As he did a month ago, Texas A&M coach Jim Fisher is denying interest in jumping ship for LSU.
Just as it did back in October after LSU announced the pending dismissal of coach Ed Orgeron, Fisher’s public show of loyalty to A&M and its administration and fans haven’t exactly resonated, he acknowledged.
“I’ve told everybody I’m staying here,” Fisher said at his Monday press conference. “I’ve told everybody I plan on being the coach at A&M. Everybody thinks all coaches lie, I know. I know y’all don’t believe us.”
So Fisher used coaching logic, pointing to recruiting, and doubled down on his denials about LSU. A&M is poised to have maybe the top recruiting class in the country.
“We’re going to recruit an unbelievable class this year,” Fisher said. “So that means I’m the dumbest human being on God’s earth, OK? Who’s going to recruit all these guys so I can go across over here and go play against them. If I did that, you ought to say, ‘that’s the dumbest human being, I don’t want him to be my coach.’”
Even with the loss to Mississippi, A&M (7-3) is poised for a nice bowl invite this season and has built a ton of momentum.
A&M athletic director Ross Bjork added his own thoughts on Twitter after retweeting a clip from the press conference.
“Should I @ tag all the football experts on this message or let them find it for themselves,” Bjork asked, adding a couple emojis for good measure. “Building something special. We ain’t done yet.”
Before moving onto the next question, Fisher added a postscript on the LSU topic, for good measure.
“But I want to be at A&M,” Fisher said. “I plan on being at A&M. And I ain’t going and, no, I don’t want to be anywhere else. I love being right here. Is that clear enough?”
Maybe not.
For all the confidence, expect the rumors to swirl as long as there isn’t a clear-cut No. 1 candidate in Baton Rouge. Fisher’s lengthy and strong relationship with LSU AD Scott Woodward and Woodward’s history of big hires will keep things percolating.
If A&M goes to LSU on Nov. 27 for the regular season finale with no successor in sight, expect more than a little drama.
