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FSU Football: Nick Saban used to test Jimbo Fisher at LSU

By Kelvin Hunt

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - OCTOBER 08: Head coach Jimbo Fisher of the Florida State Seminoles looks on during a game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium on October 8, 2016 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - OCTOBER 08: Head coach Jimbo Fisher of the Florida State Seminoles looks on during a game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium on October 8, 2016 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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FSU football is now in full game planning for Alabama and will play in primetime Saturday night.

It’s elite program against elite program and elite coach against elite coach when FSU football takes on Alabama Saturday night.

One of the storylines going into the game is the fact Jimbo Fisher was Nick Saban’s offensive coordinator on the 2003 LSU team that won the national title.

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Fisher has talked about it recently, how he’d have to prepare the offense each week at practice while going up against Saban’s defenses.

However, there’s information we didn’t know until former LSU quarterback Matt Mauck spoke with SECcountry.com about the dynamics of their relationship:

“I know Jimbo told me Nick would give him the practice script 30 minutes before practice, and Jimbo would have to script like 100 plays in 30 minutes,” Mauck said. “At the time, you’re going through it, and you’re like, ‘God, this sucks.’ But I think what [Saban] was trying to do was to get [Fisher] to have to think on his feet. If he could do it now, when it came to game time, it would just be second nature to him.”

Thoughts

Wow! Fisher is known as one of the best offensive play callers in the game, and consistently has top rated offenses. In fact, here’s a list of how Fisher’s offenses have fared since he took over as head coach at FSU:

  • 2010-No. 16
  • 2011-No. 48
  • 2012-No. 10
  • 2013-No. 1
  • 2014-No. 16
  • 2015-No. 25
  • 2016-No. 2

That’s a 16.8 average over seven years, not to mention the first couple of years featured players from the Bobby Bowden regime that were not of typical FSU caliber.

Another storyline is the fact that Alabama’s defensive coordinator held that title at FSU during the 2013 national championship season. Jeremy Pruitt is familiar with Fisher and vice versa, so it will be game of adjustments Fisher is more than prepared for thanks to Saban’s antics over a decade ago.

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Fisher went up against Saban in 2007 during his first season as FSU offensive coordinator and Saban’s first year as head coach of Alabama.

The ‘Noles win 21-14, could we see a repeat of that Saturday night?

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