Head coach Jimbo Fisher stopped by 12th Man Studios to visit with Senior Associate Athletics Director Mike Wright to update the 12th Man on the Aggie football program. Click above to watch the interview. Transcript is below.
Mike Wright: A brief visit with coach Jimbo Fisher here, and I gotta ask the obvious question that fans are wondering, what in the world are you doing these days?Â
Jimbo Fisher: Well, trying to keep myself, not busy...we're being busy...but trying to keep myself distanced from everybody. But the big thing we're doing is staying on the phone recruiting, hitting all of our current players and keeping them updated with what's going on, our recruits that are coming in that we've already signed and the guys are here, and then we're doing recruiting calls. We can text and then the kids can call in, so we're spending a lot of time on the phone talking to the upcoming classes, all the three classes that we're recruiting right now. Then there's watching video, trying to stay with our opponents and the things that we want to improve, parts of our game we want to improve with video as much as we can in this time right now. Trying to get as much out of this time as we possibly can.
MW: You know to your point, that's what the staff is doing. We still, even though we don't know what the future holds, we're still ordering cup designs, you've got to get ready with tickets, there's all these things because we plan to still kick this ballgame off and you've got to keep moving forward.
JF: You do. You've got to have a plan, you've got to have multiple plans I mean. That's what we've had. We have multiple plans. If something happened that they give you some kind of spring workout, which they probably won't do, or summer workout or whatever, you have that. But if they don't, you have alternative plans. You've got a plan for it as far as you can have. It's a lot of work but at the same time if you're not prepared when those situations come you waste time. But you don't ever know what which one you've got to pull out. It's like a game plan when the defense changes things a little bit. You know we're all in times now, they're just unknown times. None of us have ever had any experience in anything like this. So the biggest thing is listening, pay attention, be safe and do as much as you possibly can with the social distancing.
MW: I've always thought that guys in your position...it's an odd thing, Jimbo, I don't think everyone is cut out to do what you do, because your life depends on the success of a 17- to 23-year old, right in there in that range, somewhere every day. What's in their minds right now as you're speaking with them? I got to think your heart goes out to them and what they've experienced.
JF: Well they are, but the big thing is you have to educate them. I think our staff is doing a good job. As a head coach I try to call periodically through this to the guys and get to all of them, but our staff and their own players, they got to talk to. A big thing for us is to communicate and make sure they understand where it's at and like you say tell them be patient. Sometimes the kids you know they want to go, go, go. But I think the big thing we can do right now is educate, make sure they understand everything that's going on, organize structure and make sure there's not an unknown for them. As much this whole thing is unknown, what we've got to do is make sure they understand we're all in the same boat so there's no reason to panic, no reason for anxiety, do what you do, do what you're capable of doing and that's all you can do. But the big thing is keep the lines of communication open to them.
MW: At the times that I've heard you speak I got to think that your enthusiasm for this upcoming football season has to be infectious for the kids that you coach every day and lead. You still have to be excited about the future of this.
JF: Oh we do, and I can say...you know we're always, it's like everything in this country. We find ways to beat it, and we figure it out. I was really excited about spring ball. Not that you're not every year, I love spring ball 'cause you get to work those young kids and get to see guys grow. But I thought we had the best offseason we've had. Coaches say that all the time, but just for me, not that there weren't mistakes or guys you got on, but I mean the consistency level and the leadership part of it I thought was really, really good. And being here for you know going for a couple years I think the guys are getting it. Seeing some of those young talented older guys are really grasping it and taking as I say the reins and the leadership. And then the young guys, you see that young talent and you want to get it on the field, you want to get it coached and I was really looking forward to that. But you know, hey, we're all in the same boat. We'll figure it out as we go.
MW: As a fan I just wonder have you kept in contact with some of your colleagues in the SEC? Do you talk to other coaches?Â
JF: Yeah we do. We talk to other coaches about what's going on and what they're doing, what we're doing, and everybody's in the same boat. I mean we're all kind of, everybody seems to be doing the same things and just trying to search out there and find out. But hey, ain't too many of them in the SEC gonna tell you everything (laughing).
MW: Including you.
