Former Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher, who previously coached at Texas A&M, Florida State and LSU, is letting us in on the best players he ever coached.
Since 2000, Fisher has had these coaching roles:
- LSU offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2000-2006.
- Florida State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2007-2009.
- Florida State head coach from 2010-2017.
- Texas A&M head coach from 2018 until he was fired in November 2023.
He's coached at some of the top college football programs and has seen a plethora of talent.
Appearing on the "Pardon My Take" podcast, Fisher was asked who the best players he's coached were, aside from former Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston, whom they had discussed on the show before the question was asked.
Former #FSU HC Jimbo Fisher on Jameis Winston at Florida State.
?He spent as much time with every walk-on on our team as he did every starter. He knew the equipment guys, he knew the janitors, he knew everybody in that building. Spoke to them, nice to them. Never saw himself as? pic.twitter.com/JO0mtUFUGo
— Logan B. Robinson (@LogansTwitty) January 5, 2024
"Oh my God. You're talking about Derwin James, you're talking about Jalen Ramsey, you're talking about Timmy Jernigan, you're talking about Dalvin Cook," Fisher said. "Rashad Greene is a guy in Florida State history that never got the credit. He's the all-time leading receiver in ACC history yards, and touchdowns, and catches, and it's Rashad Greene."
From there, Fisher went back to his time at LSU.
"I mean, then you go back to my LSU days," Fisher said. "I mean [Andrew] Whitworth and [Marcus] Spears and [Michael] Clayton, I mean, just the quarterbacks — Rohan Davey, JaMarcus [Russell]."
During the exchange, Fisher also recounted coaching the 2013 Seminoles, who went undefeated.
"I'm gonna tell you this, people don't appreciate this," Fisher said. "The 2013 team at Florida State, you realize it's the biggest point differential in college football history for teams that played at least 10 games? Before that I think Army had like nine games and won by 52 points, that 2013 team won by 39.5 points a game."
He even defended that team against the 2019 LSU Tigers and their success that season.
"LSU broke the offensive record that year [2019], beat us by one point in total points scored in a season but had one more game, and we had Jameis out at five games at halftime. But we averaged 51 seven or eight and gave up 12, and Lamarcus Joyner, Telvin Smith, Timmy Jernigan, I mean, Devonta Freeman. I've been able to be around so many unbelievable football players. I mean, Ronald Darby, PJ Williams, Jalen Ramsey, Derwin James, Karlos Williams."
Through the quotes above, Fisher mentioned LSU and FSU players — but what about A&M?
"And then A&M guys, I've been around some phenomenal — I mean, I had great players. Trayveon Williams, people forget he ran for 1,700 yards for me. Erik McCoy's a center; our quarterback, people don't give our quarterback the credit he did in the 2020 season," Fisher said regarding Kellen Mond. "I mean what he was able to be able to do that season was unbelievable and how he played and the season he had and what he did. So I've been blessed to have so many of them it's unbelievable."
Fisher named five Seminoles, five Tigers and two Aggies.
Fisher has coached up several talented NFL prospects and first-round draft selections.
As we look to 2024, we await Fisher's next landing spot.
