Jimbo Fisher yet again cryptic regarding Bobby Petrino’s role in play calling? Who cares
Texas A&M Head Coach Jimbo Fisher was the second coach to speak on the opening Monday of the 2023 SEC Media Days in Nashville, Tennessee, following LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly. Fisher, who’s as loquacious and fast-talking as they come, opened the Q&A with a heartfelt remembrance and recognition for former Texas A&M defensive ends coach Terry Price, who tragically passed away at 55 on Friday, June 23.
“I want to speak about a loss in our program. A coach named Terry Price… We lost a great Aggie, but more importantly, we lost a great person. One of the best human beings I have ever been around.”
Quickly reminding us of the man he is behind the headset, Fisher’s strategic decision to avoid revealing anything outside of the everyday progress the team has made this offseason was revealed when asked about new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino’s role in offensive play-calling this season. Without hesitation, Jimbo Fisher stayed the course and provided an answer that immediately resulted in sports media chaos.
“You are still involved in what goes. I’m not trying to avoid anything. Bobby (Petrino) was hired for a reason. He is a tremendous mind. Hopefully, he will call the game. Every coach is always involved.”
This answer may be ambiguous at face value. Still, tracking Fisher’s previous answers regarding Petrino’s play-calling takeover in 2023, this lacks the shock value many in the media have claimed it contains. Instead of attempting to “spin” Fisher’s words, specifically his odd “hopefully” comment, let me provide my opinion based on my experience covering the program during the Aggies 5-7 (2-6 SEC) 2022 season.
Since arriving at Texas A&M, Jimbo Fisher’s once elite offensive acumen has slowly dwindled due to talent deficiency at the quarterback position and Fisher’s complex playbook lacking the pre-snap simplicity needed for younger players to digest.
Culminating into the worst season in Fisher’s tenure with the program, changes were swiftly conducted as soon as the offseason began, starting with the dismissal of longtime-time OC Darrell Dickey, which made way for Bobby Petrino to, yes, take over the Aggies offense, which ranked 93rd in the country with only 360 total yards per game in 2022.
Petrino’s prolific offenses averaged at least 400 yards in 16-of-20 seasons and 30 points per game in 15 seasons, while his teams have eclipsed the 500-yard and 40-point thresholds five and three times; quite the selling point for an Aggies roster that is filled with blue-chip talent, just waiting to explode on the scene.
Here’s the bottom line, patience within the Aggie fan base has grown thin with Jimbo Fisher at the helm, and while a straightforward answer such as “Bobby Petrino will call every play during the 2023 season” may please some, the writing is on the wall, and if things go sideways in a similar fashion to last season’s debacle, prepare for Jimbo Fisher “hot seat” discussions to rev up for 2024. Want more evidence that a change is coming? Here’s senior wide receiver Ainias Smith’s take on Petrino’s offensive footprint with the Maroon and White:
“Coach Petrino has come in and sparked some energy and sparked the light in us. He has opened up the playbook a little bit more. I’m not going to talk much about scheme or anything, but it’s very exciting to say the least.”
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