Jimbo Fisher addresses whether he'd give up play-calling duties

In the opening statement to his press conference Monday afternoon, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher used the word "play" or "execute" 10 times to diagnosing the reasons behind his team's 17-14 loss to Appalachian State on Saturday. While it is blindingly obvious that the Aggies did not play well (in 38 snaps, the Aggie offense gained 186 yards and scored seven points), but the post-game conversation has centered around the conception of Fisher's offense, not so much the execution of it.

This clip from 247's Josh Pate succinctly summarizes the discourse around Fisher and his offense coming out of last weekend.

In fact, the first question Fisher fielded was if his offense was simply too complex for his quarterbacks to understand. 

"No," Fisher answered. "Our guys know exactly what they're doing. (Quarterback Haynes King) was ready to do some things that were right and we miss a block, run a route too deep, or run a route that covers (the next receiver.) They can see it and do it. We had some throws to be made and we missed some throws. They know exactly what to do."

Fisher's second question inquired if he would ever give up play-calling duties.

"In time I would, yeah. Possibly could," Fisher said. "You always evaluate those things. We evaluate everything we do. It's a conglomerate play-calling too -- we're getting information from everybody, thoughts and ideas that we put down. Those sheets we do going into the game. It's a collective group decision based on off our offensive staff and what we do and how we do things. But yes, possibly yes."

Fisher said his ego would not get in the way of demoting himself from offensive play-caller. "Whatever it takes to win," he said. Left unspoken there is that, in his constant evaluation of everything his team does, Fisher concludes he is still the best play-caller for his team, and that he would have to make the decision to demote himself. Seems impossible for ego not to come into play there.

"It's cause-and-effect. Because I do this, this is the effect I get," Fisher said. "That's ever-going, whether you're winning or losing. That's what I want folks to understand. When you win, you can feel real good but things aren't very good. When you lose, things aren't as bad (as they seem)."

Fisher said A&M just needs to play better, and to play better his players need to practice better. The results will show themselves -- one way or the other -- over a coming 4-game stretch that is likely the most difficult in college football: home against No. 13 Miami, a neutral site game with No. 10 Arkansas, a trip to Mississippi State, and then a trip to No. 2 Alabama, all in consecutive weeks.