Nov 18, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops directs his team against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports Kentucky

Mark Stoops staying at Kentucky amid Texas A&M rumors

Kentucky’s Mark Stoops said he is staying put despite multiple reports linking him to the head-coaching vacancy at Texas A&M.

Stoops, who is in his 11th season at Kentucky, took to social media early Sunday morning to make his intentions clear. His words came several hours after the Wildcats’ 38-31 victory over No. 10 Louisville.

“I know there’s been much speculation about me and my job situation the last couple of days,” Stoops posted. “It’s true I was contacted about a potential opportunity this weekend, but after celebrating a big win against our rivals with players I love like family, I knew in my heart I couldn’t leave the University of Kentucky right now. I have a great job at a place I love, and I get to work with the best administration and greatest fan base in college football right where I’m at. I’m excited to say I’m a Wildcat!”

Shortly after outlets reported Stoops could head toward Texas A&M, an uprising began among fans on social media and team-related websites.

Texas A&M, which fired head coach Jimbo Fisher on Nov. 12, played its final two games under interim head coach Elijah Robinson. The Aggies (7-5, 4-4 Southeastern Conference) posted a 38-10 win over Abilene Christian on Nov. 18 and dropped a 42-30 decision to LSU on Saturday.

Kentucky (7-5, 3-5) is headed to a bowl game for the eighth consecutive season under the 56-year-old Stoops, who is the winningest coach in the school’s history. He owns a 73-64 record with the Wildcats.

–Field Level Media

Sep 23, 2023; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; UTSA Roadrunners head coach Jeff Traylor before the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the UTSA Roadrunners at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Report: UTSA coach Jeff Traylor interviews at Texas A&M

UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor interviewed for the vacant position at Texas A&M, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Per the report, he interviewed by Zoom with athletic director Ross Bjork in a call that lasted 90 minutes earlier this week.

Bjork is leading the search to replace Jimbo Fisher, who was fired last Sunday with $77 million remaining on his contract. Fisher was in his sixth season and had a 45-25 with the Aggies but had failed to reach the upper echelon of college football, as was expected.

Texas A&M was 11-11 under Fisher the past two seasons.

Traylor, 55, has spent most of his career in his native Texas.

He won three Class 4A state high school championships at his alma mater, Gilmer High School. He had a 175-28 record at Gilmer from 2000-14.

Traylor has made a meteoric rise in the college coaching ranks since being hired as an assistant coach at Texas in 2015. He spent two seasons with the Longhorns, followed by one season at SMU and two at Arkansas before being hired by UTSA prior to the 2020 season.

UTSA is 37-13 in Traylor’s tenure and has appeared in three bowl games, all losses. The Roadrunners are 7-3 and 6-0 in the American Athletic Conference this season, tied atop the league with No. 24 Tulane and SMU.

–Field Level Media

Oct 14, 2023; Knoxville, TN, USA; Texas A&M quarterback Max Johnson (14) talks with Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher during a football game between Tennessee and Texas A&M at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. Mandatory Credit: Brianna Paciorka-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Texas A&M to fire Jimbo Fisher, pay $75M buyout

Texas A&M will dismiss football coach Jimbo Fisher and pay him the approximately $75 million due on his contract, multiple outlets reported Sunday.

His firing was expected to come Sunday morning, with a team meeting scheduled for later in the day to let players and coaches know. His termination is expected to be immediate, per Yahoo Sports.

The Aggies became bowl-eligible on Saturday with their 51-10 win over Mississippi State, moving to 6-4 (4-3 Southeastern Conference). However, administrators and alumni expected to contend for College Football Playoff championships when Texas A&M plucked him away from Florida State on Dec. 4, 2017, and gave him a 10-year, $75 million contract.

That first contract was replaced on Sept. 1, 2021, with a 10-year, fully guaranteed deal worth nearly $95 million.

Yahoo Sports reported that the Texas A&M University Board of Regents met in executive session on Thursday, with Fisher’s future part of their discussions.

