Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

Who really knows? Is he a special coach? One of those 'chosen ones' that can get it done? I mean, a guy like Gene Chizik can win one if he lucks into a Cam Newton/Nick Fairley season (and we don't have one of the most snake-bitten games in Iron Bowl history). No offense to Coach Stallings, who I revere, but you can go from being really good to truly great with the '92 defense at Alabama. So Jimbo, who understands all of this better than most, could certainly win one at aTm. But he could also be run of the mill and have the ceiling fall on him with all the pressure the PTB's in College Station are putting on him to deliver and deliver quickly.

rtr

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

I believe this is a good observation mick and I agree the jury is still out on Fisher and will be for a while. The year after he won the NC with Winston he got totally embarrassed by Oregon in the first playoff series. One and done and sustainable success are two completely different animals.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

PA Tide Fan said:

I used to think Jimbo was a good coach but after watching him lose control of things at FSU last season I'm not so sure he can build TAMU football into what the fans there expect.

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Jimbo checked out early last year. He spent the later part of the season plotting his exit.
The potential is there for great success, but can he be disciplined enough to do what needs to be done when the fats in the fire?

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

when was this giant awake the last time...before the great depression?

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

Sleeping giant?! Since when were they ever giant?


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Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

UntouchableCrew said:

I think people are underestimating a few factors.

A) A&M's recent "success" has been during one of the worst periods of recent UT history. UT looks to be coming back under Herman.

B) Right after A&M joined the SEC they experienced a lot of buzz and momentum in the state of Texas. Recruiting indicates that has ebbed a bit.

That said, it's a talent rich state, an extremely wealthy program, and Jimbo is a good coach. There's no reason they shouldn't be in the mix for #2 in the SEC West every year. But the expectations are sky high. The pressure for Jimbo to succeed on a large scale immediately is immense. I think he had a better thing going at FSU than he realizes, facilities/money or not...

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This was the first thing that came to mind for me. A&M was in a good position during their first couple of years in the SEC and seem to have blown it a bit. The sleeping giant stirred a little then rolled back over. Other schools took advantage of UT's issues as well.

A&M is a big school with big money in an area with a lot of talent and being in the SEC is a big draw to many recruits so they still have a chance. I don't know much about Fisher as a coach.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

Since TAMU joined the SEC, their national reputation and referring to them as a "sleeping giant" has been based solely on the 2012 Alabama game. It also made Sumlin a rock star HC. Maybe Fisher can bring them to the "promised land, time will tell.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

JBama_in_PCOLA said:

Sleeping giant?! Since when were they ever giant?


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In 2012 they became a Paper Giant because of Manziel and beating Alabama and finishing 11-2.
Since then it's been 9-4, 8-5, 8-5, 8-5, 7-6.

Before Johnny Football they were 7-6, 4-8, 6-7, 9-4, 7-6.

aTm has gained more notoriety, and fortune from that one game, one player, and one season than any non-championship winning team in any sport ever.

They are a "Potential" giant because of money and location.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

UntouchableCrew said:

I think people are underestimating a few factors.

A) A&M's recent "success" has been during one of the worst periods of recent UT history. UT looks to be coming back under Herman.

B) Right after A&M joined the SEC they experienced a lot of buzz and momentum in the state of Texas. Recruiting indicates that has ebbed a bit.

That said, it's a talent rich state, an extremely wealthy program, and Jimbo is a good coach. There's no reason they shouldn't be in the mix for #2 in the SEC West every year. But the expectations are sky high. The pressure for Jimbo to succeed on a large scale immediately is immense. I think he had a better thing going at FSU than he realizes, facilities/money or not...

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1- I think Strong had a bigger impact on UT that Herman is taking credit for now...that will ebb again.
2- Jimbo is a great recruiter which he learned from the master. Talent will be overflowing at TAMU very soon under Fisher.
3- You can say that again - Free Shoes, Crableggs and more talent within shouting distance than most in a historically crappy conference.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

GrayTide said:

Since TAMU joined the SEC, their national reputation and referring to them as a "sleeping giant" has been based solely on the 2012 Alabama game. It also made Sumlin a rock star HC. Maybe Fisher can bring them to the "promised land, time will tell.

