Like it is

Optimistic Fisher carries big pay, reputation

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher speaks during NCAA college football Southeastern Conference media days at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Monday, July 16, 2018. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ATLANTA -- Jimbo Fisher has some big shoes to fill, at least when it comes to playing SEC opponent Arkansas.

In the six seasons since Texas A&M moved up to the SEC, the Aggies have not lost to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Maybe that was Kevin Sumlin, or maybe not since the Razorbacks found a way to lose three times in overtime.

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Sumlin was fired by the Aggies after last season. Fisher resigned with one game left at Florida State, where he was 83-23 overall and 48-17 in ACC play. He and the Seminoles went undefeated and won the national championship in 2013.

Since then, his name has been associated with every major college opening in the country. When he resigned, it wasn't a matter of whether he was going to coach but where.

He won the lottery at A&M, which guaranteed him $75 million for 10 years.

That probably played a role in his smiling presentation as he opened the SEC football media days here Monday with a lot of feel-good talk that revealed almost nothing.

He said he was optimistic and wanted to win another national championship now, but you can't put a timetable on it.

Fisher made a very short opening statement, subjecting himself openly to 27 minutes of questions from the hundreds of print media in attendance. He was relaxed and at ease.

Fisher appears to have moved on from a messy divorce from his wife that was getting really ugly three years ago until Fisher's attorney filed to depose a witness -- Candi Fisher's personal trainer.

Within a short time, the divorce was finalized. Fisher kept the marital home and had joint custody of their son, Ethan, which was probably the main reason Fisher didn't start over sooner.

Ethan has Fanconi anemia, a rare genetic disorder that causes bone marrow failure. The condition makes him more susceptible to various forms of cancer, and Tallahassee has a first-class children's hospital.

A year after the divorce, Fisher admitted he thought about stepping down at Florida State and staying home with Ethan. At the time, Ethan was having to make multiple trips to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, but his treatment has helped. He's even appeared as a guest picker on ESPN's College GameDay.

Having a jet at your disposal 24-7 to visit your son is not a problem at Texas A&M, which is by far the wealthiest school in the SEC, ranking seventh among all U.S. colleges and universities in America. The second-richest member of the SEC is Vanderbilt at 26th.

All things considered, Fisher had a decent first recruiting class and currently ranks second in the nation for the 2019 recruiting class.

The truth is A&M should be one of the most successful programs in the country when you consider its wealth, facilities, academics and location, which is the most fertile recruiting state in the country.

Fisher has 15 starters returning, including four on the offensive line, but he's made his reputation grooming quarterbacks. Although he has Kellen Mond and Nick Starkel back, neither have distinguished themselves yet.

Plus the Aggies lost receiver Christian Kirk, whom the Razorbacks didn't have an answer for in their past three meetings. Kirk had a total of 16 catches for 308 yards and 5 touchdowns, including a 100-yard kickoff return last season, against Arkansas.

Still, Fisher has eight starters back on defense and appears to be embracing the changes in his life and a fresh start. But on Monday, he didn't reveal why he's optimistic.

Sports on 07/17/2018