Rams head coach Jeffrey Fisher is among several high-profile coaches being floated around as possible candidates for the University of South Carolina's vacant head coach position. However, Fisher recently shot down the rumors, citing his loyalty to St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke.
The coach's name came up when football analyst Lee Corso mentioned him as being at the top of USC's wish list during ESPN's College Gameday. As mentioned, Fisher's name can now be crossed off the list of the university's potential head coaching candidates as he just reiterated his commitment to St. Louis.
As Fisher and the Rams returned from their bye week on Tuesday, the coach said that he intends to complete the 2012 agreement he agreed upon with owner Stan Kroenke. "Yeah, I've heard things. But no. I appreciate what anybody else is saying out there. But I made a commitment to (Rams owner) Stan (Kroenke) here, and I'm going to finish, keep that commitment," Fisher mentioned, via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
His name comes up frequently every time the school's head coaching job opens because he did play for the USC Trojans from 1977 to 1980. Fisher is now in the fourth season of a five-year contract worth $35 million. The St. Louis Rams are 22-30-1 during Fisher's stint and have not won over seven games in a single season.
Apart from Fisher, the USC Trojans is reportedly interested in other NFL coaches including Seattle's Pete Carroll as well as Philadelphia's Chip Kelly. The USC has been without an official head coach after firing Steve Sarkisian last week. Sarkisian was dismissed after repeated allegations of his alcoholism made headlines. The USC placed Clay Helton as interim head coach.
Meanwhile, the trade involving Rams tight end Jared Cook and San Francisco 49ers' Vernon Davis might be in the works, according to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, who cited league sources.
However, coach Fisher was quick to debunk those speculations, saying that the Rams is not interested in trading Cook. "We take calls all the time. People call. People have injuries. People have interest. That happens all of the time. I have no interest in trading Jared. He's a big part of our offense. I don't know where that originated from or came from. I clearly wasn't aware of it," Fisher explained. "Jared is fine. He's a big part of this. That kind of things happen. People call," he added.
Cook has led in receptions in each of his first two seasons with the Rams. He set a career-high of 51 catches in his first season in 2013 and followed it up with 52 receptions in the previous season. The 6-foot-5 Cook is now in the third year of his four-year deal with the Rams worth approximately $7 million per season.
