“Kevin Sherrington’s A La Carte” is a weekly newsletter curated by DMN sports columnist Kevin Sherrington where he hits all of the latest sports topics around North Texas and all major sports. Sign up for the Ticket Ticker newsletter to receive exclusive content from Kevin Sherrington every week. Read an excerpt from this week’s newsletter below.
Kevin Sherrington’s A La Carte
— Considering Texas A&M officials fired Jimbo Fisher only hours after he beat Mississippi State by 41 points, what would they have done if he’d won by just 31? What if he’d lost? Probably tipped him another $10 million for making it seem justifiable. Except for Jimbo’s financial planner, there were no winners Saturday at Kyle Field. Mississippi State officials, in an apparent act of solidarity, fired Zach Arnett on Monday. If you were wondering, it’s not even the first time both coaches in a college football game have been fired. Happened just four years ago after an Ole Miss-Mississippi State game. But it’s the first time any coach got $76 million to sit on his couch. That, friends, is a record that will never be broken.
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— Arnett, on the other hand, will reportedly have to live with a severance of $4.5 million. Maybe less, depending on future employment. Jimbo gets every last penny no matter what. For instance, he told a TV station last year that he would “never say never” about finishing his career at West Virginia, where he’s from and where he recently purchased a home. His alma mater could get him on the cheap and use the money saved to pay off the $12.7 million they’d owe Neal Brown, who should keep his head on a swivel.
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— Speaking of which, if I’m Ross Bjork, Jimbo’s former boss and patron, I wouldn’t take out any magazine subscriptions. Maybe you remember that, before the 2021 season, Bjork gave Jimbo a raise from $7.5 million to $9 million and extended his contract through 2031. He panicked when it looked like Scott Woodward, who hired Jimbo at A&M, might lure him away to LSU. Bjork should have simply called Jimmy Sexton’s bluff. Instead of having to pay Jimbo $76 million to go away now, the Aggies would have only had to scrape up $30 million. And even that would still be a record.
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— Under terms of the severance, after an initial lump sum of $19 million due within 60 days, Jimbo will receive an annual payment of about $7 million beginning 120 days from his dismissal. Which, by my math, makes every March 12 for the next eight years Jimbo Fisher Day, the Aggies’ answer to Bobby Bonilla Day.
— Why fire Jimbo now? Besides the fact the Aggies aren’t getting what they paid for, you have to think Texas’ run at the College Football Playoff this year, not to mention the Longhorns’ imminent arrival in the SEC, played a part, if not a thorn.
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— Oregon’s Dan Lanning is considered a candidate at A&M, although why he’d leave Nike U, where he’s making $7 million now and will be making $8M by 2028, is beyond me. For that matter, does A&M really want to pay Lanning and Jimbo $9M each? Duke’s Mike Elko, a former DC at A&M, seems a more affordable candidate. Same for Jeff Traylor, who’s done wonders at UTSA, and they wouldn’t have to pay moving expenses, either. He’d crawl to College Station.
More from Kevin Sherrington
— Why the Cowboys’ predictable blowout of the Giants means little in the big picture
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— Texas continues to build a good playoff résumé. Will it be enough for CFP committee?
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Sherrington: Why did Texas A&M pick right now to fire Jimbo Fisher?
