LSU Made Late Push To Hire Jimbo Fisher Away From Texas A&M

LSU was this close to hiring Jimbo Fisher on a megadeal.

Money talks. So does Scott Woodward when trying to make deals. 

Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher left Tallahassee following an eight-year run as Florida State's head coach. Woodward, who served as the A&M athletic director at the time, was keen on making sure his program had a coach that could lead them into a new era of football. 

That phone rang again this season while Woodward was at LSU looking for Ed Orgeron's replacement. Fisher was his first call. The asking price? It would be hard to ignore. 

According to TexAgs' Billy Lucci and Brett McMurphy of The Action Network, Fisher was offered an eight-year contract worth $125 million for Fisher to leave College Station. The average salary would be set at roughly $13 million a season, making him the highest-paid coach per average salary. 

Fisher turned down the offer to remain at A&M. Woodward, a close friend of the Aggies' coach, elected to hire Notre Dame's Brian Kelly on a 10-year deal worth $100 million instead. 

How bad did LSU want Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher? In late November, LSU was prepared to offer Fisher an 8-year, $125 million deal - $13 million/year - to come to LSU, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Those numbers earlier reported by @billyliucci

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 8, 2021

According to USA Today’s Steve Berkowitz reported he’s the first-ever public-school coach with a 9-figure contract.

"I want to be at A&M, I plan on being at A&M," Fisher said in November. "I ain't going nowhere. I don't want to be nowhere else. I love being right here. Is that clear enough?" 

Fisher has lived up to his promise of building one of the top recruiting classes for the 2022 season. The Aggies are projected to finish with the No. 2 on SI99's current rankings following the additions of offensive guard Mark Nabou from Seattle, and defensive lineman Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, who recently was committed to Oklahoma. 

The Aggies currently have four of SI99's top 50 prospects, including defensive lineman Walter Nolen (No. 2), wide receiver Evan Stewart (No. 12), and quarterback Conner Weigman (No. 32). 

A&M is also expected to be in play for cornerback Denver Harris, defensive end Shemar Stewart (No. 7), offensive tackle Kelvin Banks (No. 26), and linebacker Harold Perkins (No. 37). 

The No. 25 Aggies (8-4) will face No. 17 Wake Forest (10-3) on New Year’s Eve morning in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville. 

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