Tag: Jimbo Fisher

‘I am not going anywhere’ Oregon head coach Dan Lanning on A&M opening

While nearly everyone is a candidate as of now, Oregon HC Dan Lanning made it clear that he will not leave Eugene for Texas A&M or anyone else.

After the recent firing of now former Texas A&M Football head coach Jimbo Fisher, Aggies Athletic Director Ross Bjork was candid regarding just how wide the search would be for the future head of the table.

“Right now, everyone is a candidate.”

However, with associate head coach Elijah Robinson taking over in the interim role for the remainder of the 2023 season, the longtime assistant deserves a fair shot to prove himself. Still, as we all know, Bjork is already narrowing his options as we speak, which likely includes Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, who is currently fighting for a CFB Playoff spot while sitting at 9-1.

During his annual Monday press conference, Lanning immediately shut down any potential rumors regarding any interest in the recent head coaching vacancies, including Texas A&M.

“I am not going anywhere,” Lanning stated. “There is zero chance that I will be coaching somewhere else. I’ve got unfinished business here. There’s a lot I want to accomplish here at Oregon. My number one priority is being elite here at Oregon.”

Lanning, who is only 37 years old, has risen up the coaching ranks in the last decade, spending four seasons at Georgia under head coach Kirby Smart and serving as the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator for three seasons. After leaving Athens (AG) to take on the biggest job of his career thus far with the Oregon Ducks, Lanning has compiled a 19-4 record in his first two years.

One of the primary draws to Texas A&M is the vast number of resources the program offers, one of the selling points for Jimbo Fisher after he left Florida State for the position after the 2017 season. For Lanning, Oregon has provided on that front.

“I am taken care of extremely well here at Oregon,” Lanning said. “I have the resources I need here at Oregon to be really, really successful. I am not motivated by that. I am motivated by winning. I am motivated by being elite here.

Lastly, when it comes to brass tax, every employed coach Bjork will consider likely comes with a significant buyout, including his recent six-year, $45 million contract extension earlier this summer that runs through 2028, which has a $20 million buyout attachment to boot.

Nothing is ever set in stone, but honestly, credit to Dan Lanning for sticking to his commitment, especially with the special season the Ducks have had with so much more to accomplish ahead of the final season stretch.

“Our players deserve my complete focus. Our fans deserve the best product on the field. So it is outside noise. It did not matter before. It does not matter now. I will continue to say it to them blue in the face – I want to be here at Oregon. That has not changed. And that won’t change.”

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Elijah Robinson deserves a shot to be Texas A&M Football’s new head coach

After Jimbo Fisher’s dismissal, new Texas A&M interim head coach Elijah Robinson might be the man for the job after all.

On Sunday, Nov. 12, Texas A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork made one of the most significant decisions in his career at the helm, as he and the Board of Regents readily decided to fire head football coach Jimbo Fisher after five full seasons, as three games (including a bowl game) remain in the 2023 campaign.

Almost immediately after the announcement, we were informed that assistant head coach/defensive line coach Elijah Robinson, who has been a member of staff since 2018, and even with coaches such as offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino and defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin possessing head coaching experience, Robinson’s leadership skills coupled with his popularity within the locker room made this choice a no brainer.

On Monday, Robinson, in his first press conference as head coach, spoke of his love for the University while subtly sending a message of comfort to every player on the roster, future recruit, and staff member amid all the sudden chaos Sunday presented.

“I’m not looking to leave Texas A&M, and I would love to be here.”

Sadly, due to our technological age, Fisher’s firing was revealed to the Aggies roster as soon as the news reached social media. At the same time, several players noted their shock, knowing that collegiate careers would suddenly change for better or worse.

Likely feeling a sense of collective confusion during Sunday morning’s team meeting, the announcement that Robinson would tentatively take over as head coach provided a sigh of relief and pure excitement as the veteran assistant aided in recruiting nearly every current player on the roster while emphasizing just how much A&M has to offer outside of the game.

“When these guys decide to come to school here, it wasn’t just about the football. They understand what this place can do for the rest of their life.”

When it all boils down to making a final decision, one thing is clear: Elijah Robinson deserves a shot to be in the running and provide his vision for the future. If you can take anything away from Monday’s presser, it’s Robinson’s work ethic and dedication to a program looking to reinstall a championship mindset.

“The moment the news broke, we hit the ground. Ross (Bjork) has been a great help to me as we transition. The biggest thing for me was how do I get in front of these players, and what do we do to put them in the best situation to be successful?”

In his first game as interim head coach, Robinson will lead Texas A&M against the visiting Abilene Christian Wildcats on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 11:00 a.m., where the game will air on SEC+.

