The college football offseason has been nothing short of compelling, with 24 FBS programs having changed coaches. Ahead of the 2023 campaign, there’s no better time to take a pulse of the additional turnover that could be on the horizon.
CBS Sports put together their latest Hot Seat Rankings to predict job security. The following tiers compile the rankings:
- (5) – Win or be fired
- (4) – Start improving now
- (3) – Pressure is mounting
- (2) – All good … for now
- (1) – Safe and secure
- (0) – Untouchable
And within those parameters, Jimbo Fisher landed in the No. 4 tier, “Start improving now,” with a record of 39-21 over five seasons in College Station. So the seat is hot, by all means, but it’s not as if Fisher should be updating his resume or LinkedIn profile as we speak.
The increasing pressure on Fisher is arguably an effect of struggling over the last few seasons compared to what was a solid start to his tenure in Aggieland. From 2018 to 2020, Fisher accumulated a 26-10 record with three straight bowl wins in the Gator Bowl, Texas Bowl, and the Orange Bowl.
That latter bowl capped off a notable “what if?” season for the Aggies, as they went 9-1 in the 2020 pandemic-shortened season and finished fourth overall in the final Associated Press (AP) poll. Fisher led Texas A&M to an 8-4 season the year after, but it’s undoubtedly the struggles of the 2022 season that have ramped up the pressure on the Aggies coach.
Despite compiling the best recruiting class ever during the 2022 cycle, the Aggies could not translate the talent to wins on the field, as they finished 5-7 (2-6) SEC and missed out on a bowl appearance for the second straight season. Ultimately, those struggles highlighted the truth: all the work Fisher has done to elevate Texas A&M’s brand, particularly on the recruiting trail, has to translate into contending against the blue-chip programs of the country.
Bowl games are a nice sentiment, but for the talent that is found in Aggieland, this team should be competing for a College Football Playoff appearance, and in reality, a National Championship, for that matter. At the very least, that needs to be the mindset for this team and their leader heading into the 2023 campaign.
There are encouraging signs for Texas A&M and Fisher to put together a confident bounce-back season this fall. The Aggies coach is still among the few to hold a winning record versus top-25 teams, including a 3-2 mark last year. Bryce Anderson, who has developed into a vocal leader on defense, has echoed the belief that this team’s mindset is different from a season ago.
There is no shortage of doubters for the Aggies, but all it takes is one emphatic season to quiet the noise. Fisher knows this and should be prepared for the task ahead of him.
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