Texas A&M Hooks Fisher

December 1, 2017 by Staff

Jimbo Fisher has left the building. The deal was announced on Friday (December 1) and Odell Haggins, associate head coach and defensive tackles coach, will serve as interim head coach for this week's make-up home game versus Louisiana-Monroe.

That's it. Sayonara. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

After a successful coup to unseat Bobby Bowden following the 2009 season, Fisher eventually led the 'Noles to the national title in the final year of the BCS in 2013. The following year saw Florida State go undefeated through the regular season and win a third straight ACC title before getting buzz-sawed 59-20 by Oregon in the semifinals of the first College Football Playoff. Since then, the program has declined with records of 10-3 (6-2, ACC) in 2015, 10-3 (5-3, ACC) in 2016, and an alarming drop-off to 5-6 (3-5, ACC) this season after being a preseason pick to get back to the Final Four.

In fact, the Congrove Computer Rankings at CollegeFootballPoll.com had Florida State winning it all in 2017.

Fisher leaves with an overall record of 83–23, an ACC mark of 48–17, and a bowl/playoffs record of 5-2.

Bowden announced his retirement from Florida State on December 2, 2009 after essentially being forced out by the school he put on the map

"The bowl game will be my last game as head football coach at Florida State," said Bobby Bowden. "It's been a great 34 seasons." The Seminoles went on to defeat West Virginia in the Gator Bowl 33-21. Fisher, the Seminoles' head coach-in-waiting, took the reigns after the game.

Bowden received National Coach of the Year honors 6 times. His teams won national championships in 1993 (AP, Coaches' polls) and 1999 (BCS). In his final season, Bowden guided Florida State (7-6) to 28 consecutive bowl appearances as his teams won an NCAA-record 11 consecutive bowls from 1985-1995. He had 14 straight 10-win seasons from 1987-2000, and 14 consecutive top-5 finishes in the AP poll. His inaugural season at Florida State (1976) was his only losing campaign at that school and he had just two losing seasons in his entire 44-year career, the first coming at West Virginia when he was 4-7 in 1974.

A victory over the visiting Warhawks this week will prevent the Seminoles from suffering their first losing campaign since Bowden's first season in Tallahassee.

See: Coaching Changes