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Dan Lanning addresses rumors swirling about Texas A&M coaching vacancy

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning addressed the rumors that he is a candidate for the Texas A&M Aggies head coaching vacancy.

It’s something that Oregon Duck fans have grown used to over the years, and something that head coach Dan Lanning has certainly grown accustomed to already in his two years in Eugene.

A high-profile head coaching job opened up this weekend with Jimbo Fisher being fired by the Texas A&M Aggies. As you would expect, Dan Lanning is being thrown out as a leading candidate as one of the top young head coaches in the nation.

On Monday night during his press conference, Lanning was asked about those rumors and had this to say:

“I guess the reality here is one, my name and our program would never been a topic of conversation for another school if we didn’t have something here that everybody else wanted. And the reason we have something here that everybody else wants is because of what our players our coaches, the support that exists here in Oregon have created.

I think I’ve been really, really clear here since day one. Everything I want exists right here. I’m not going anywhere. There’s zero chance that I would be coaching somewhere else. I’ve got unfinished business here. There’s a lot that I want to accomplish here at Oregon. My number one priority is being elite here in Oregon, and we have the resources, the tools, anybody that can understand why you would want to be here this place doesn’t understand exactly what exists here, right?

Like what I’ve said before, with a 13 year old, a 12 year old and a 10 year old to be able to raise your family and a community like this, to be able to compete for championships and have the ability to get the resources you need. You know a lot of coaches hang on to these moments and they don’t do anything or don’t say anything, one because they don’t want egg on their face when they decide to do something else. Two, because they’re concerned about things that I’m not concerned about, like getting a better contract. I’m taken care of extremely well here in Oregon. I have the resources I need here at Oregon to be really really successful. I’m not motivated by that. I’m motivated by winning. I’m motivated by being elite here.”

While Lanning has made it clear time and against that he has no desire to coach anywhere but Eugene, these conversations will continue to be had year after year because it’s something that fans enjoy talking about. All Lanning can do is continue to prove with his words and his actions that he is in Eugene for the long haul.

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USC defensive coordinator search: November 13 big board with new analysis, updates

After firings at Texas A&M, Boise State, Penn State, and Mississippi State, there’s a lot for USC to keep track of.

USC’s last regular-season game of 2023 is this Saturday against UCLA. As soon as that game ends in the late afternoon versus the Bruins, Lincoln Riley’s full attention will shift to a very important task, arguably the most central one in his USC career: Replacing Alex Grinch with a new defensive coordinator.

This week, Riley has to figure out how to beat UCLA and salvage something from this failed season. When game week ends, USC won’t be worried about the Las Vegas or Sun Bowls. Riley won’t have a Heisman Trophy ceremony to worry about, either. The transfer portal window opens on December 4. USC, in order to attract the best possible defensive players in the portal, needs a home-run hire at defensive coordinator.

With Texas A&M firing Jimbo Fisher, Boise State firing coach Andy Avalos, Mississippi State firing coach Zach Arnett, the head coaching part of the coaching carousel is already spinning wildly. Penn State also fired offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, as Nittany Lions Wire noted. Jobs are opening up, which means USC has a lot more to consider in the carousel as it searches for its next defensive coordinator.

We will walk you through the various newsworthy developments from the past weekend and update you on the possibilities which need to be studied by Jen Cohen and Lincoln Riley:

Jimbo’s firing opens up transfer window for current players

With the firing of Jimbo Fisher, an immediate 30-day transfer window opens for any players that might want to get a jump start on their next school choice

When the news broke that Jimbo Fisher was being fired a number of questions flooded in from fans. One of the more pressing issues will be managing the roster now that a 30-day transfer portal has now opened for current players.

The official transfer portal does not open until December 4th, however, due to Jimbo Fisher being fired during the season a 30-day transfer period opens up for current Texas A&M players.

While we did see some concerned players across social media it was mainly just comments on being surprised by the move. However, we did see one player take advantage of the brief opening to announce he would be entering the transfer portal.

Freshman wide receiver Raymond Cottrell saw action in three games this season catching one pass for a 13-yard touchdown. We wish Cottrell the best and will keep you updated on any immediate portal entries.

The Jimbo Fisher era is officially over at Texas A&M, and there will be a number of changes of the next few months that will shape the future of the team for the next decade.

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‘I did not feel like we were meeting those standards in excellence and leadership.’ Ross Bjork speaks on the firing of Jimbo Fisher

Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork issues a statement on the move to fire Jimbo Fisher and takes a few questions on Sunday evening.

It was announced on Sunday morning that Texas A&M fired Jimbo Fisher, causing a major shakeup for the team. Many flocked to social media for updates and any news they could find on the topic.

