Everything around college football has been rapidly changing.
From major conference realignment moves, to the expansion of the postseason, new media rights deals, many programs undergoing regime changes, and more, there can be a perceived bit of unfamiliarity around a sport that so many have grown up to love.
However, the sport is still the same one that we know: 22 men in different colored jerseys trying to move or prevent a football from reaching the end of a field. Over the years, different strategies have evolved to create the most efficient manner to do it, but those who haven't been able to adapt and evolve with how the game has changed risk being left behind.
That was the case with former Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher, who was fired near the end of the 2023 season after two underwhelming seasons in 2022 and 2023. As part of his contract, A&M owed Fisher the remainder of his $76 million agreement he had with the team, which was extended in 2021.
Many would see the dollar amount that Fisher was to be rewarded to be enough to walk away from the sport for the rest of their careers, but what keeps many of them interested in football is the game itself.
According to ESPN's Peter Burns, the former A&M head coach may be looking to make a return to coaching in 2025.
"There is only so much you can hunt and fish before you want to get back in," Fisher said on Monday on ESPN Radio.
While it's highly unlikely Fisher would be joining the Texas A&M coaching staff, there are many other programs that going into the 2024 season have their coaches on the "hot seat."
In the SEC, Sam Pittman and Billy Napier at Arkansas and Florida respectively are at major crossroads when it comes to their futures in their programs as their records have declined in the past couple of years. About two hours north from College Station, Dave Aranda at Baylor also faces a challenge to make strides to improve or be faced with a potential dismissal as he has gone 9-16 since winning a Big 12 title with the Bears in 2021.
For people like Fisher, opportunities also exist outside of the game. In fact, people with connections to the former A&M head coach have found their own spaces in the broadcast space of the game.
Former offensive line coach Steve Addazio has joined ESPN's commentator crew as an analyst for the upcoming season, and Nick Saban, who Fisher famously feuded with in 2022 over allegations of "buying" players, is an analyst for College GameDay.
Saban and the rest of the College GameDay crew will be in College Station for the first week of the season when the Aggies welcome Notre Dame to town for a primetime matchup in the first match of Mike Elko's tenure as A&M's new head coach.