In stressful times, we tend to retreat to places of familiarity and find comfort in nostalgia.
Florida State must fight that urge, because a retreat toward what’s familiar would result in the Seminoles hiring Jimbo Fisher for its coaching vacancy.
When the stress dies down and the sobering reality of its decision set in, FSU would realize it hired a coach who, as recently as three years ago, couldn’t meet the expectations of a program that afforded Fisher every resource he should’ve needed to thrive at Texas A&M.
If Fisher couldn’t win with the Aggies in 2022 or ’23, why should FSU believe he’d be great for the Seminoles in ’27?
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If Fisher couldn’t develop a premier quarterback throughout his entire Aggies tenure, why should FSU trust he’d solve the program’s yearslong quarterback woes since Jordan Travis’ gruesome leg injury shoved the ‘Noles into a pit?
Yes, Fisher once won a national championship at Florida State.
No, that’s not especially relevant considering it occurred 13 years ago. That might as well be 13 decades ago, considering how much college football evolved in the time since Jameis Winston made Jimbo look like a guru.
Even before Fisher bailed on Florida State for Texas A&M, he’d started to lose his touch in Tallahassee.
So what if Fisher would love nothing more than to get another shot at coaching FSU? Tell him thanks for the memories of 2013, but no thanks for on the reunion.
Florida State requires an exciting new direction, not someone whose career peaked in the BCS era.
Included on the list of names I’d call before I’d get to Fisher: Eli Drinkwitz. Jake Dickert. P.J. Fleck. The ghost of Bobby Bowden. Some hot-shot coordinator like Mike Shanahan (the one who works for Curt Cignetti).
If I reached the end of that list of names and nobody had said yes, I’d make a second list, and it wouldn’t include Fisher’s name, either.
Jimbo Fisher failed at Texas A&M. Why would he succeed at FSU?
In the years since Fisher’s undefeated season, we’ve learned a bit more about the fast-talkin’ fella from West Virginia.
For one, Fisher’s national championship probably said a lot more about Winston’s excellency than it did about his coach's genius.
Fisher’s best quarterback in six seasons at Texas A&M was Kellen Mond. If you’d forgotten that name, I wouldn’t blame you. Nobody confused Mond for Charlie Ward.
What else have we learned? Well, programs might want to think long and hard before uncorking a contract extension for a coach who’s never made the playoff, especially when there’s a beaucoup-bucks buyout attached to the extension.
Texas A&M owed Fisher a buyout of more than $76 million. He’ll still be cashing checks from his former employer into the next decade, which would bring a smile to Bobby Bonilla’s face. Florida State made the same mistake with Norvell. It owes him a buyout of about $50 million after signing him to an extension in 2024.
At least Norvell’s contract terms obligate him to attempt to mitigate the damages with new employment. Fisher’s buyout came with no such strings attached, meaning if he can double-dip and get paid from Texas A&M and another employer, should he land a coaching gig.
Florida State could hire Jimbo Fisher at a discount, but is it a good deal?
The best part of a Fisher hire is he’d come cheap. With Texas A&M still paying him a king’s ransom, Fisher could work at a discount rate for FSU.
But, hiring a coach isn’t like shopping on Temu for a pool floatie.
Or, maybe it is. Cheap out on either, and it could sink you.
Just because something's cheap doesn't make it a good deal.
FSU just committed a lot of money toward making Norvell go away. No matter how comforting familiarity can be, surely its grand plan can’t be to play the hits with a coach who spurned the 'Noles a decade ago, then failed as the coach of the well-resourced Aggies, right?
When Fisher returned to Florida State in his role as a television analyst for the ACC Network last year, fans cheered him, and he got emotional.
“Brings tears to my eyes,” Fisher said then.
Memories of the good ol’ days can do that to you.
The dopamine hit from memories of the good ol’ days also can influence a school to make a bad hire.
FSU can’t afford to succumb to the intoxicating fumes of nostalgia.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's senior national college football columnist. Listen to his podcast, "College Football Unfiltered." Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida State should thank Jimbo Fisher for the memories, then lose his number
