The University of Arizona has reached into the pro ranks — and Bill Belichick coaching tree — to replace the fired Kevin Sumlin.
New England Patriots quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch as named as coach of the Wildcats on Wednesday.
🐻🔽 @CoachJeddFisch! Can’t wait to welcome you and the family to ☀️🌵Tucson. pic.twitter.com/69ej7OapG1
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) December 23, 2020
“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.”
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.”
Arizona went 9-20 — 6-17 in the Pac-12 — with no bowl appearances under Sumlin and lost all three games to Arizona State.