At the time of the contract extension, the Aggies were 26-10 under Fisher, including two nine-win seasons. Since then, they are 19-15 for an overall 45-25 record.

Yahoo Sports reported the amount to buy out Fisher’s contract will exceed the total of $72 million that 15 schools paid to coaches who were fired last year.

Fisher, 58, coached eight seasons (2010-17) at Florida State, where he replaced the legendary Bobby Bowden. He left with an 83-23 record and a 2013 BCS championship, with the Seminoles posting an undefeated (14-0) season.

The Aggies have two remaining regular-season games — Saturday against Abilene Christian and Nov. 25 at LSU.

–Field Level Media

Sep 2, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; A detailed view of a Texas A&M Aggies helmet on the sideline during the game against the New Mexico Lobos at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

5-star prospect Terry Bussey picks Texas A&M

Five-star prospect Terry Bussey, a potential two-way college player, committed to home-state Texas A&M on Thursday.

The addition of the Timpson High School senior now gives Aggies coach Jimbo Fisher three five-star recruits in the 2024 class, which is No. 3 nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings.

Texas A&M trails Georgia and Ohio State, and is followed by Florida and Alabama in the class standings

Bussey chose Texas A&M over Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma and LSU.

A quarterback, cornerback and special teams standout at Timpson, Bussey is listed by the 247Sports composite as the No. 2 athlete and No. 19 overall player in the Class of 2024.

“I feel like it’s a great fit for me,” he told 247Sports. “They’ve got a great program and I feel like I trust what Jimbo’s trying to build. I feel like I could be a great part of that.”

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Bussey is likely to be used in college like Travis Hunter at Colorado, as a cornerback and wide receiver. Bussey was responsible for 80 touchdowns as a junior between offense, defense and special teams.

–Field Level Media

Jul 17, 2023; Nashville, TN, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher speaks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Hyatt. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

Jimbo Fisher: addition of Bobby Petrino won’t make staff ‘volatile’

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher did not agree with the premise of a question he faced at SEC Media Days on Monday regarding new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino.

Fisher, who has Petrino and several other former head coaches on his staff, was asked if “up-front personalities” like Petrino’s could create a tricky balance or a volatile situation in the coaches’ room.

“Volatile? Why would it be in a volatile situation?” Fisher said. “… Have you ever been in any staff room that doesn’t have arguments or disagreements? Every coaching staff in America has an argument or a disagreement. That’s part of it.

“But no, I’m the boss, we’re the boss, we’ll do it at the end of the day, but you listen to everybody’s opinion. Everybody can voice their — I want guys with opinions. I want guys who have knowledge. I want guys who make you think. I want guys to create different narratives that brought to the table that can help us. I think it’s the best thing you have.”

Petrino, 62, had worked as a head coach since 2002, when he was Auburn’s offensive coordinator.

That memorable history included less than a year with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and an unceremonious departure from Arkansas after a motorcycle accident and an inappropriate relationship with an assistant.

Most recently, Petrino left the head-coaching post at FCS Missouri State to accept the offensive coordinator position at UNLV — before ditching UNLV weeks later when Fisher offered Petrino the same position.

Fisher did not want to reveal if he was giving up the Aggies’ offensive play-calling to Petrino full-time but said “hopefully (Petrino will) call the game.”

“Listen, Bobby was hired for a reason, and he’s a tremendous coach and tremendous guy and tremendous football mind, tremendous recruiter,” Fisher said. “He’s done a great job recruiting since he’s been there, everything he does.”

Fisher later told ESPN that he and Petrino “get along as well or better than anybody I’ve coached with.”

Fisher also spoke about the loss of defensive ends coach Terry Price, who died last month at age 55.

“My dad always had a saying that he called him ‘real people,’” Fisher said. “A guy who never judged you. You could take his word, whatever he said, how he did it, and you knew when you give him a job it was going to be done the right way. He was a selfless staff guy. He was a selfless husband. He was a selfless father. Whatever needed to be done, nothing was too little or too big for Terry Price to handle.

