With Florida State opening spring practice under new head coach Willie Taggart in exactly two weeks, it's time to put the finishing touches on our look back at Jimbo Fisher's fascinating tenure in Tallahassee.
During his 11 years at FSU -- three as offensive coordinator and the final eight as head coach -- Fisher pulled off the impressive feat of following a legend in Bobby Bowden and leading the Seminoles on a brilliant resurgence. He won a national title, recruited a future Heisman Trophy winner, developed some of the best players in school history, and brought sustained success back to a program that had experienced several sub-par seasons.
Earlier, we reflected on the good, bad and ugly interactions Fisher had with the fans, boosters, administration and media. Those experiences were detailed in The Jimbo Chronicles: Part I | Part II | Part III.
In our final three pieces, we'll take a closer look at Fisher's rise and fall in Tallahassee. How he accomplished the rare feat of following a legend and enjoying immediate success, how the program began to slide after the 2013 national championship, and how Fisher's tenure spiraled out of control in the final few months.
In Part I, we break down the keys to Fisher's quick turnaround. How he took a program that had won just seven games in three of Bobby Bowden final four campaigns and immediately began rattling off 10-win seasons.
FSU's record in the final five seasons under Bowden was 38-27. The Seminoles' record in the first five seasons under Fisher was 58-11.
A head start: Identifying the issues
The Head Coach In Waiting concept has long been debated, and mostly ridiculed and maligned. But for Florida State -- and maybe just for Florida State -- it actually worked with Jimbo Fisher.
Because he was the offensive coordinator for three years, Fisher saw the inner workings of the program, and he knew the minute he took over what needed to be fixed.
Upgrades were made in facilities, in recruiting practices, in nutrition, in practice and preparation. Quite frankly, Fisher modernized what was a stale, out-of-date football program.
Beginning with his first August as the offensive coordinator at Florida State, Fisher realized FSU needed an indoor-practice facility.
Bobby Bowden won two national titles without one, sure, but that was in a different era. It was before the ACC had improved from top to bottom, making practice time and player development crucial in every single week of the season.
In August of 2007, Fisher watched FSU lose multiple practices due to lightning, and he immediately began campaigning for the indoor facility, which would eventually be constructed following the 2012 season. Fisher also used his time as offensive coordinator and Head Coach in Waiting to identify issues with the roster, the coaching staff and the support staff.
So, once he took over following the 2009 campaign, Fisher was able to hit the ground running.
