Fisher Downplays Feud with Saban: 'I have great respect for Nick’

The Texas A&M head coach spent the first portion of his Q&A session at media days answering questions about his former boss.

Jimbo Fisher is backing down from his previous statements about Nick Saban. After referring to Saban as “despicable” during a spat over NIL in May, Fisher called his relationship with the Alabama head coach “great” during his appearance at SEC Media Days in Atlanta on Thursday.

“I have great respect for Nick,” Fisher said. “Unfortunately, our thing went public and sometimes that happens in this world. Nothing’s private anymore is it? But I have great respect from Nick. And we all learned from it. I have great respect for him and the program like always.”

Fisher played a huge role in making the dispute public, holding a 15-minute press conference in which he slated Saban after the Alabama head coach accused Texas A&M of “buying” players through NIL deals in May.

"It's despicable that a reputable head coach can come out and say this when he doesn't get his way or things don't go his way," Fisher said of Saban at the time. "The narcissistic in him doesn't allow those things to happen. It's ridiculous when he's not on top."

During his May press conference, Fisher went on to insinuate that Saban has previously broken rules in the past. He even challenged the media to look into the Alabama coach's career and ask his former assistants about the matter.

“Some people think they’re God,” Fisher said. “Go dig into how God did his deal. You may find out about a guy that a lot of things you don’t want to know. We’ve built him up to be the czar of football? Go dig into his past or anybody that’s ever coached with him. You can find out anything you want to find out, what he does and how he does it and it’s despicable."

Fisher coached under Saban at LSU, serving as his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2000 to 2004. After stating his relationship with his former boss was “done” in May, the Texas A&M head coach changed his tune Thursday.

The first three questions Fisher was asked in the main media room at Thursday's SEC Media Days were all related to Saban. 

“Listen, we’re great,” Fisher said. “Two competitive guys that go at it. Listen, we all learn from things we do in our business. Two competitive guys on a topic that is very ‘everywhere,’ as they say. There’s no rules in this thing and where it goes. Each state has a different law and everything.”

During his appearance at SEC Media Days earlier this week, Saban downplayed his previous conflict with Fisher, stating that he has “no issues or problems” with the Texas A&M head coach.

“He’s done a great job at A&M. He did a great job for us [at LSU],” Saban said. “I always take criticisms or whatever in a positive way and self-assess with me personally. Maybe there is something that I can do better. So any comments that anyone makes about me or any other coaches, I always take it into consideration.”

Alabama will host Texas A&M on Oct. 8. The Aggies upset the Crimson Tide, 41-38, in College Station, Texas last season as Fisher became the first former Saban assistant to beat the head coach during his time at Alabama.