayton, Andre White, Tarian Lee and Ke’Shun Brown, and the Aggies are crossing their fingers that veterans Anthony Hines and Ikenna Okeke return in top form from injury. Junior Buddy Johnson is expected to hold down one of the starting slots entering the season.
The Aggies already have eight early enrollees on campus — including fivestar defensive end DeMarvin Leal from Converse Judson and quarterback Zach Calzada of Buford, Ga. — with the rest scheduled to arrive in June after high school graduation.
The well-rounded class so far consists of four linebackers, four defensive backs, four receivers, three offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, two tight ends, a quarterback, a running back and a kicker.
A&M is fourth nationally in 247Sports’ latest rankings, behind Alabama, Georgia and Texas and ahead of Oklahoma, Michigan, LSU, Oregon, Clemson and Penn State.
Fisher said he’s always been in favor of an early signing period, but that it shouldn’t be in winter.
“It’s good for football to have an early signing period,” he said. “(But) I personally would like to see it at the end of the summer. It’s best in the summer because of the wear and tear it takes on coaches and assistant coaches during the season.
“Bowl preparation and recruiting makes it one of the hardest times (in coaching), because you’re trying to put a game plan together, practice all day, recruit at night … and do it all over again. You do that two, three weeks, it will drain you.”