JF: Exactly right.Â
MW: Coach, as we talk about the fan base, we've had discussions too about what it's going to look like when that first moment happens, when we know that we're back onto the field, the court of competition, wherever that may be. I think the Aggies are rooted in loyalty and I think we're gonna fare better than some. But what do you say to those fans right now where Aggie Athletics in particular may be their life than all of a sudden it comes to a screeching halt?
JF: It's like everything, you've got to be patient. Sometimes...you know, there's an old adage, be quick but don't hurry. We've got to do it, we've got to get there the right way in how we're doing it. But you know what I think this does, I think it makes you truly appreciate what we have. And we all gripe and complain each and every day about this and about that and I got to go to work and man wouldn't it be nice to stay home, then you're home for about a day and then say man I can't stay home anymore. But I mean I think how great we do have in this country and how great athletics are and what we have here Texas A&M and other places in this country that people have. I think there's such a great appreciation for our lifestyle and what we're able to do and how big...what we don't really realize in my opinion is how sports really bonds this country. I think it really does. I mean we talk about all the different...I know politics doesn't. It divides it. Divides it in half, and everybody's fighting over it. But I think sports is something that we all come together. And I don't think we realize the impact that it has on our lives each and every day. Not just for that you want your school to win, but the development of these kids in so many ways, the economic impact it has on our communities and our lifestyles, and everything that happens, and you know how really big athletics is to us. You know, we're blessed. And I'm blessed to be a part of that. And I think football of course I think is the sport of America. It's definitely the sport of Texas. There's other great ones in here, all great, basketball and I'm a huge fan of all of them, but how big this is and then how blessed we are to have it. We've got to take advantage of it when we get it back and do things the right way.
MW: You know, the old saying is you don't realize what you've got until it's gone.
JF: It's always that way.
MW: I'm going to tell you, as quickly as a rug was pulled out from under us with Buzz's crew on a trajectory...
JF: They were doing great.
MW: ...right under them from the SEC Tournament, to your point you shouldn't take any day, any person, any thing in your life for granted ever again after seeing what can happen.
JF: No, exactly right. And I think that you gotta live it. You gotta live your life, and we're all like that. We've got to save this, we've got to do this, I don't want to do that. But you know something? You've got to live. You've got to have fun, you've got to enjoy the days you have and take advantage of the ones you have. And we've got a bunch of them coming hopefully here coming up that I think are gonna be really, really good. But you know each day in life, I think that every time something, a tragedy happens in life, it does put things in perspective for you. And God has a funny way of doing that.Â
MW: I got to ask about the demeanor of the staff because I think it's a strange twist of irony, those of us who have had the opportunity to be in leadership situations, we talk to people and especially young kids about overcoming adversity. You're behind, you find a way to pull it out, be it OT or whatever it takes. But now it's like everybody has to practice what they've been preaching.
JF: Well you do. But sometimes I think one of the things that you do in life, sometimes you've got to slow down to speed up. And right now is the time we've got to slow down. Because you can't just go full bore all the time without realizing what's going on sometimes. Like I say, God in this world has a way of humbling you and making you slow down and see things, and I think right now the time we've got to slow down to speed up so we can have success and appreciate what we have. And sometimes it makes you, as I say it's like rebooting the computer. It makes you reboot it up and take a look at things in a different way and see things through a different set of glasses. Sometimes it only makes you better.
MW: Final question for you. What is it going to be like on that first fall day when you lead that team down to the tunnel and you do the run out for the season opener? I got to think this year in particular Jimbo probably has a little bit deeper meaning. It doesn't matter the opponent and the fact it's non-conference, I got to think that moment is going to be truly special.Â
JF: Well, I think it is because I think of how much we realize that you know sometimes this thing can be taken away very, very quickly. And you know, just like all the great tragedies that have happened. I say great tragedies, but the big tragedies that have happened in our in our country and in our world and how athletics kind of bonds it back together, and how happy we are to get back and know how appreciative we are to have it, like we were just talking about, and how blessed we are to do what we do. We all complain about our job, trust me. I do complain about my job. There's parts of it you don't always like. But how appreciative we are to be doing what we're doing, how lucky we are to do what we do and blessed to be doing it in a place like this. It's amazing. And every time you smell that grass and the fall and everything that's football time, man it is a special time. And we're blessed to do it. Hopefully you know there will probably will be a little more special meaning because of how close it was that we didn't get to have it maybe. And so we're looking forward to it as much as anything. I know that we are dying to get back on that grass.
