Column: Fisher’s Loyalty Could Cost FSU a Bowl Appearance

TALLAHASSEE, Fl. — I hate to be so negative, but it’s really, really hard to imagine Florida State making a bowl game at this point in the season.

And it’s even harder to see the Seminoles finishing the season – one which began with national championship aspirations that were seemingly crushed alongside quarterback Deondre Francois’ knee – with a winning record.

That’s just where we are now. It’s depressing. It’s frustrating. But it’s where we are.

Again, I hate to write negative things about this team, because the Seminoles did actually show some (albeit very few) positives on Saturday. The defense held Louisville’s offense in check for a good bit of the afternoon. The offense drove right down the field for what really should have been the go-ahead score — the score that never happened because of a pretty ugly fumble on a questionably-called read-option with a true freshman quarterback.

Head coach Jimbo Fisher is frustrated, too. On Saturday, he showed a side that I don’t believe I have ever seen from him. He responded – in a pretty confrontational fashion – to an angry fan.

The individual shouted toward the head coach to hire new coaches. Something about that must have irked Fisher more than usual, because he went out of his way to respond to him, telling the fan to “bring [his] a— down here and say it to my face.”

And I get it. He’s angry. The fan base’s patience is shrinking with each unacceptable loss. And Fisher knows this. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look to be getting better any time soon.

At 2-4, the Seminoles must win four of their remaining five games in order to become bowl-eligible. Of those five opponents, only one – Delaware State – appears to be a guaranteed win. Of course, the way that this season has gone, we might get a pretty close game on Nov. 18.

FSU travels to Boston College on Friday night – the same Boston College that defeated Louisville the week before the Cardinals came into Doak Campbell Stadium and handed the Seminoles their third straight home loss. The Eagles scored 45 points in the victory before going to Charlottesville and trouncing a Virginia team, 41-10, who had previously been undefeated in conference play.

Syracuse took Miami down to the wire on Saturday in South Florida. Clemson, despite falling to Syracuse, sits at 6-1 and second in the ACC Atlantic. That game is in Death Valley, just in case you were wondering.

FSU concludes the season with a trip to Gainesville, and Florida boasts a pretty stout defense. Can you pick four wins out of that group?

Many thought that Fisher should have made staff changes after 2016. That didn’t happen, and what we’re seeing is the result. Loyalty is an admiral quality – loyalty to a fault can be dangerous.

While Fisher ultimately admitted that he “shouldn’t have said something” to the fan, he nevertheless defended his actions. On Monday, Fisher said he didn’t regret it.

“But at the same time defending players and people you’re with, I’m in charge of them,” Fisher said following Saturday’s 31-28 loss. “I love them like a father.

“When they say something to your family, you take up for them.”

Unfortunately for Fisher, his unshaken allegiance to his coaching staff has yielded the worst possible outcome.

It’s an outcome that will likely cost the Seminoles a chance at a bowl game. That was unthinkable before the season and something that hasn’t happened since 1981.

Josh Mixon covers Florida State athletics for The Daily Nole. You can find him on Twitter @JoshDMixon.