Fisher officially named Head-Coach-In-Waiting

Florida State Unviersity today announced an agreement in principle for a succession plan that elevates offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher to head football coach when Bobby Bowden retires.

The university and Bowden are finalizing a one-year contract. In connection with that contract, an agreement designating Fisher as head-coach-in-waiting will soon be finalized.

"We should have all of that completed within the next couple of weeks," said Bill Proctor, the university's interim athletics director. "I am pleased that in my discussions with coaches Bowden and Fisher and President Wetherell, we have come to an agreement in principle on this succession plan."

"We believe this plan insures that our football program is stable and competitive at the very highest level now and in the future," Proctor said.

"Other universities around the country have implemented succession plans for head coaches in various sports. The University of Wisconsin is a recent example of that happening in Division I college football.

Bowden praised the plan, saying: "I've known Jimbo Fisher for a long time. I've followed his career at several different levels. I've seen him succeed everywhere he has been. Since he's been with us, I've seen the elements in him that it takes to be a head football coach. Apparently, our administration has seen the same thing."

"I think Jimbo's willingness to wait here while being chased for every job available speaks volumes about both him and this program," Bowden said. "Florida State is a great university and I think we've taken steps to keep our program among the very finest in the country."

"I am humbled and honored by this announcement," Fisher said. "I said when I came here that I wanted to learn under the best coach in the history of college football and I'm doing that."

"I'm happy and excited," he said. "Is there anything more valuable than spending time coaching under Bobby Bowden and with the assistant coaches that we have here at Florida State? Bobby Bowden is still the head coach and I'm lucky enough to still be the offensive coordinator and the whole staff is out there riht now making sure we sign players that want to compete for championships."