Mike Wright: A brief visit with coach Jimbo Fisher here, and I gotta ask the obvious question that fans are wondering, what in the world are you doing these days?Â
Jimbo Fisher: Well, trying to keep myself, not busy...we're being busy...but trying to keep myself distanced from everybody. But the big thing we're doing is staying on the phone recruiting, hitting all of our current players and keeping them updated with what's going on, our recruits that are coming in that we've already signed and the guys are here, and then we're doing recruiting calls. We can text and then the kids can call in, so we're spending a lot of time on the phone talking to the upcoming classes, all the three classes that we're recruiting right now. Then there's watching video, trying to stay with our opponents and the things that we want to improve, parts of our game we want to improve with video as much as we can in this time right now. Trying to get as much out of this time as we possibly can.
MW: You know to your point, that's what the staff is doing. We still, even though we don't know what the future holds, we're still ordering cup designs, you've got to get ready with tickets, there's all these things because we plan to still kick this ballgame off and you've got to keep moving forward.
JF: You do. You've got to have a plan, you've got to have multiple plans I mean. That's what we've had. We have multiple plans. If something happened that they give you some kind of spring workout, which they probably won't do, or summer workout or whatever, you have that. But if they don't, you have alternative plans. You've got a plan for it as far as you can have. It's a lot of work but at the same time if you're not prepared when those situations come you waste time. But you don't ever know what which one you've got to pull out. It's like a game plan when the defense changes things a little bit. You know we're all in times now, they're just unknown times. None of us have ever had any experience in anything like this. So the biggest thing is listening, pay attention, be safe and do as much as you possibly can with the social distancing.
MW: I've always thought that guys in your position...it's an odd thing, Jimbo, I don't think everyone is cut out to do what you do, because your life depends on the success of a 17- to 23-year old, right in there in that range, somewhere every day. What's in their minds right now as you're speaking with them? I got to think your heart goes out to them and what they've experienced.
JF: Well they are, but the big thing is you have to educate them. I think our staff is doing a good job. As a head coach I try to call periodically through this to the guys and get to all of them, but our staff and their own players, they got to talk to. A big thing for us is to communicate and make sure they understand where it's at and like you say tell them be patient. Sometimes the kids you know they want to go, go, go. But I think the big thing we can do right now is educate, make sure they understand everything that's going on, organize structure and make sure there's not an unknown for them. As much this whole thing is unknown, what we've got to do is make sure they understand we're all in the same boat so there's no reason to panic, no reason for anxiety, do what you do, do what you're capable of doing and that's all you can do. But the big thing is keep the lines of communication open to them.
MW: At the times that I've heard you speak I got to think that your enthusiasm for this upcoming football season has to be infectious for the kids that you coach every day and lead. You still have to be excited about the future of this.
JF: Oh we do, and I can say...you know we're always, it's like everything in this country. We find ways to beat it, and we figure it out. I was really excited about spring ball. Not that you're not every year, I love spring ball 'cause you get to work those young kids and get to see guys grow. But I thought we had the best offseason we've had. Coaches say that all the time, but just for me, not that there weren't mistakes or guys you got on, but I mean the consistency level and the leadership part of it I thought was really, really good. And being here for you know going for a couple years I think the guys are getting it. Seeing some of those young talented older guys are really grasping it and taking as I say the reins and the leadership. And then the young guys, you see that young talent and you want to get it on the field, you want to get it coached and I was really looking forward to that. But you know, hey, we're all in the same boat. We'll figure it out as we go.
MW: As a fan I just wonder have you kept in contact with some of your colleagues in the SEC? Do you talk to other coaches?Â
JF: Yeah we do. We talk to other coaches about what's going on and what they're doing, what we're doing, and everybody's in the same boat. I mean we're all kind of, everybody seems to be doing the same things and just trying to search out there and find out. But hey, ain't too many of them in the SEC gonna tell you everything (laughing).
MW: Including you.
JF: Exactly right.Â
MW: Coach, as we talk about the fan base, we've had discussions too about what it's going to look like when that first moment happens, when we know that we're back onto the field, the court of competition, wherever that may be. I think the Aggies are rooted in loyalty and I think we're gonna fare better than some. But what do you say to those fans right now where Aggie Athletics in particular may be their life than all of a sudden it comes to a screeching halt?
