NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher had to be smiling, former Texas head coach Mack Brown wincing once again, as Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston recounted his infatuation with the Longhorns on Friday.
Winston said he had his high school coach call Brown five times during the recruiting process, even going as far as trying to speak with the then-Texas coach himself. Winston said Texas was his favorite team growing up, quarterback Vince Young his favorite player.
Winston joked that "Even if Coach Fisher goes to Texas, I'm going to ask him can I go with you?"
"Yeah, I'm serious," said Winston, though his facial expressions were anything but. "He's my coach."
Of course, Fisher is not going to Texas, signing a contract extension last week just before he arrived in town for Monday's BCS national championship game against Auburn.
Fisher told College Football 24/7 on Thursday night that the speculation linking him to Texas was overblown.
"It doesn't matter what you say or what you do, unfortunately the press writes what they want to write and have their own stories," Fisher said at the Lawry's Beef Bowl. "We're happy at Florida State."
And with Winston as the Seminoles' starting quarterback, it is easy to see why Fisher is happy. The redshirt freshman has guided No. 1 Florida State to a 13-0 record and ACC championship by throwing for 3,820 yards and a school single-season record 38 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
Winston joins Johnny Manziel, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III among the standout quarterbacks that were either interested in Texas or in its backyard that were not heavily recruited by Brown.
It is not a coincidence that Winston's first season of college football was also Brown's last.
Follow Dan Greenspan on Twitter @DanGreenspan.
