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Jimbo Fisher received a new contract extension and signed it Tuesday before Florida State boarded its flight for Pasadena.
"We are extremely pleased with the direction of our program and believe that this new contract will assure that Coach Fisher is in place to lead the Seminoles for a long time to come," said Wilcox. "Coach Fisher enjoys the full support of the leadership of the university and we look forward to the continued success of our football program on the field and in the classroom."
'I think there's a sense of relief that it's done. anytime you're one of the top coaches in the country and there's a top program that's open, you're going to be on the list. Texas can go and get basically anybody they want. But I know Jimbo, he's a Seminole.' -- Wilcox via Ralph Russo.
Fisher was asked about the new deal in the opening BCS Press Conference, the transcript of which has been provided by the BCS.
I was wondering about the timing of that, why now, and what's your feelings on getting that taken care of?
JIMBO FISHER: Well, it was because I didn't get the contract until Saturday. I mean, we had agreed upon terms long ago during the season, but when lawyers get involved you know how things can take a little while. It wasn't anything bad. It was just a matter of dotting I's, crossing T's and getting -- and we practiced all the way up until we got here, coming on the trip, and I was leaving at 6:30 in the morning, I was getting home at 11:30, I wasn't thinking about anything. We got the contract, so today was the first time I had a chance to sign it and I gave it to Stan and very happy and that's what we agreed upon during the season, toward the end of the season, and very proud of that and very happy to be at Florida State.
Jimbo, about that contract, how satisfying is it for them to show that commitment to you, and what does it say about your commitment to Florida State?
JIMBO FISHER: Well, it does. Like I say, I'm very happy to be there, they're very happy to have me. Hopefully that relationship will go on for a long time. We had a great year. I love working there, love being there, and very comfortable there.
Going back to those days at Samford, did you ever envision signing the kind of contract that you just signed? Did you ever envision having the kind of success that you're having right now?
JIMBO FISHER: I couldn't even pay rent. Candi thinks that's why I had to start dating her. She had a job. I was a poor football coach. No, we laugh about that sometimes. I was a GA and became the quarterback, I was an offensive coordinator and we went to the I AA national semifinals, I AA quarterfinals and I made $15,000 a year. You know what's funny? I was as happy as I ever was. I mean, I'm happy now, but because you coach -- I believe this: You coach because you love doing it, and I always tell folks that want to get in coaching, go live without it and see if you can. If you can't, come back and coach because it's too much of a lifestyle, it's too much of a commitment to you, your family and to these guys. Because I'm going to tell you something, if you're not working at it 16, 18 hours a day, you're cheating these guys because they're putting their futures in your hands. It's too competitive, it's too hard and you truly have to love the game to me to be one of the guys that makes it successful, and that's what I always love, I always loved the game and never envisioned myself out of it. To me, it was funny, those were some of the most happy times in my life back then, even though we were making $15,000 a year, just coaching ball and happy and proud I was trying to be a college football coach.
