The hiring of Jimbo Fisher was the most Texas A&M move ever. So was the firing.
The Aggies dumped Fisher on Sunday, despite $76 million left on his contract. Former athletic director Scott Woodward hired Fisher in 2017 to a record contract -- 10 years, $75 million, fully guaranteed. Current athletic director Ross Bjork reworked the deal after the 2020 season, the only one in which the team finished in the top 15 nationally (No. 4) under Fisher.
Since 2020, when the Aggies went 8-1 during an SEC-only schedule before beating North Carolina in the Orange Bowl, it had become clear that Fisher wouldn't get Texas A&M to the next level. He's lost four or more games in every year except that one, failing to turn top-ranked recruiting classes and Texas A&M's vast resources into on-field success. He finishes 45-25 in nearly six seasons at the school.
Texas A&M enters a quiet coaching market as the first power conference team to make a change based on team performance. The school could look for another splashy national name like Fisher, who brought a national championship and three ACC titles from Florida State to College Station. It could seek a coach more rooted in the state and the region than Fisher was or seemingly cared to be. The school likely will examine a variety of models, including what's happening at rival Texas, to see what works.
Will money matter, especially after the historic payout to Fisher and his staff?
"At some point, it has to," an industry source said.
Texas A&M has underachieved year after year, having never made the College Football Playoff and having gone without a conference title since 1998. There's no reason that should happen at a major program in Texas with plenty of financial backing. Texas A&M hasn't had consecutive AP top-10 finishes since a streak of three straight from 1992 to 1994.
"It's a national place," a coaching agent said. "It's different than a Baylor or a TCU. But you've got to recruit Texas."
At first blush, Texas A&M's candidate pool isn't overly deep, in part because the school likely will target established coaches. But Texas A&M is a wealthy, ambitious, unpredictable and volatile place, so a lot of things are possible.
Here's a look at eight possible coaching candidates for the Aggies.
The top tier
Duke coach Mike Elko: He was Fisher's top assistant from 2018 to 2021, boosting Texas A&M's defense and putting himself in position to lead his own program. Elko, 46, won ACC Coach of the Year honors in his debut season at Duke in 2022, going 9-4 and 5-3 in league play. This season, Duke started 4-0 and rose into the top 20 before injuries began piling up, but Elko is extremely respected around the coaching profession. Elko is a New Jersey native and Penn grad, but his time with the program and others around the country -- Notre Dame, Wake Forest -- makes him an appealing candidate. Elko's salary is not available because Duke is a private school, but likely wouldn't be cost-prohibitive for Texas A&M.
UTSA coach Jeff Traylor: Unless Texas A&M pulls R.C. Slocum out of retirement, no candidate would better connect with the school and its fan base than Traylor, an East Texas native who built his career as a star high school coach in the state. Traylor led Gilmer High to three state championships and two runner-up finishes, while winning Texas high school coach of the year honors four times. Few coaches are more beloved in the Texas high school ranks. The 55-year-old made a smooth transition to college football and has made an incredible impact at UTSA, which has quickly risen into the American Athletic Conference. Traylor led the Roadrunners to consecutive Conference USA titles, winning league coach of the year honors in 2021 and 2022. After a slow start to this season, UTSA is 5-0 in AAC play. Traylor would be a smart and financially sensible hire for a school that hasn't checked those boxes at times.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning: Oregon's hire of Lanning after the 2021 season surprised some, but it has so far been a home run. Lanning has maintained Oregon's trajectory in recruiting while arguably elevating it on the field. The Ducks are a contender for possibly their first CFP appearance since the inaugural event in 2014. Lanning is 19-4 at the school, recording an AP No. 15 finish and a Holiday Bowl win in 2022. The only knock against him has been rivalry games, as three of his four losses came against Washington or Oregon State. Lanning also has SEC ties after serving as Georgia's defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021, after joining the staff in 2018. The 37-year-old was rewarded by Oregon with a contract extension earlier this year that includes a $20 million buyout.
Best of the rest
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin: Could the Lane Train roll into College Station? Bjork left Ole Miss before the Rebels hired Kiffin, but he is certainly familiar with his work. Kiffin is 31-15 with the Rebels, including a Sugar Bowl appearance and a No. 11 finish in 2021. The 48-year-old remains one of the nation's top quarterback coaches and offensive playcallers, and could capitalize on Texas A&M's NIL setup and other advantages. Kiffin's lucrative new contract, awarded after interest from Auburn last season, could give Texas A&M a bit of pause, as could his 19-13 SEC record and record against AP top-five opponents (1-11 in his career). But Kiffin would certainly bring excitement to Aggieland.
Washington coach Kalen DeBoer: Any deep-pocketed program with a coaching vacancy would be crazy not to pursue DeBoer, who has Washington positioned for a possible Pac-12 title and CFP appearance. He's 21-2 in his second season with the Huskies after going 12-6 at Fresno State. The 49-year-old from small-town South Dakota has quickly become one of the nation's top offensive minds and program builders. He's extremely happy at Washington, though, and might be leery of the volatility around Texas A&M's program. DeBoer has spent his career in the Midwest, Plains and West Coast, and might not see A&M as the best fit, especially with Washington headed to the Big Ten in 2024.
TCU coach Sonny Dykes: As time goes on, Dykes' ability to get TCU to the national title game in his first season at the school will be appreciated even more. The 2022 national coach of the year grew up in Texas and knows the state extremely well. Like Traylor, he would be able to connect well with Aggies alums, and he already has so many key built-in relationships around the state. Dykes, 54, has two 10-win seasons in his career and solid runs at both SMU and Louisiana Tech, sandwiched around a 19-30 stretch at Cal. TCU's struggles this season could hurt his candidacy, though, and an 88-71 overall record might not pop enough. Dykes is also extremely happy at TCU and might not want any part of the pressure cooker in Aggieland.
Kansas State coach Chris Klieman: After the Fisher experiment failed, Texas A&M might be best served just finding a really good coach, even if he's not overly flashy. Klieman, 56, certainly checks those boxes. He led Kansas State to the 2022 Big 12 title and boasts a 37-23 mark at the school, which includes several signature wins over Oklahoma. Klieman won four FCS national championships at North Dakota State before taking the K-State job. His teams play a sound, physical brand that would resonate with Texas A&M after the Fisher era. Although Klieman hasn't coached in Texas, his time in the Big 12 has increased his connection to the state and the region.
Penn State coach James Franklin: A move to Texas A&M may be a stretch, given Franklin's continued struggles against Michigan and Ohio State, as well as a lucrative and secure contract with Penn State. But maybe a fresh start could help both sides. Franklin won a Big Ten title in his second season at PSU, and has four AP top 10 finishes at the program. The 51-year-old also brings some SEC success after a brief but historic run at Vanderbilt, which went 24-15 during his three seasons and has no winning seasons since. Franklin is an excellent program CEO, which Texas A&M certainly needs, and a strong recruiter. His big-game and in-game shortcomings aren't a secret, though, and Texas A&M might want a hotter candidate.