Tim Warner/Getty Images
While there was certainly a lack of on-field success during the Jimbo Fisher era at Texas A&M, the program also suffered from a number of off-field and disciplinary issues during his tenure, according to ESPN’s Dave Wilson.
Fisher, 58, was dismissed by the Aggies on Nov. 12 as the team sunk to a 6-4 record this season despite having unlimited resources at one of the best funded programs in the entire country.
The former National Champion coach put a heavy emphasis on recruiting over his six seasons. He brought in a top 10 recruiting class in all but two seasons that he was in College Station—including the No. 1 overall class in 2022—per 247 Sports.
However, it appears that often times that talent came at the cost of discipline as Fisher opted to have a player-led locker room, which didn’t lead to a whole lot of order.
“There was 100% a lack of discipline, a lack of accountability,” a former player said.
Another former player told Wilson that there was a culture of “individualism” on the roster, as players were not often punished for missing meetings or being late.
Some examples of the off-field issues include five-star cornerback Denver Harris getting suspended twice before transferring to LSU—where he has yet to play due to disciplinary reasons (as noted by Wilson).
Four-star corner Smoke Bouie and five-star wide receiver Chris Marshall were also suspended and both eventually left the Aggies.
So, while Fisher was great at bringing in talent, A&M wasn’t able to take advantage of it due to a lack of the culture that he built at his previous stop with Florida State—where he won a national title with the Seminoles.
Fisher went 45-25 during his time with the Aggies—28-21 in the SEC. His best campaign came in 2020 when he led the program to a 9-1 record and a win in the Orange Bowl.
