Jimbo Fisher discusses relationship with Nick Saban during LSU days
If you’ve been living under a rock for the last week or so, you may have missed the ongoing feud between Alabama coach Nick Saban and Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher.
The two have traded barbs since Saban accused Fisher of buying players, to which the latter responded with some insults directed at the coach he used to work for, calling him a “narcissist” and seemingly inviting reporters to look into the way the Crimson Tide program operates.
The beef has been a major talking point at the SEC spring meetings in Destin, Florida, this week. But for their part, the two coaches have remained largely silent on the issue and have backtracked from their comments. Saban clarified that he shouldn’t have mentioned specific institutions, while Fisher said the beef is behind them.
The pair has had a working relationship for decades, as the West Virginia natives worked together at LSU from 2000-04 with Saban as the head coach and Fisher as his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The latter would stay in Baton Rouge for two more seasons under Les Miles after Saban departed for the NFL.
Fisher elaborated on his relationship with Saban when they worked together, and he said the recent bickering is best compared to two brothers having a spat.
“We were good,” said Fisher, according to On3’s Jesse Simonton. “I was on offense. We had a great relationship. We had a lot of success, did well, and not many issues at all. He had normal staff issues and what you’re going to hear, but nothing – we had a great relationship.
“You ever argue with your brother? Do you love your brother? Do you support your brother? That’s the way coaches are. You can’t get to where you’re trying to go on a staff if everybody’s ‘yes’ people and everybody says the same thing. You don’t ever get nowhere. So you can’t get better, that’s part of our nature and our competitive nature.”
It seems the beef has been squashed for now, but it will certainly be interesting to see what happens leading up to the matchup between the two teams on Oct. 8 when Alabama will look to avenge its lone regular-season loss last year.
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