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New England Patriots quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch will replace Kevin Sumlin as head coach at Arizona, the school announced Wednesday.

“We are tremendously excited to have Jedd Fisch come to Tucson to reinvigorate our football program and lead us to championships,” athletic director Dave Heeke said in a news release. “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.”



Contract terms were not announced.

Jedd Fisch latest from Bill Belichick coaching tree

Fisch, 44, joined Bill Belichick’s staff in New England this season after a stint as the Los Angeles Rams’ assistant offensive coordinator in 2019.

His coaching resume, which goes back to the late 1990s, includes a previous stop in the Pac-12 at UCLA. He was the Bruins’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2017, taking over as interim coach for the final two games that season after Jim Mora was fired.

Fisch’s collegiate coaching experience includes time at his alma mater, Florida, as well as at Minnesota, Miami (Fla.) and Michigan. His other NFL stops include the Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Long time assistant finally the man in charge

This is his first permanent head coaching position.

“I am honored and humbled to lead the University of Arizona football program,” Fisch said. “I am 100 percent 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 axed coach Sumlin on Dec. 12, a day after the Wildcats were crushed, 70-7, by rival Arizona State. It was Arizona’s 12th straight loss, the longest skid in school history. Sumlin left with a 9-20 record in three seasons in Tucson, including 0-5 in 2020.



The hiring drew the Belichick’s endorsement Belichick.

“Jedd Fisch is one of the most outstanding coaches I have worked with and was an excellent addition to our staff this year,” he said. “Jedd has gained a wealth of experience in numerous organizations, in college and the NFL, and is ready to lead the Arizona program.”

–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)