Jimbo Fisher

John James "Jimbo" Fisher Jr. (born October 9, 1965) is an American college football coach who most recently served as the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies from 2018 until 2023.

Fisher initially attended Clemson University to play baseball before going to Salem College (now Salem University) in Salem, West Virginia where he played quarterback under head coach Terry Bowden from 1985 to 1986.

When Bowden left for Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, Fisher transferred with him to play his final season for the Bulldogs where he was named Division III National Player of the Year.

Fisher still holds multiple school records at Samford.

As a senior at Samford University, Fisher was the 1987 NCAA Division III National Player of the Year.

Fisher played a season in the Arena Football League in 1988 for the Chicago Bruisers.

His coaching career began when he rejoined his former coach Terry Bowden at Samford as a graduate assistant coach working with quarterbacks from 1988–1990.

He was subsequently hired as the full-time offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

After two seasons, Fisher moved with Bowden to Auburn University where he coached quarterbacks.

At Auburn, Fisher coached several successful quarterbacks including Patrick Nix.

He continued at Auburn until Tommy Tuberville took over as head coach following Terry Bowden's 1998 mid-season resignation.

They also swept in-state rivals Miami and Florida for the first time since 1999, and defeated South Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Fisher coached quarterbacks and was the offensive coordinator for one season at Cincinnati before joining Nick Saban's staff at LSU in 2000.

When Saban left for the NFL's Miami Dolphins, Fisher remained at LSU to continue his role with Les Miles.

In his first season, Fisher led the Seminoles to their first 10-win season since 2003, and only their second of the new millennium.

Fisher interviewed for the head coaching position at the University of Alabama at Birmingham after the 2006 season but the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees vetoed the contract offer, sparking controversy since the same board oversees the flagship campus in Tuscaloosa.

He turned down an invitation from Nick Saban to join the coaching staff at the University of Alabama to become offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Florida State University, where he replaced Jeff Bowden, son of then-Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden.

His contract guaranteed a salary of $215,000 with incentives increasing the total package into the $400,000's. After his first season as offensive coordinator at Florida State, Fisher was named "head coach in waiting", making him the eventual successor for Bobby Bowden.

The new contract paid Fisher around $600,000 per year with a $2.5 million buyout clause.

On December 1, 2009, Bowden announced that he would retire from coaching after the Seminoles' Gator Bowl matchup on New Year's Day 2010 against West Virginia.

Fisher began selecting his staff and recruiting players while preparing the team for its bowl game for the last time as a Bowden assistant.

The Seminoles sent Bowden out with a 33–21 victory on January 1.

Fisher held his first staff meeting the following afternoon.

On January 5, he became the ninth head football coach in Florida State history.

Jimbo Fisher's official introduction as head coach took place at a Florida State University press conference on January 7, 2010.

"Empowered, confident athletes are winners," he said.

"My goal is to get the structure, the staff and the support resources in place to facilitate a winning plan and get players into the structure and start effecting change. Now."

Fisher then announced his 2010 coaching staff.

The university promised to pay $5 million to Fisher if he was not made head coach by January 2011.

He followed that up with a 9–4 season in 2011, which included another sweep of Miami and Florida and a win over Notre Dame in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Fisher and the Seminoles experienced further success in 2012.

The Seminoles won their first conference title in seven years.

The program appeared in a major bowl for the first time in seven years, defeating Northern Illinois in the Orange Bowl.

Although it was not apparent at the time, Fisher's tenure at Florida State plateaued with the 2013 national championship season.

A year later, the Seminoles stormed through the regular season undefeated for the second year in a row.

However, they suffered a humiliating 59–20 loss to Oregon in the Rose Bowl, the most points Florida State had ever surrendered in a bowl game.

The next two years the team had identical 10–3 records with a combined 11–5 record in ACC play.

Prior to that, he led the Florida State Seminoles to a BCS National Championship victory in 2014.

Born in Clarksburg, West Virginia, Fisher attended Liberty High School.

One year later, the Seminoles, led by quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, rolled through the season undefeated and defeated Auburn in the 2014 BCS National Championship Game to win the school's third national championship and first since 1999.