“Our program and our family at A&M and the whole college football world lost a great man.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 3, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA;  Texas A&M Aggies helmet on the sideline during the second half against the Sam Houston State Bearkats at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1 LB Anthony Hill decommits from Texas A&M

Five-star linebacker Anthony Hill decommitted from Texas A&M, On3 reported Monday.

He is listed as the No. 1 linebacker and the No. 17 overall prospect by the 247Sports composite. Hill is expected to take his time selecting a new program and not commit until signing day.

Hill, from Ryan High School in Denton, Texas, committed to coach Jimbo Fisher’s program in July.

He previously has visited Alabama, Oklahoma, Southern California and Texas.

“First, I would to thank Texas A&M, (linebackers) coach (Tyler) Santucci and staff for recruiting and developing a personal relationship with me and my family,” Hill told On3. “Thank you to the Texas A&M fans who have been a great support throughout my recruitment. After further difficult discussions with my family, I will be decommitting from Texas A&M and opening up my recruitment.”

This loss of Hill is another blow to Texas A&M, which entered the season with the No. 1 recruiting class in 2022 and high expectations. The Aggies, the preseason No. 6 team, have lost five straight games to fall to 3-6.

Hill was in College Station, Texas, on Saturday when Texas A&M lost to Florida, 41-24.

The Aggies’ 2023 recruiting class now consists of just 11 players and is ranked No. 23 overall and eighth in the Southeastern Conference.

–Field Level Media

Sep 3, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA;  Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Chris Marshall (10) is tackled by Sam Houston State Bearkats defensive back Isaiah Downes (4) during the second half at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Reports: Texas A&M suspends 3 freshmen indefinitely

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher has suspended three freshmen, including cornerback Denver Harris and wideout Chris Marshall, over a locker room incident at South Carolina last week, TexAgs and The Athletic reported Tuesday.

The suspensions, which also include offensive lineman PJ Williams, are indefinite, per the reports. Williams has not appeared in a game since the season opener.

Harris and Marshall were also part of a group of four freshmen suspended in September for a violation of team rules. They all missed the Miami game.

Harris has 14 tackles and three passes defensed in five games. He was a 5-star prospect and the 23rd best player in the Class of 2022, per the 247Sports composite.

Marshall has 11 receptions for 108 yards in three games (two starts). He was also a 5-star recruit in Fisher’s stellar 2022 class.

Texas A&M (3-4, 1-3 SEC) hosts No. 15 Ole Miss (7-1, 3-1) on Saturday. The Aggies lost to the Gamecocks 30-24 last week, marking their third straight loss.

–Field Level Media

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher blasted Alabama's Nick Saban earlier this week.

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Report: A&M asked SEC to consider suspending Nick Saban

Texas A&M beseeched the SEC to consider fining and suspending Alabama coach Nick Saban for publicly stating that the Aggies “bought every player” through NIL deals, On3 reported Monday.

The website says it obtained communications between Texas A&M and the SEC on May 19 through an open records request. Texas A&M sent an email and had multiple phone conversations with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey the morning after Saban’s infamous comments, On3 reported.

“We expect the league to take strong, public action against Coach Saban and the University of Alabama to demonstrate that such unprofessionalism and disrespect for Texas A&M’s student-athletes, coaches, and the university as a whole, will not be tolerated,” read the email sent by A&M athletics director Ross Bjork and co-signed by university president Katherine Banks.

“A public apology from Coach Saban to Coach Fisher, Aggie Football, and Texas A&M University is a good starting point, but the league should also consider monetary and participation penalties against Coach Saban,” the email stated, per On3.

Sankey was working on a reprimand of Saban but added A&M coach Jimbo Fisher to it after the latter’s press conference, when he said “somebody should have slapped” Saban, among other jabs.

Saban’s incendiary comments came May 18 during an event with more than 100 business leaders in Birmingham, Ala. Saban made the initial comments to point out that the wild-west nature of NIL deals for players is not sustainable. And he took aim at Texas A&M’s recruiting class, ranked No. 1 in the country.

