FSU’s Jimbo Fisher reportedly on Auburn’s coach list

“I plan on being here a long time … I want to be here.”

Fisher was reminded that Nick Saban once adamantly stated he would not leave the Dolphins to coach Alabama.

“It goes back to your integrity,” Fisher said.

Fisher said he did not know if his agent, Jimmy Sexton, has been contacted by another school, but he left open the door by adding that a coach can never say he won’t someday move on.

“It’s inevitable,” Fisher said. “There are too many things that go on.”

Fisher is the highest-paid coach in the ACC with a base salary of $2.75 million. He could earn close to $3 million this season with bonuses, including $100,000 if FSU defeats Georgia Tech on Saturday to win the ACC championship ($50,000 for winning the title and $50,000 for playing in a BCS bowl) and $50,000 if FSU wins its last two games and moves into the top 10 of the Associated Press poll.

Chizik’s base salary was $3.775 million last season, but Auburn likely will bump that salary for a coach who can push the Tigers to compete with Alabama.

In 2009, while he was a Seminole assistant, Fisher reportedly was the leading candidate to replace Tommy Tuberville at Auburn before Chizik was hired. Fisher, though, remained at FSU, where he already had been named head coach-in-waiting.

The question is whether Fisher would want to take a job at a school with a much more powerful and influential alumni/booster base, one in which he likely would not have the control he has at Florida State, one that always would be viewed as the little brother in its own state and one that fired a coach just two years removed from a national title.

The Tigers were 3-9 overall and 0-8 in the SEC this season.

Fisher has strong ties to the SEC with 13 seasons in the conference, including seven as the offensive coordinator at LSU, the first five under Saban. Fisher has used an SEC blueprint in rebuilding the Seminoles, concentrating on defense and in particular the defensive line. Florida State and Alabama went back and forth as the No. 1 defense in the nation for much of the season.

Fisher is 29-10 in his three seasons at FSU and will coach in his second ACC title game Saturday, something the program accomplished just once in the previous five seasons.

Many, though, believed the 10-2 Seminoles should have been in the national championship picture this season because of their returning talent and a very forgiving schedule. The Seminoles slipped at N.C. State and were handled by Florida 37-26 on Saturday, committing five turnovers and allowing a mediocre Gators offense to gain 394 yards.

Fisher was criticized after the N.C. State loss for his conservative play calling and was loudly booed Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium when he started a series in the final two minutes of the first half with two runs. He then called four consecutive passes that led to a 50-yard Dustin Hopkins field goal as time expired.

Ron Sellers, the former FSU receiver and College Football Hall of Famer from Palm Beach Gardens, said he expected Florida State to win because they are a better team. Sellers said Monday he stands by that statement even after watching the game.

“(Will) Muschamp and his assistant coaches get an A-plus for coaching and their game plan,” Sellers said.

When asked what grade he would give the Florida State coaches, Sellers said, “I’ll let them grade themselves.”

Auburn is not the only SEC school that could court Fisher. Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky all have openings, with Tennessee reportedly being the most interested. Tennessee athletic director Dave Hart was at Florida State when Fisher arrived.

Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops reportedly has interviewed at Kentucky.

“If that ends up happening for Mark, I’ll be happy for him,” Fisher said.