He was irate in his emergency press conference last week, but Jimbo Fisher continues to defend Texas A&M’s recruiting tactics.
Fisher went to a coaches club in San Antonio (Texas) and sat down with Greg Simmons of KSAT-TV (ABC affiliate) to discuss his research to prove the Aggies did everything right. During a meeting with boosters at the 50-day countdown to the World Games in Birmingham, Nick Saban stated that Texas A&M “bought every player it recruited” in this recent class.
RELATED: Video surfaces of Jimbo Fisher with glowing remarks about Nick Saban after waiting over an hour to congratulate him after 2018 national championship
“Of the ll guys we have here that came early, one guy has a NIL deal,” Fisher said to Simmons. “Just one. So all these stories you are hearing are complete lies.”
Fisher attributes the blame to social media and reporters for the situation.
“It was written on social media by the bro bible and slice bread deal, so everyone believed it,” he said. “I checked with our compliance people. We have nothing to do with it. One guy out of 11 early enrollees has a NIL deal.”
Fisher then questioned Simmons and other reporters about did they do research on Texas A&M instead of believing rumors on social media about the Aggies using $35 million of NIL funds to buy the No. 1 recruiting class. Fisher said all the media wants are clicks and stories, and no one is interested in the truth. When Simmons asked about Coach Saban’s comments, Fisher said he believed the lies on social media too. Fisher, who was an offensive coordinator on Nick Saban’s staff for a 2003 BCS National Championship at Louisiana State University, said he is not talking to Saban. Whether Saban issues a public or private apology, Fisher is not responding. Saban made an apology to Fisher on SiriusXM radio, but Fisher said, “I don’t listen to the radio.”
RELATED: Former Alabama CB Kareem Jackson weighs in on Nick Saban’s NIL comments
Simmons also asked Fisher how did Texas A&M get good at NIL, but he acted as if he did not know the answer.
It is a perplexing situation. Saban and Fisher will both speak at SEC Media Days. Alabama and Texas A&M will face each other inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 8. College football fans will have their eyes on both upcoming events.
*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber-only content!*
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
