The coaching search has come to an end. Arizona has hired New England Patriots quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch as its new head football coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Fisch, 44, has over 20 years of coaching experience and is finishing up his first season with the Patriots after two years as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Rams. Fisch was also UCLA’s offensive coordinator in 2017 and served as the interim head coach for the final two games of the season following the dismissal of head coach Jim Mora.
“We are tremendously excited to have Jedd Fisch come to Tucson to reinvigorate our football program and lead us to championships,” Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke said in a statement. “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.”
Fisch replaces Kevin Sumlin, who went 9-20 overall as a coach at Arizona including a Pac-12 record of 6-17. Sumlin was fired on Dec. 11 following the 70-7 loss to Arizona State to end its season.
“I am very pleased to welcome Coach Fisch and his family to the University of Arizona,” University of Arizona President Dr. Robert C. Robbins said in a statement. “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. [Fisch’s] enthusiasm and drive for excellence will be contagious and I am confident our future is bright with him at the helm.”
The Wildcats finished their 2020 season with an 0-6 record and are currently riding a 12-game losing streak spanning the previous two seasons.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more information when it arrives.
Follow Jacob Mennuti on Twitter
