Jimbo Fisher could succeed Florida St coach Bobby Bowden

 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher is in position to succeed Bobby Bowden whenever the longtime Florida State coach decides to retire.
Terms of a new contract for the 78-year-old Bowden are expected to be announced Monday, the school said.
According to Bowden’s attorney, Russ Campbell of Birmingham, Ala., the agreement would allow him to coach as long as he wants.
However, an individual familiar with the negotiations, who requested anonymity, said Fisher would be given a substantial pay increase to compensate him for additional duties required of a head coach, such as fundraising.
Fisher’s deal would be for three years, almost assuring Bowden’s retirement by the end of the 2010 season when he would be 81. Bowden has frequently said he would like to reach 400 wins before retiring, but would have to average nine wins a season to meet that goal in three years.
The university would pay Fisher a seven-figure settlement if he is not chosen to succeed Bowden, the person said Wednesday. And Fisher would be required to repay the school if he opted out to take another job under the terms of the agreement that is still being finalized.
On Tuesday, university president T.K. Wetherell told boosters in Jacksonville, Fla., he was working on a deal to keep Fisher, whose name has been linked to some of the current head coaches openings.
Bowden’s 373 career wins – the most among major college coaches – are two more than Penn State’s Joe Paterno, who turns 81 on Dec. 21.
Bowden has 300 wins at Florida State, where he has won a pair of national championships and 12 Atlantic Coast Conference titles during his 32 years at the school.
Bowden, whose present five-year contract expires in early January, was paid $2,023,689.15 in 2006, state records show.
Fisher, who has never been a head coach, came to Florida State earlier this year from LSU to replace Bowden’s son, Jeff.