Former coach Jimbo Fisher makes a tearful return to Florida Sate's campus

Audio By Carbonatix

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Jimbo Fisher was brought to tears while returning to Florida State's campus for the first time since resigning to take the Texas A&M coaching job in 2017.

Fisher, now an ACC Network analyst, was wildly cheered at the start of the network's pregame show outside Doak Campbell Stadium. He turned in his chair, did the tomahawk chop to the crowd of garnet-clad fans and started to cry.

“Brings tears to my eyes,” Fisher said. “Remember your family growing up here and hearing that chant. When you heard it, something to it.

“The players, the memories. It’s Miami week.”

Fisher moved back to Tallahassee after Texas A&M fired him in 2023. But he hadn't stepped foot on campus until his job brought him back.

Fisher coached at Florida State for 10 years (2007-17), first as an offensive coordinator and then as head-coach-in-waiting before taking over for legend Bobby Bowden in January 2010. He won a national title in 2013 in the middle of a three-year run of capturing ACC championships.

He was hired in July as an analyst with ACC Network.

“I always loved Florida State,” Fisher said Friday while meeting with reporters. “Florida State was home. It’s very surreal. I got butterflies. The antsy in your stomach of coming back because it meant so much to you.”

Fisher predicted Florida State would beat Miami on a “wide middle” field-goal attempt.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football