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Sorry for such a similar post. I believe I type slower and make more spelling mistakes. lol

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

There are only two football teams who should dominate Texas college football and Baylor/TCU/Texas Tech are not them. If they can get the right HC I think they can dominate the State of Texas (simply because of SEC clout) but that is not dominating the SEC. They should be in the mix for SEC titles, though.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

IMO, CJF is a good recruiter, QB coach and play caller, a decent but overrated HC. He can have good seasons, but at this point, I don't see any reason to fear. Maybe the rest of the SEC West, but not Alabama.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

Why is everyone so high on Herman? What has he proven?

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

BamaInBham said:

IMO, CJF is a good recruiter, QB coach and play caller, a decent but overrated HC. He can have good seasons, but at this point, I don't see any reason to fear. Maybe the rest of the SEC West, but not Alabama.

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Depends on what recruits and what kinda team he is allowed to build. Auburn still is a threat to us and I don’t see any sane person putting Gus and Auburn recruiting in the same zip code of Alabama. The right kinda talent can win you games.

I think it’s very possible for aTm to take LSU’s sport as 2 or 3 in the West with a shot at Bama for the right to Atlanta.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

JBama_in_PCOLA said:

Sleeping giant?! Since when were they ever giant?


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russtang said:

In 2012 they became a Paper Giant because of Manziel and beating Alabama and finishing 11-2.
Since then it's been 9-4, 8-5, 8-5, 8-5, 7-6.

Before Johnny Football they were 7-6, 4-8, 6-7, 9-4, 7-6.

aTm has gained more notoriety, and fortune from that one game, one player, and one season than any non-championship winning team in any sport ever.

They are a "Potential" giant because of money and location.

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I think the best way to understand "sleeping giant" is to acknowledge someone has not reached the potential they might could.

I think by that definition Texas A&M is a sleeping giant.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

russtang said:

Sorry for such a similar post. I believe I type slower and make more spelling mistakes. lol

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Not a problem. We understand that while the potential is there, it will take more than beating Alabama once every 5-6 years to be considered a national contender.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

Tide&True said:

. . . two more Natties

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Not you, too.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

81usaf92 said:

Depends on what recruits and what kinda team he is allowed to build. Auburn still is a threat to us and I don’t see any sane person putting Gus and Auburn recruiting in the same zip code of Alabama. The right kinda talent can win you games.

I think it’s very possible for aTm to take LSU’s sport as 2 or 3 in the West with a shot at Bama for the right to Atlanta.

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When I say that A&M will not be a threat, I don't mean they can never beat Alabama or win a title, several can, just that it will be occasionally at most - like AU. IMO, they, nor anyone else will threaten Bama for supremacy in the West in the next few years. LSU and AU have won the West in the last 10 years, but neither are a threat at this point to unseat Bama as the king. LSU was a threat until ~2016. LSU could become that again with the right coach, though for the moment they have become a buffoon. UGA (sitting on a talent motherlode) and UF (Mullen is a very good strategist and play caller, with good talent, even though he is not a good recruiter) could become SEC threats.

Re: Will Jimbo finally awaken "the sleeping giant" that is Texas A&M Football?

GrayTide said:

Since TAMU joined the SEC, their national reputation and referring to them as a "sleeping giant" has been based solely on the 2012 Alabama game.

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Actually I think I used that exact same phrase (or something very similar) prior to their joining the SEC. At that point some were arguing A&M was beneath the SEC's standards, and I think we can both agree that wasn't really accurate.

Jimbo probably puts them closer to it, but it is basically a comment on resources available. Texas is also a sleeping giant really, and one has to wonder why they can't put those resources to work either. The counter would probably be something about boosters in the state mixed with the type of talent the state produces that makes it harder to put the abundant resources to use. I can't really pin it down though, but the state of Florida figured it out and had a few decades of amazing results. I would not put it past the state of Texas to do the same.

Just to be clear, from what I recall Texas is usually first or second in producing D1 talent. Florida is usually the main rival, look at the ascension of Florida, FSU, and Miami as an example of what can happen when that talent is put to good use. The thing that Texas (and Texas A&M) has what Florida doesn't necessarily have (in particular Miami and FSU where their athletic departments haven't always been flush with cash) is lots, and lot of money. Texas and Texas A&M are two of the richest universities. So, in theory they can do what the state of Florida does, but they can pay their coaches more and have better facilities. Isn't that exactly why Jimbo is there?

Why this potential is rarely realized within the state is a very good question, but if someone really puts it together they could be scary.