FSU Football: Would Jimbo Fisher Depart If ‘Noles Win 2016 National Title?

If FSU football is able to bring home their second national title in a four season period, will head coach Jimbo Fisher decide to move on to a new job?

For 34 seasons, FSU football fans become spoiled in a sense by having the same man patrol the sidelines. Bobby Bowden’s time with the program will be remembered for what he did in building the ‘Noles into what they are today: a national power.

After Bowden’s departure following the 2009 season, Jimbo Fisher took over and immediately began the rebuilding process. In his six seasons, all Fisher has done is produced five years of 10+ wins, three ACC titles, a national title and a 11-1 record over rivals Florida and Miami.

While it is safe for fans of the ‘Noles to say that the program is “back”, it’s also safe to bet that Fisher won’t be the head coach of the Seminoles for another 28 seasons. The cold reality is that the current state of football coaching doesn’t lean in that direction.

With the Seminoles one of the teams being mentioned as a favorite to not only win the ACC but also make it into the College Football Playoff, Fisher is going to continue to be a hot commodity. Last year, it was LSU reportedly ready to dump Les Miles and bring Fisher back to the place he was an assistant at before coming to Tallahassee.

Over the summer, Fisher revealed that he had received interest and offers from some NFL teams, both as an assistant and head coach. All of that is believable considering where FSU football is right now…and scary for those of us that root for the Garnet and Gold.

With that, the question is simple: does a national title in 2016 serve as the catalyst for Fisher to depart for either another big name school or the NFL?

Call me someone who is blinded by loyalty, but I believe Fisher when he says he would like to finish his career coaching the ‘Noles. At the same time, call me a realist who has heard coaches say one thing and do the other (FSU fans who also root for the Miami Dolphins still hate Nick Saban for his moves after the 2006 season after continued denials).

If the Seminoles do win the ACC, make it back to the playoff system in 2016 and bring home the title, Fisher will have done something in four seasons that it took Bowden 24 seasons to do: win two national titles in Tallahassee. An argument will be made that he will have overtaken the legend as the best coach to ever grace the Doak Campbell Stadium sidelines.

It could also be the last time we see him in charge of the ‘Noles.

Of course, it’s easy to say something like this now before the season has even begun in both college and pro football. We have no idea how teams will do and what openings will be out there come next January.

After his recent family issues, Fisher seems determined to be close to his kids – something that helps the argument of him staying in Tallahassee at least for the next five to seven years so they can stay in the same city for school.

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Add to that the fact that almost all the major college programs and NFL teams in the region (Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina and North Carolina) either just hired new coaches or have long term situations that mean they won’t be looking to change any time soon.

Fisher has said that it would have to be a perfect situation for him to leave (i.e. full control over decision and personnel). In the end, Fisher may decide that being the man who runs virtually everything in Tallahassee from the football side is light years better than being a coach/GM in the NFL and still having to answer to a team president and owner who handles the money.

That being said, another title – a second title in four seasons – could have a team at either level willing to back up the armored truck and unloaded whatever amount of money it would take to make Fisher have to say yes. There is a reason FSU boosters and school alumni are getting continuously called to give money: we’ve got to keep Jimbo happy and wanting to stay put.

The bottom line is this: as much as we all hope that Fisher stays until he is in his early 70’s and has won a dozen more titles, FSU football fans need to be prepared for the real possibility that he may not be here for another three decades like his predecessor. We would love to be wrong on this one, though.