NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- They say that pressure is a privilege. If that's the case, then no one in college football is more privileged than Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher. Currently working with a 10-year, $95 million contract, Fisher is coming off of a 5-7 season, doesn't have a 10-win campaign under his belt in College Station, Texas, and aside from the COVID-shortened 2020 season has only finished above .500 in SEC play once since taking over the program in 2018.
Simply put, that won't cut it. The massive check Texas A&M committed to Fisher after the 9-1 season in 2020 demands a national championship. Nothing less. Remember, this is the man who received a blank plaque celebrating a soon-to-be national championship during his introductory press conference.
The Aggies have finished in the bottom half of the SEC in scoring offense in three of the last four seasons, and only averaged 22.8 points per game last season. That was next-to-last in the league. As a fix, he went out and hired former Arkansas and Louisville coach Bobby Petrino to kick-start the offense. Petrino, of course, was unceremoniously dismissed by the Razorbacks in April 2012 after personal issues came to light in the wake of a motorcycle accident.
So, who will call the plays during this pivotal campaign for Fisher and the Aggies? The relationship between the two coaches who have long served as primary playcallers for their teams was a hot topic at SEC Media Days on Monday.
"I'm not going to get into that," Fisher said. "Bobby was hired for a reason. Tremendous guy. Tremendous football mind. Hopefully he'll call the game and have suggestions."
That response is par for the course for Fisher as he's offered similar answers to that question all offseason. However, the idea of Fisher giving Petrino full control of his offense -- something that Fisher has taken pride in for decades -- might seem a bit far-fetched. When pressed further on the subject, Fisher was extremely noncommittal.
"I'm not going to get into what we're doing from a schematic viewpoint," he said.
The strong personalities merging seems to be working, however, at least according to the players. Star wide receiver Ainias Smith, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, likes the way the two have remained in control within the pressure-cooker that is College Station.
"With [Petrino's] experience and coach Fisher's experience and their knowledge ... they're poised. They are very poised people," Smith said. "When it comes to winning a game, I know coach Petrino is going to do what he needs to. I know coach Fisher is going to do what he needs to. Honestly, I feel like the numbers are clicking. I'm very excited to see what's going to happen."
Fisher's buyout is roughly $75 million after this season. So if you believe his firing is possible after this season, it's likely not on the table. If the Petrino experiment fails, however, the tenor at Texas A&M will likely be one of confusion and frustration with a tinge of anger. What else would Fisher be able to do? The Texas A&M powers-that-be getting a return on their investment would be about as likely as 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel getting two extra years of eligibility.
But if the Aggies turn things around and the marriage has staying power, the football version of "The Odd Couple" will prove to be a magical move fitting of a Hollywood script.