“I know the consequence is going to be difficult for the people who are spending tons of money to get players,” Saban said. “We were second in recruiting last year. A&M was first. A&M bought every player on their team. Made a deal for name, image and likeness.

Saban has since apologized multiple times for singling out A&M — as well as Jackson State and Miami — during his speech.

–Field Level Media

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher andAlabama head coach Nick Saban chat at midfield before the Alabama vs. Texas A&M game in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday September 22, 2018.

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Nick Saban reiterates he regrets naming names in NIL flap

Alabama coach Nick Saban again tried to defuse a dustup of his own creation with Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher, saying Tuesday at the SEC spring meetings that, “I didn’t really say anybody did anything wrong,” and that he has “no problem” with Fisher.

Saban again said that he regrets naming specific institutions two weeks ago at a fundraising event when he used Texas A&M and Jackson State as examples of how NIL money is being used improperly in recruiting. That sparked a response from Fisher in which he denied the accusations and lambasted Saban.

Talking to reporters on the opening day of SEC spring meetings, Saban said, “You know, I didn’t really say anybody did anything wrong.” Saban was interrupted by a reporter who said: “You said they bought their recruiting class.”

“I didn’t say anybody did anything wrong,” Saban repeated. “I said everything I’m going to say about this. … I should have never mentioned individual institutions.”

Saban said he supports players’ access to NIL income but suggested the lack of enforceable national rules creates an untenable situation.

“Some kind of uniform name, image and likeness stand that supports equitable national competition is really, really important for college football,” Saban said. “And we’ve always had that with scholarships, Alston money or whatever that might be. So that’s kind of point one.

“Point two is we need some kind of transparency in name, imagine and likeness deals to verify that players are doing what they need to do to have the opportunity to make in name, image and likeness. Believe me, I’m all for players making as much as they can. But I also think that we’ve got to have some uniform, transparent way to do that.”

Four other SEC head coaches wouldn’t touch the subject of the simmering feud, which has been the talk of college football since Saban’s May 18 comments and the response from Fisher, who was a Saban assistant for five years at LSU.

Fisher, who has refused to accept calls from Saban, was not scheduled to speak Tuesday but a Texas A&M representative said he might speak later in the week.

–Field Level Media

Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher, left, and Alabama head coach Nick Saban meet at midfield after their game in College Station, Texas, in 2019.

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Jimbo Fisher: Just 1 early signee at Texas A&M has NIL deal

Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher continued to deny that his program’s incoming players were “bought” via name, image and likeness deals.

Fisher said in an interview with a San Antonio TV station that most of the Aggies’ 11 early enrollees do not have an NIL deal in place, pushing back on the notion initially espoused by Alabama coach Nick Saban that Fisher “bought every player” on his team.

“I just researched this,” Fisher said in the KSAT interview, which was recorded last Friday and aired Sunday night. “Of the 11 guys we have in place that came early? One guy has an NIL deal. So all these stories you’re hearing are complete lies.”

Saban set off a firestorm when he told business leaders at an event in Birmingham, Ala., that without regulations for NIL, coaches at competing programs would be able to “buy” any player, likening it to free agency without a salary cap.

“A&M bought every player on their team — made a deal for name, image, likeness. We didn’t buy one player, all right?” Saban said. He later apologized for singling out Texas A&M and other programs.

Fisher responded last Thursday, defending his program and calling Saban a “narcissist.”

“Some people think they’re God,” Fisher said. “Go dig into how God did his deal, you may find out about a lot of things that you don’t want to know. We build (Saban) up to be the czar of college football. Go dig into his past.

“I just know that what we did was nothing wrong. Not done the wrong way. Nothing was promised. Nothing was a deal. And we didn’t buy any players,” Fisher added. “You can call me anything you want to call me, you don’t call me a cheat. I don’t cheat. I don’t lie.”

Fisher also told KSAT that he did not plan to talk with Saban about his remarks, which he initially made clear at his press conference Thursday.

–Field Level Media