What Did Jimbo Fisher Say About Nick Saban Updated

What Did Jimbo Fisher Say About Nick Saban

Texas A&M'southward Jimbo Fisher responds to Nick Saban, Lane Kiffin after landing top recruiting class: 'The hypocrisy is a joke'

Texas A&M made history Wednesday when it finished National Signing Day with the highest-graded recruiting class of all time in 247Sports' Composite ranking. But coach Jimbo Fisher wasn't content to celebrate the feat and revel in the moment.

Instead, he spent nearly 3 i/2 minutes justifying his recruiting procedure while taking aim at how some of his SEC counterparts recruit, the role of proper noun, image and likeness (Goose egg) in the sport, and how the media exercise their task.

That'southward our charabanc. 😤#GigEm pic.twitter.com/xF8HeMHnSV
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) February 2, 2022

Fisher'south comments stemmed from an commodity that cited a message lath poster on 247Sports' Oklahoma site, screen name Sliced Bread, who alleged that Aggies boosters were starting LLCs (express liability companies) to fund Zippo deals for top players to sign with A&M. According to the poster, the deals were in excess of $25 million to $xxx one thousand thousand.

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— - (@Spicoli_____) January v, 2022

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Fisher vehemently refuted the claims.

"It's insulting to the players that nosotros recruited, that that's why they would come up hither. Yous always been to a game game hither, always come to school here and see the educational activity? Yous e'er talked near the 12th Man and the Aggie Network when yous're done? In that location own't a better university in this country," Fisher said.

In recent days, Alabama motorcoach Nick Saban and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin have been critical of NIL and its possible misuse in recruiting. Kiffin likened the spending to a salary cap and said he is at a disadvantage in Oxford. Saban said it was where he "draws the line."

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"Nosotros don't accept the same funding resource as some of these schools exercise for these Cypher deals," Kiffin said during a news conference Tuesday. "It'southward basically dealing with unlike bacon caps. Now we have a sport that has completely dissimilar salary caps and some of these schools take, whatever, five to 10 times more everybody else in what they can pay the players. . . . . They're going to go where they're paid the most."

Kiffin and so chosen out the Aggies, making a joke about them peradventure incurring a luxury tax for all the supposed Cypher coin they're tossing effectually.

Saban was similarly articulate in his rebuke of NIL to attract players.

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Fisher worked under Saban every bit an assistant at LSU and has been coaching at the FBS level since 1993. He seemed to imply Wednesday that he had seen far more egregious improprieties during his almost 30 years in the business organization than what he has been accused of, though he didn't name names.

"I know how some of those guys recruit — go dig into that. I know the history, I know the tradition, and I know things. Trust me. You don't desire to get down that avenue," he said. "It's irresponsible. Information technology'southward unbelievable, and I ain't just talking about ane. Multiple people got Cypher issues."

Fisher as well made reference to the lucrative NIL bargain signed by Alabama quarterback Bryce Immature. He said that bargain was universally praised while Aggies players signing agreements has been met with scorn.

"It'southward funny, when Nick Saban said his quarterback got an $800,000 deal, it was wonderful. At present it ain't wonderful no more than with ours [Nada deals]," Fisher said. "We ain't going out and getting big deals. Own't none going on in our place that we know of. Just it'southward fine when you [Saban] do it."

Fisher also accused many of his colleagues of hypocrisy when information technology comes to the transfer portal. Saban in particular voiced concerns almost the portal, only to use it to his swell advantage.

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"Information technology'southward great that players have the freedom to do what they can practice, simply I besides don't think we should create circumstances where they don't accept to brand the commitment and see things through," Saban said. The seven-time national champion has used the portal to recruit wide receiver Jameson Williams, defensive back Eli Ricks and running back Jahmyr Gibbs from Georgia Tech.

And while Fisher loses some credibility every bit a moral czar considering of his hiring of one-time Maryland coach DJ Durkin, he didn't mince words about his young man coaches.

"To have coaches in our league and across this league say it, they're clown acts," Fisher said. "It'due south irresponsible as hell that multiple coaches in our league, and the guys griping about NIL and griping about [the] transfer portal, are using information technology the most and bragging most it the most."

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There are signs the sport's landscape is shifting. A&Yard beat Alabama terminal season and so followed that up past landing the best-e'er recruiting form according to 247Sports. Fisher seems to believe that is the reason backside some of the comments.

"If you don't like that we're coming on, become used to information technology, all right? Because nosotros ain't going nowhere," he said. "It's an absolute joke to the people that put the hard work in and do information technology. Information technology's irresponsible. The ballgame'due south irresolute, man, and information technology ain't because of Null and what goes on. It's pretty irresponsible of all of them, and they're clowns."