Jimbo Fisher already owned the maroon tie, and as he slid on the size 42 maroon coat, it seemed a perfect fit.
"I'm at home," Fisher said, smiling.
Texas A&M introduced Fisher as the 29th full-time head football coach in its history on Monday. He left Florida State after eight seasons, 83 victories and a national championship.
"When I took the job, I thought we'd shoot for excellence from day one," A&M Athletic Director Scott Woodward said. "This is what we thought that it was about. It was my goal always. It's just an endorsement of Texas A&M that we could get a quality coach who I think is one of the best of the business in Jimbo Fisher."
Woodward discussed several names with A&M President Michael Young after deciding to move on from Kevin Sumlin. Fisher topped the list.
"There is no number two [candidate] at Texas A&M," Young said. "We don't ever go to number two at Texas A&M...We start with number one, and we always get number one."
Woodward admitted luring a national championship coach – something that hadn't been done since Johnny Majors left Pittsburgh for Tennessee in 1977 – was a "heavy lift." Woodward wasn't convinced he would get his "target" for sure until Fisher "got on the plane" to fly to College Station on Sunday.
Fisher, 52, received calls in the past from big-time programs but until last week was never enticed enough to leave. His relationship with Woodward from their days together at LSU, combined with A&M's potential, got him out of Tallahassee.
Fisher insisted it was not about the 10-year, $75 million contract he signed but about the "chance to achieve something great". He repeatedly used the words "commitment" and "vision" in his praise of Woodward and A&M.
"When you walk in this place, the first thing everybody says is, 'Wow, right?'" Fisher said of Kyle Field. "That shows commitment. Your actions speak so loud I can't hear what you're saying. People say, 'We're going to do this, or we're going to do that,' or 'I can do this,' or 'we'll do this.' Well, they're putting everything into action, what they're saying and the commitment to the student-athletes with the people in place. When you walk in here, you see that. When you know that, and then they ask you, 'What is your vision? What do you see? What are the things you think are important in developing a student-athlete from a cultural standpoint, from a psychological standpoint, from a mental conditioning standpoint, from a physical standpoint, all the different ways that you affect the players, and they're interested in those things and helping you develop those things, that's what draws you here."
Fisher and the Aggies have lofty expectations. The program has gone 16-20 against SEC West opponents since joining the conference. It last won a conference title in 1998 when the Aggies played in the Big 12 and last won the national title in 1939.
Fisher won the national title in Florida State four years ago with Heisman Trophy-winner Jameis Winston. He hopes for the same at A&M in the near future.
"That's my goal, and that's the object and the mission which we're about," Fisher said. "That's our whole objective in everything we do. Our whole goal is to win a national championship every year and always will be."
The Aggies have young talent waiting for Fisher, with 55 underclassmen on their roster. A&M started redshirt freshman Nick Starkel, among the players to attend Fisher's press conference Monday, and true freshman Kellen Mond—also in attendance—at quarterback this season.
Fisher will get to see his new players practice over the next couple of weeks, observing bowl preparations for the Belk Bowl on Dec. 29 when A&M ends the season against Wake Forest.
Aggie fans, though, already are looking ahead to 2018, and so is Fisher.
He was scheduled to meet with the team Monday afternoon before beginning the process of hiring a staff, recruiting and watching game film of the current team. Not to mention moving.
Fisher has a lot to do in little time.
Fisher said he is "not a very patient guy," drawing cheers from Aggies in the crowd. At the same time, he stressed that winning is a "process."
"I definitely do [think a national title is an attainable goal] or I wouldn't be here," Fisher said. "We have to get there, and we have to prepare the players for that situation so when it's there, they can advantage of that situation. Do we have a timetable? I don't have patience, but we still have to do the things we have to do. It's a huge challenge, because of the people you play and the conference you're in and all the things you do, but hey, that's why you're in this business. If you don't like competition, and you don't like competing, you're in the wrong business."
Fisher got off on the right foot, or the right thumb as it were, flashing a Gig 'em as he walked on stage to cheers from the crowd at the Hall of Champions. He admitted he still has much to learn about his new home, his research having told him only so much.
But it already feels like home.
"I hate to say this, but I'm a tobacco chewer; I wear my boots, and I shoot my guns and I use my fishing rods," Fisher said, "and I grew up on horses."
