'My Fault': Jimbo Fisher Fails Texas A&M in Bad Upset Loss

Texas A&M's coach ultimately is to blame for a unforgivable loss to Appalachian State.

Jimbo Fisher doesn’t have any excuse for this one.

Not that it matters. Unless Texas A&M goes into a tailspin of uninspiring losses and de-commitments, the fifth-year Aggies coach will wake up Sunday in the exact same position he started Saturday.

Not that it makes things any easier to swallow.

“We did not execute and play at the level we needed to, and that's my fault,” Fisher said after Saturday's awful 17-14 loss to Appalachian State.

The Aggies were an embarrassment in the season debut against a real football program. (Sam Houston the previous week doesn’t count.) Yes, Appalachian State has taken down Goliath before – we were reminded ad nauseum throughout the ESPN2 broadcast – and should’ve beaten North Carolina last week.

But it’s still App State. This Aggies group was supposed to be the sixth-best team in the country, one that should be competing with Alabama for SEC West supremacy. Instead, another Lone Star State team that put a scare into the Crimson Tide earlier in the day.

The game coach Nick Saban circled in Tuscaloosa suddenly doesn’t seem as BIG. Not that ‘Bama won’t be out for revenge come Oct. 8 against Jimbo and Co.

Nope, the Aggies played the last tune-up before a daunting stretch uninspired and were beat up physically. App State held the ball for more than 41 minutes. Running back Camerun Peoples, a 225-pound bowling ball, punished the Aggies defensive front for first down after first down.

As much as the beatdown taken by A&M defenders deflated the sun-splashed Kyle Field faithful, it was the quarterback play that most drew the ire of Aggies everywhere. And that falls just as much on ole Jimbo as is does on Haynes King.

If King isn’t the guy, and he sure didn’t look it Saturday, Fisher is to blame. King is the NFL talent, Jimbo told us, that the Aggies would build around. Never mind Max Johnson’s experience and Conner Weigman’s potential.

King missed open receivers. He threw behind others, costing critical yards after the catch. He made poor RPO reads.

He didn’t lead.

Fisher is the program’s ultimate leader. He’s bringing in top-shelf talent by the bushel that should compete at the top of the SEC, which equates to the top of college football. He’s got a contract and guaranteed money that seemingly assures a long run in College Station.

And with games against ranked foes Miami and Arkansas coming up, the Aggies could right the ship quickly and calm the masses.

Winning the SEC seemed a long shot this year, even with that preseason No. 6 ranking. Losing to App State seemed even more unlikely.

But that’s were the Aggies are. Salvaging the season starts back at Kyle Field next week against the Hurricanes. Maybe without King behind center.

"At the end of the day, that's my fault as the head football coach," Fisher rightly said.

This is all on Jimbo. He knows it. All Aggies know it.

Can Jimbo fix it?

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