JF: It's like everything, you've got to be patient. Sometimes...you know, there's an old adage, be quick but don't hurry. We've got to do it, we've got to get there the right way in how we're doing it. But you know what I think this does, I think it makes you truly appreciate what we have. And we all gripe and complain each and every day about this and about that and I got to go to work and man wouldn't it be nice to stay home, then you're home for about a day and then say man I can't stay home anymore. But I mean I think how great we do have in this country and how great athletics are and what we have here Texas A&M and other places in this country that people have. I think there's such a great appreciation for our lifestyle and what we're able to do and how big...what we don't really realize in my opinion is how sports really bonds this country. I think it really does. I mean we talk about all the different...I know politics doesn't. It divides it. Divides it in half, and everybody's fighting over it. But I think sports is something that we all come together. And I don't think we realize the impact that it has on our lives each and every day. Not just for that you want your school to win, but the development of these kids in so many ways, the economic impact it has on our communities and our lifestyles, and everything that happens, and you know how really big athletics is to us. You know, we're blessed. And I'm blessed to be a part of that. And I think football of course I think is the sport of America. It's definitely the sport of Texas. There's other great ones in here, all great, basketball and I'm a huge fan of all of them, but how big this is and then how blessed we are to have it. We've got to take advantage of it when we get it back and do things the right way.
MW: You know, the old saying is you don't realize what you've got until it's gone.
JF: It's always that way.
MW: I'm going to tell you, as quickly as a rug was pulled out from under us with Buzz's crew on a trajectory...
JF: They were doing great.
MW: ...right under them from the SEC Tournament, to your point you shouldn't take any day, any person, any thing in your life for granted ever again after seeing what can happen.
JF: No, exactly right. And I think that you gotta live it. You gotta live your life, and we're all like that. We've got to save this, we've got to do this, I don't want to do that. But you know something? You've got to live. You've got to have fun, you've got to enjoy the days you have and take advantage of the ones you have. And we've got a bunch of them coming hopefully here coming up that I think are gonna be really, really good. But you know each day in life, I think that every time something, a tragedy happens in life, it does put things in perspective for you. And God has a funny way of doing that.Â
MW: I got to ask about the demeanor of the staff because I think it's a strange twist of irony, those of us who have had the opportunity to be in leadership situations, we talk to people and especially young kids about overcoming adversity. You're behind, you find a way to pull it out, be it OT or whatever it takes. But now it's like everybody has to practice what they've been preaching.
JF: Well you do. But sometimes I think one of the things that you do in life, sometimes you've got to slow down to speed up. And right now is the time we've got to slow down. Because you can't just go full bore all the time without realizing what's going on sometimes. Like I say, God in this world has a way of humbling you and making you slow down and see things, and I think right now the time we've got to slow down to speed up so we can have success and appreciate what we have. And sometimes it makes you, as I say it's like rebooting the computer. It makes you reboot it up and take a look at things in a different way and see things through a different set of glasses. Sometimes it only makes you better.
MW: Final question for you. What is it going to be like on that first fall day when you lead that team down to the tunnel and you do the run out for the season opener? I got to think this year in particular Jimbo probably has a little bit deeper meaning. It doesn't matter the opponent and the fact it's non-conference, I got to think that moment is going to be truly special.Â
JF: Well, I think it is because I think of how much we realize that you know sometimes this thing can be taken away very, very quickly. And you know, just like all the great tragedies that have happened. I say great tragedies, but the big tragedies that have happened in our in our country and in our world and how athletics kind of bonds it back together, and how happy we are to get back and know how appreciative we are to have it, like we were just talking about, and how blessed we are to do what we do. We all complain about our job, trust me. I do complain about my job. There's parts of it you don't always like. But how appreciative we are to be doing what we're doing, how lucky we are to do what we do and blessed to be doing it in a place like this. It's amazing. And every time you smell that grass and the fall and everything that's football time, man it is a special time. And we're blessed to do it. Hopefully you know there will probably will be a little more special meaning because of how close it was that we didn't get to have it maybe. And so we're looking forward to it as much as anything. I know that we are dying to get back on that grass.