Whether you agree with the move or not, things have stagnated on the field over the past few years, and Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork believed it was time to make a change to get the football program to the next level. Bjork made the points to discuss leadership and possibly the next coach being more in tune with the changes across the NCAA football landscape.

Fisher brought a lot of good things to the Aggie program and always put a tough team on the field on Saturdays. The players never quit and spoke very highly of the Jimbo as their coach.

With Fisher out the door, Bjork will start the coaching search while naming Assistant Head Coach Elijah Robinson as the interim head coach until after the bowl game.

Below is the entire press conference and a few highlighted quotes.

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Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork will address the firing of Jimbo Fisher in a Sunday afternoon Press Conference

Texas A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork will address the firing of Jimbo Fisher during an evening Press Conference

Unless you’ve been under a rock you heard the news about Texas A&M making the move to fire Jimbo Fisher with three games left. Associate head coach Elijah Robinson will be the interim head coach for the new few games.

Earlier today Texas A&M sent out brief announcement confirming that Jimbo Fisher, has indeed, been let go and the University AD Ross Bjork’s statement on the matter. You can see the press release below from the Eagles Travis Brown.

During his tenure, Jimbo Fisher will exit the program with a 45-25 record, four bowl wins, and 1 top 5 finish during the tenure.

You will be able to watch the press conference at 5 p.m. CT on at the Texas A&M YouTube channel for what comes next for the Aggie football team.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Here are five Texas A&M head coach candidates to replace Jimbo Fisher

Here are the five head coach candidates to take over at Texas A&M after Jimbo Fisher was officially let go on Sunday, Nov. 12.

As of Sunday, Nov. 12, Texas A&M has officially fired head coach Jimbo Fisher after six seasons at the helm, finishing with a 45-25 record, including a dismal 27-21 SEC record. As a shock to many, TexAgs’ Billy Liucci announced the move on Sunday morning, just three days after the Board of Regents met last Thursday.

Taking over in the interim role, long-time associate head coach Elijah Robinson will fill said role, and honestly, there couldn’t have been a better short-term option. So, with the news hitting us in the face less than 24 hours after the Aggie’s 51-10 win over Mississippi State, it’s time to look toward the future.

With plenty of coaching options paired with the fact that Texas A&M is willing to pay Fisher’s over $76.8 million buyout to move on, money is no issue during the head coaching search.

While every fan and media member on the planet has their list, the Aggies likely have their man in mind, but nevertheless, I have my realistic options. Here are five Texas A&M head coach candidates to replace Jimbo Fisher.

Jimbo Fisher fired at Texas A&M — coaching carousel is getting wild and could affect USC

The carousel is spinning already.

Aggies Wire is covering the story we’re all interested in on Sunday. Jimbo Fisher has been fired by Texas A&M. The school is eating a buyout of more than $70 million. The big-donor money which paid Jimbo’s salary is also being used to pay the buyout. It will be used to pay the next head coach’s salary as well. It’s a lot of money, and people will have their opinions on that, but it’s the business as we know it, right or wrong.

Why should USC fans be interested in the Jimbo story? For one thing, the transfer portal is going to go crazy with players leaving A&M when the portal window opens on December 4, in just a few weeks. The bigger and more immediate story, though, is that the coaching carousel is spinning. This will affect who goes where. If a USC defensive coordinator candidate instead wants to go to Texas A&M, either as the head coach or as the coordinator for the new head coach, that will affect what Jennifer Cohen and Lincoln Riley are able to do.

Reaction to Jimbo Fisher’s firing was immediate and dramatic on social media. Let’s take a look at the first spins of the head coaching carousel for November and December of 2023:

Social Media Reacts to the firing of Texas A&M head football coach Jimbo Fisher

After six seasons, Texas A&M will part ways with Jimbo Fisher immediately after another season winning less than ten games.

Well, I’m a bit surprised, considering I believed the “power that be” would at least let Jimbo Fisher finish out the season before deciding about his future.

After six seasons leading the Aggies into games, the University officially relieved Jimbo Fisher of his duties and immediately named associate head coach Elijah Robinson as the interim head coach.

During his tenure, Jimbo Fisher will exit the program with a 45-25 record, four bowl wins, and 1 top 5 finish. Jimbo Fisher was a major factor in upgrading facilities and was a master recruiter. However, all of the administration’s success did not translate to the field as his team consistently underperformed, essentially becoming a perennial 8-4 team.

That will not cut it anymore, and Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork announced officially that after speaking with President Welsh and Chancellor Sharpe, his decision to move on from Jimbo Fisher was accepted by both.

This is a move that will make some waves on the team and on the internet. It’s been reported that the team heard the news through social media and went to Twitter to express how they felt about the move. Below, you can see some of the many reactions to the news.