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Mike Martin says it’s still weird.

The longtime Florida State baseball coach was neighbors -- and friends -- with former football coach Jimbo Fisher for the past decade. And earlier this week, he said there are moments when he momentarily forgets Fisher has moved on to College Station, Texas.

“Jimbo and I lived in the same neighborhood -- I still live here, so that’s why I said ‘lived,’” Martin said with a laugh. “But it still feels weird when I approach the roundabout of looking to my left, wondering if he’s on the way to work. And it’s just, it’s just still a little different knowing that he’s no longer here.

“But it’s certainly encouraging to know that we have Willie Taggart here as our football coach.”

Martin met with Taggart for a few minutes on the day the former Oregon coach was officially introduced at Florida State. He didn’t talk for long with the 41-year-old, but he came away mighty impressed.

“It was wonderful just to see he was so proud to be the football coach at Florida State,” Martin said. “When I could see how excited he was to be the new coach, it just brought back memories. I feel that way every single day, but let’s face it -- it brings back memories to when I was named head baseball coach (when Taggart was about 3 years old). It brought back memories to how proud I was to be a Seminole. ...

"And to see that kind of excitement, it just did my heart good.”

Martin, of course, had a very good relationship with Fisher. Martin’s son, FSU assistant baseball coach Mike Martin Jr., was one of his best friends in town. Fisher is a big baseball fan, and it was common to see him at Dick Hoswer Stadium each spring. Sometimes in the stands, sometimes in the dugout.