The Jimbo Fisher era at Texas A&M has reached its boiling point for a large portion of the Aggie fan base, and rightfully so, after the 5-7 (2-6 SEC) 2022 season has left many wondering what the future holds for the Maroon and White going forward.
However, after years of stagnant and borderline selfish coaching decisions, specifically Fisher’s lack of play-calling ingenuity, longtime offensive coordinator Darrell Dickey was relieved of his duty, leading to the hiring of longtime Power 5 head coach Bobby Petrino, who comes with a fair amount of personal baggage, though his offensive acumen outweighs any potential negative repercussions.
Texas A&M’s roster, aside from several depth-related issues, is loaded from top to bottom, as their strengths lie in the trenches on offense and defense, the starting wide receiver group led by returning do-it-all weapon Ainias Smith and future superstar Evan Stewart with undoubtedly provide sophomore quarterback Conner Weigman plenty of explosiveness in the passing game as he enters his first full season as the starting signal caller.
So, a 12-0 finish combined with their first appearance in the College Football Playoff is set in stone. Of course, I’m kidding, but in all seriousness, what record will the Aggies need to finish with next season for Fisher’s future with the program to stay intact? In a question-and-answer segment for the Athletic, Sam Khan Jr. believes that a 9-3 finish in 2023 is essentially the bare minimum for Fisher per this future in College Station.
I would argue that A&M needs to have at least a 9-3 regular season for Fisher to restore some of the faith lost from last year’s debacle. Eight wins would obviously be an improvement from last year’s 5-7 showing, but I suspect an 8-4 record would be met with lukewarm enthusiasm, unless one of those eight comes against Alabama. I don’t think 8-4 endangers Fisher’s job, especially considering the hefty buyout.
Khan and I are in complete agreement regarding the record needed for baseline improvement to be met, and as I’ve stated multiple times since the start of the offseason, 8-4 may keep Fisher employed going into 2024, but unless two of those eight victories come against Alabama, LSU, and both Mississippi programs, Fisher’s popularity with the even fairest of Aggie fans will continue to dwindle.
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 Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=5]