He's come to the right place.
"I'm at home," Fisher said, smiling.
Texas A&M introduced Fisher as the 29th full-time head football coach in its history on Monday. He left Florida State after eight seasons, 83 victories and a national championship.
"When I took the job, I thought we'd shoot for excellence from day one," A&M Athletic Director Scott Woodward said. "This is what we thought that it was about. It was my goal always. It's just an endorsement of Texas A&M that we could get a quality coach who I think is one of the best of the business in Jimbo Fisher."
Woodward discussed several names with A&M President Michael Young after deciding to move on from Kevin Sumlin. Fisher topped the list.
"There is no number two [candidate] at Texas A&M," Young said. "We don't ever go to number two at Texas A&M...We start with number one, and we always get number one."
Woodward admitted luring a national championship coach – something that hadn't been done since Johnny Majors left Pittsburgh for Tennessee in 1977 – was a "heavy lift." Woodward wasn't convinced he would get his "target" for sure until Fisher "got on the plane" to fly to College Station on Sunday.
Fisher, 52, received calls in the past from big-time programs but until last week was never enticed enough to leave. His relationship with Woodward from their days together at LSU, combined with A&M's potential, got him out of Tallahassee.
Fisher insisted it was not about the 10-year, $75 million contract he signed but about the "chance to achieve something great". He repeatedly used the words "commitment" and "vision" in his praise of Woodward and A&M.
"When you walk in this place, the first thing everybody says is, 'Wow, right?'" Fisher said of Kyle Field. "That shows commitment. Your actions speak so loud I can't hear what you're saying. People say, 'We're going to do this, or we're going to do that,' or 'I can do this,' or 'we'll do this.' Well, they're putting everything into action, what they're saying and the commitment to the student-athletes with the people in place. When you walk in here, you see that. When you know that, and then they ask you, 'What is your vision? What do you see? What are the things you think are important in developing a student-athlete from a cultural standpoint, from a psychological standpoint, from a mental conditioning standpoint, from a physical standpoint, all the different ways that you affect the players, and they're interested in those things and helping you develop those things, that's what draws you here."
Fisher and the Aggies have lofty expectations. The program has gone 16-20 against SEC West opponents since joining the conference. It last won a conference title in 1998 when the Aggies played in the Big 12 and last won the national title in 1939.
Fisher won the national title in Florida State four years ago with Heisman Trophy-winner Jameis Winston. He hopes for the same at A&M in the near future.
"That's my goal, and that's the object and the mission which we're about," Fisher said. "That's our whole objective in everything we do. Our whole goal is to win a national championship every year and always will be."
The Aggies have young talent waiting for Fisher, with 55 underclassmen on their roster. A&M started redshirt freshman Nick Starkel, among the players to attend Fisher's press conference Monday, and true freshman Kellen Mond—also in attendance—at quarterback this season.
Fisher will get to see his new players practice over the next couple of weeks, observing bowl preparations for the Belk Bowl on Dec. 29 when A&M ends the season against Wake Forest.
Aggie fans, though, already are looking ahead to 2018, and so is Fisher.
He was scheduled to meet with the team Monday afternoon before beginning the process of hiring a staff, recruiting and watching game film of the current team. Not to mention moving.
Fisher has a lot to do in little time.
Fisher said he is "not a very patient guy," drawing cheers from Aggies in the crowd. At the same time, he stressed that winning is a "process."
"I definitely do [think a national title is an attainable goal] or I wouldn't be here," Fisher said. "We have to get there, and we have to prepare the players for that situation so when it's there, they can advantage of that situation. Do we have a timetable? I don't have patience, but we still have to do the things we have to do. It's a huge challenge, because of the people you play and the conference you're in and all the things you do, but hey, that's why you're in this business. If you don't like competition, and you don't like competing, you're in the wrong business."
Fisher got off on the right foot, or the right thumb as it were, flashing a Gig 'em as he walked on stage to cheers from the crowd at the Hall of Champions. He admitted he still has much to learn about his new home, his research having told him only so much.
But it already feels like home.
"I hate to say this, but I'm a tobacco chewer; I wear my boots, and I shoot my guns and I use my fishing rods," Fisher said, "and I grew up on horses."
He's come to the right place.