Former LA Rams coach Fisher reuniting with RB George at TSU

The number seven can bring great luck, represent a birth month, or just be a random number to play on a lottery ticket. But for Coach Fisher, it represents the maximum number of wins he registered as coach of the Saint Louis/LA Rams. He won no more than seven games, leading many LA Rams fans of Saint Louis or Los Angeles to equate the combination of 7-9 as the record of Coach Fisher.

Jeff Fisher, who coached the St. Louis-LA Rams for five seasons from 2012 through 2016 and was replaced by current head coach Sean McVay, is reported to be joining the collegiate ranks in an advisory role at Tennessee State in Nashville, TN.

Interestingly, Eddie George, his former centerpiece running back while he was coach of the Tennessee Titans, is slated to become the new head coach at Tennessee State. Fisher has been pulled in by George to help him assemble and round out his new coaching staff there.

Tennessee State, however, has yet to formally announce George’s hiring as their new head coach. And so, Fisher has said he can neither confirm nor deny the reports of his return to coaching. However, that has not stopcocked the flow of speculation about the arrangement. It is reported that Tennessee State University is conditionally hiring Eddie George to be the team’s head coach, provided that he can assemble a coaching staff of veterans who can help burden the load of restoring a winning football program.

Back to college

Fisher has not worked as a coach since his dismissal from the Rams and has never been a college football coach. Earlier this year, he interviewed to be the head coach at Montana State University.

The 63-year-old Fisher has been out of football since his dismissal from the Rams, where he was never able to put together a winning season. In his spare time, he often mentions his family and his ‘other’ sport, fishing. He’s had some success at it, although I’ve yet to persuade him to join me in a fishing trip for the rich salmon and halibut waters off the coast of Alaska. Looks like that will be placed on hold.

Another reason for the move is premised on the news that the Tennessee State Tigers are working to finalize the hiring of Brandon Fisher, Jeff’s son, to become their new defensive coordinator under George.  Brandon Fisher spent the past season on Auburn’s staff as a defensive analyst under former head coach Gus Malzahn.

The move also reunites Fisher with the city of Nashville, where he coached the Tennessee Titans for 17 seasons and became that team’s winningest coach. (Coincidentally, Fisher is also tied for the most losses by an NFL head coach, at 165, with Dan Reeves.)

Fisher served as an NFL  head coach for 22 seasons, primarily with the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans franchise.

It also reunites Fisher with George, who was the focal point of his ball-control offensive philosophy, which never quite seemed to quite mesh with the LA Rams aerial-minded approach, as typified by current head coach McVay.

George is obviously relying on his former coach’s vast wealth of NFL experience to assist him in his new gig at Tennessee state, as he is a first-time head coach. Some suggest that the hire of Fisher as an advisor will be officially announced on July 9, but there is no confirmation that 7/9 will indeed be the date of such an announcement.