What Jimbo Fisher’s move to Texas A&M means for Illinois

Hmmm, I never thought I would write about Jimbo Fisher for The Champaign Room. Illinois and Florida State are likely to never schedule each other in football, and the only thing they seem to have in common in 2017 is that neither team will compete in a bowl, although that fate isn’t set in stone yet for the 5-6 Seminoles.

FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher resigned from his post in Tallahassee on Friday afternoon and will be named the new head coach at Texas A&M, which competes in the nation’s premier college football conference — the Southeastern Conference.

Although, the implications that Fisher’s likely move would have on Illinois have been taking place for the past few days.

Several Florida State commits in the class of 2018, most notably Houston Griffith and Verdis Brown, decommitted in recent days amid reports that Fisher would not return to coach in 2018.

One of those commits, Brown — a Chicago native — seems fairly likely to be leaning toward a commitment to Illinois.

Brown, who just finished up his senior season at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, is ranked as the third-best offensive center in the class of 2018, according to 247sports.

He had an official visit at Illinois on Oct. 28 and had two unofficial visits earlier in 2017.

Illinois head coach Lovie Smith has recruited Brown to be a defensive lineman, but in terms of measuring what he is listed at online...

Brown would be the 15th commit in Illinois football’s 2018 class, and the fifth member of the offensive line. He would join defensive tackle Calvin Avery as the class’s only two four-star commits.

So, Jimbo Fisher will be coaching in College Station, and Illinois may have a big in-state commit. Make sense?