Well, it’s official.
University of Arizona Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Heeke announced this morning veteran NFL and college coach Jedd Fisch is the next head coach of the Arizona Football program subject to final approval from the Arizona Board of Regents. Fisch comes to Arizona after eight years of coaching at the collegiate level, including stints in the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 and 13 years in the NFL, most recently with the New England Patriots.
“We are tremendously excited to have Jedd Fisch come to Tucson to reinvigorate our football program and lead us to championships,” said Heeke. “Jedd has a unique ability to teach the game of football effectively to his players and to inspire them with his passion. We conducted a comprehensive national search with an impressive array of candidates but in the end, Jedd is exactly what our program needs right now and I cannot wait to partner with him to move us forward.”
The 44-year-old Fisch has been a part of championship seasons throughout his career, including with the Los Angeles Rams as a member of head coach Sean McVay’s staff as the Rams won the NFC championship and appeared in Super Bowl LIII. Fisch’s coaching pedigree also includes working under future NFL Hall of Famers Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll, as well as college football Hall of Fame member Steve Spurrier and Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh.
“I am honored and humbled to lead the University of Arizona football program,” said Fisch. “I am 100% committed to building a program that all Wildcat fans will be proud to support. We will study hard, compete hard, recruit hard and be relentless in all aspects of our program. I want to thank President Robbins and Dave Heeke for their belief in me and in my vision for Arizona Football and my family and I cannot wait to immerse ourselves in the UA and Tucson communities.”
Fisch has served on coaching staffs that reached five bowl games, highlighted by the 2016 Orange Bowl when he served as Michigan’s passing game coordinator. His college coaching career began as a graduate assistant at Florida under Spurrier as the Gators advanced to the 2000 Citrus Bowl and the 2001 Sugar Bowl and won a SEC championship.
“I am very pleased to welcome Coach Fisch and his family to the University of Arizona,” said Robert C. Robbins, President of the University of Arizona. “He has coached the game at the highest levels in both professional and college football, and has worked under some of the most iconic coaches in the game. Jedd’s enthusiasm and drive for excellence will be contagious and I am confident our future is bright with him at the helm.”
A widely-respected offensive mind, Fisch has helped guide top offenses in the NFL with three of his offenses finishing in the Top 10 in total offense, including the top-ranked offense with the Denver Broncos and the second-ranked offense with the Rams. While offensive coordinator at UCLA in 2017, Fisch guided the Bruins’ offense to a top-three ranking in the Pac-12 before leading the Bruins in their final regular season game and to the Cactus Bowl as the interim head coach.
Fisch arrives in Tucson after spending the 2020 season as the quarterbacks coach for the New England Patriots. Prior to his position with the Patriots, Fisch spent two seasons as a member of McVay’s offensive staff with the Rams as they posted the top offense in the NFL in 2018 with quarterback Jared Goff making back-to-back Pro Bowls.
“Jedd Fisch is one of the most outstanding coaches I have worked with and was an excellent addition to our staff this year,” said New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick. “Jedd has gained a wealth of experience in numerous organizations, in college and the NFL, and is ready to lead the Arizona program. Although we will miss his contributions here, we wish Jedd and Amber well at the University of Arizona, home to two of the greatest Patriots, Tedy Bruschi and Rob Gronkowksi, as well as our current Wildcats, Nick Folk and J.J. Taylor.”
Fisch’s offense at Michigan produced the Big Ten’s top scoring and red zone offenses, as tight end Jake Butt won the Mackey Award and consensus All-America honors in 2016. Butt was one of 10 offensive players for Michigan to receive All-Big Ten honors that season. Fisch’s impact was instant on the Wolverine offense as Jake Rudock became only the second quarterback in school history at the time to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season.
In his second and third seasons as a college coach, the University of Miami’s offense flourished under Fisch’s quarterback tutelage. Stephen Morris set a single-season record for total offense with 3,415 yards in 2012 after Jacory Harris set a single-season Miami record with an efficient 65.0% completion for the season. Fisch first coached in a full-time capacity in college with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks’ coach in 2009.
Fisch broke into the NFL coaching ranks with the Houston Texans in 2001, serving as an assistant to head coach Dom Capers. He would go on to join the coaching staffs with the Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars working for head coaches Mike Shanahan, Brian Billick, Pete Carroll and Gus Bradley respectively.
“Jedd was on my first staff with the Seahawks. I’ve followed his career closely over the years, and he is highly qualified for the job,” said Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll. “Jedd is a gifted offensive mind, and he will do a great job leading and caring for the University of Arizona program.”
Fisch is a native of Livingston, N.J. and graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Criminology in 1998. He earned his Master’s degree from the University of Florida.
Fisch and his wife, Amber, have three daughters: Zaylee, Ashlee and Kendall.
This story is from UA’s Communications office.
