re: Jimbo Fisher Staff Thread

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Liucci 5:21p
Not a done deal yet but all signs point to this thing happening for Jimbo FIsher and Texas A&M. I'm not trying to create panic in the streets over here but certainly want to point out that this is still a developing story and negotiations are ongoing.

In other words, as the Aggies and Aranda's agents and/or lawyers are probably hammering out the details but, while that's going on, you can better your bottom dollar (and LSU is betting a lof them) that Joe Alleva and the Bayou Bengal brass are doing everything they can to attempt to convince the coveted defensive coordinator to remain in Baton Rouge.

However, as I said earlier today, it really doesn't appear to be about the money with Dave Aranda. It's been well-documented that things are quite dysfunctional at LSU under Ed O and the general feeling around Baton Rouge is that Orgeron is the captain of a sinking ship. It's probably a fairly safe bet that no one knows that more than folks like Aranda and outgoing OC Matt Canada (who was there for all of one year).

When the dust settles, I think what everyone is going to realize is that Aranda will make roughly the same in year one as he would have on the Bayou, get a modest bump in year two and a more substantial raise prior to the 2020 season in what I'm hearing will be a three-year deal. But remember, we're talking about a raise over what he's CURRENTLY making at LSU...not what the Tigers are in the process of countering with today. That's why the original thought (and my response to a poster in The Zoo two weeks ago said as much) was that while Aranda and Alabama's Jeremy Pruitt would be the two best hires, pulling away LSU's DC for the second time in three years would be too tough a get.

In addition to paying the buyout, the Ags would have to not only give him a raise but subsequently match and exceed LSU's counter-offer. That really doesn't appear as if it will be the case and common sense doesn't fail you on this one if you're wondering how in the world the A&M side would know that. Aranda wants the Texas A&M job, he wants to work under Jimbo Fisher and he loves the fact that he'll be able to construct a defensive staff of his own (though I've actually heard that he's less worried about which coaches are on board than you'd think, instead trusting Fisher to go out and put together an all-star cast).

With that said, expect things to fall into place VERY quickly on defense after the deal finally gets done. As far as reports that Fisher and the Aggies were originally turned down by their primary target, those were patently false. When word finally leaked to LSU sources that their DC was an A&M target (and I have a very good idea how that happened), the Tiger brass sprung into action and leaked the story that Aranda was staying to a couple of outlets. Notice there was never a quote from Aranda and it was eerily similar to the reports coming out of Red Stick when John Chavis was 'staying put.' A lot of folks jumped on that and took it as gospel.

Don't expect any of them to admit that they were wrong today but, following the report, even a couple of A&M outlets were telling anyone who would listen that Aranda had turned A&M down or wasn't even a target, basing it solely on what they were hearing from Baton Rouge sources because, frankly, they were shut out of this search from the start and can probably thank you guys, the incredible posters of this site, for any type of road map they were attempting to follow. That was never the case, as Aranda didn't turn A&M down. Neither did Notre Dame's Mike Elko, for that matter, as he probably would have taken the job today were it not Aranda. Hell, in a perfect world, word of Aranda being the target does not leak until he's either signed or not in case the Ags needed to continue to keep a second or even third option on the hook.

So here we sit, waiting on things to become official and for one of the most respected and truly elite defensive coordinators in the game to leave a division rival and come to Aggieland in hopes of bringing championship defense back to Texas A&M. The irony here is that I can virtually assure you that LSU is going to offer more money than the Aggies are willing to reach up to pay but it doesn't sound as if that's going to matter, as this deal may very well have been done once Aranda realized he could have the job if he wanted it.

I'm not ready to call this one yet but feel very good about it and will certainly let you guys know when a deal is inked.

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