Jimbo Fisher, wife planning divorce

Clarksburg native Jimbo Fisher, a graduate of  Liberty High School who coached Florida State to the national title in 2013, and his wife, Birmingham native Candi Coogler Fisher, have separated.

No reason was given for the breakup. The Internet, of course, is loaded with rumors of infidelity. Like that’s a reliable source of

Candi and Jimbo Fisher

information, huh?

The couple is working with attorneys to mediate terms of a possible divorce, the Tallahassee Democrat has confirmed. His $5 million a year Florida State contract may come up.

Candi is 46, Jimbo is 49. He’s the son of Clarksburg area coal miner/farmer John Fisher and chemistry teacher Gloria Fisher. He was born Oct. 9, 1965 in Clarksburg.

Candace Leigh Coogler is familiar with divorce.

Her father, Franklin Coogler, and her mother, Suzanne Ballard, ended their marriage years ago.  Candi has two brothers -- Cale and Craig, who was 37 when he died in a motorcycle accident in 2011.

Her mom remarried, to Monty Ballard. Her dad remarried, to Pam Coogler.

There’s an ironic quote from Jimbo on the Florida State website with his biography:

“I think a coach’s family is the key to good coaching. When you have a happy family and they’re important, it makes for better coaches.”

Jimbo is entering his sixth season as the Seminoles' head coach, leading the program to its third national championship in 2013.

He and his wife, Candi, 46, have two young sons, Trey and Ethan.

Jimbo played for Salem College as a  quarterback under head coach Terry Bowden, who later ran the program at Auburn and currently is at Akron, from 1985 to 1986.

When Bowden -- son of long-time Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden, once WVU's head coach -- left for Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, Jimbo transferred to play his final season for the Bulldogs where he was named Division III National Player of the Year.

And that's where he met Candi, in her home state.

From 2000 until 2006 Jimbo was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at LSU. From 2007 to 2009 he was offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and, beginning in 2007, head coach-in-waiting for the Florida State Seminoles.

Former WVU coach Bobby Bowden, Florida State's head coach of 34 years, retired after the team's appearance in its 28th consecutive bowl game on January 1, 2010.

In his first head coaching position Jimbo led Florida State to a 10–4 record, the Seminoles’  first 10-win season since 2003 and first appearance in the ACC Championship Game since 2005.

In 2012, he led the Seminoles to 12-2 record and victory at the Orange Bowl, followed by a 14-0 record and BCS National Championship for the 2013 season and ultimately a 29-game win streak before losing to Oregon in the Rose Bowl to finish the 2014 season with a 13-1 record.