Saban to Fisher: Surely you meant golf
Alabama coach has fun with vow by ex-assistant to beat his old boss
COLLEGE STATION — Jimbo Fisher’s three little words this week about Nick Saban that grabbed the college football world’s attention — “beat his ass” — prompted an amusing twoword response from the seven-time champion coach.
“In golf?” Saban wondered Thursday night when relayed Fisher’s sentiment.
Fisher got the offseason ball rolling Wednesday afternoon at a Touchdown Club of Houston event when he was asked by an attendee late in a nearly hourlong speech, “What’s the key other than Saban retiring to beating Alabama?”
Fisher, drawn offside by the mere mention of a mentor who is 23-0 against his former assistants, quickly responded, “We’re going to beat his ass even when he’s there.”
Alabama, the 2020 national champion, handed 9-1 A&M its only loss of last season. The Aggies have lost eight straight to Alabama, and Fisher is 0-3 against Saban at A&M (and 0-4 overall).
Saban, speaking with a gaggle of reporters at a charity event in Mobile, Ala., was informed Fisher meant football (which of course he already knew), and not playing 18 holes.
“Well, I’m sure there will come a day,” Saban said of eventually losing to one of his former assistants. “(The Aggies) have a really good team, a really good program. They get better and better all the time. There are a lot of challenges in the SEC, and they’re certainly one of the up-and-coming programs.”
Fisher, who won a national championship at Florida State in 2013, was Saban’s offensive coordinator at LSU in the early 2000s — including a titlewinning season in 2003 — and the coaches have stayed close through the years. Fisher, who won the national title in his fourth season at Florida State, is entering his fourth season at A&M.
“(Fisher) has always been a great coach, and he did a great job when he was with us, and he’s had a great career as a head coach,” Saban continued. “It will be a challenge for us, no doubt, when we have to play them.”
Alabama beat A&M 52-24 last season at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Week 2 — then later beat Ohio State by the same score in the national championship game. Saban has won six national titles at Alabama on top of the 2003 championship at LSU with Fisher.
A&M reeled off eight consecutive victories after its loss at Alabama and finished No. 4 in the final Associated Press poll, its highest final ranking since winning the national title in 1939. But a No. 4 finish under Saban at Alabama would be considered a bit of a disappointment these days.
The Aggies host Alabama on Oct. 9, with both teams expected to be undefeated heading into the ballyhooed showdown midway through the season.
Later Wednesday night after his touchdown club appearance, Fisher spoke at the annual Coach’s Night of the Houston A&M Club, and offered with a grin, “I wrote a check today that I’m going to have to cash.”