On Jedd Fisch's play-calling 'reps', coaching assignments and BYU's game plan

With 20 years of coaching experience under his belt, Jedd Fisch isn’t one for pregame superstitions.

“What I wear, how I sleep or what I eat,” the Arizona coach said Thursday, “that kind of really has never affected the outcome of the game.”

There is one habit Fisch picked up in the early 2000s, though, a coaching routine he practices a day or two before each game. Fisch will find a football game on television — either college or pro — sit down and put himself in the shoes of each team’s offensive coordinator.

“Turn a game on, watch the situation, not really care about the opponent or who’s playing,” he said. “But, it’s 1st-and-10 on the minus-25 left hash, what are you going to call? OK, what happens in the play? Alright, it’s second-and-3 on the right hash on the 32-yard line, what are you going to call?”

The idea of Fisch lounging on his living room sofa or hotel bed and calling a screen pass for a team he has no connection to is unorthodox, sure.

But there’s a method to this particular madness. It’s Fisch’s personal version of practice and building confidence before he coaches.

“Just try to get some reps in calling a game prior to the start of the game,” he said.

Fisch first got the premise from a coaching clinic run by Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore in 2003, right before the up-and-coming Fisch got a job with the Baltimore Ravens as an offensive assistant. Moore said he would go through the routine of calling plays on Saturday nights before the Colts played the following day.

Since then, Fisch has run with the recommendation. He has practiced the pregame ritual at coaching gigs where he’s been tasked with play-calling.

Fisch will go through his ritual Thursday and Friday night watching various college football games. Saturday, he’ll do it for real when the Wildcats take on BYU in Las Vegas.

In the box or on the field?

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During the week, Fisch and the rest of the Arizona coaches divided up game day assignments.

Offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll and defensive coordinator Don Brown will coach from the sidelines next to Fisch. Joining them will be assistants Ricky Hunley (defensive line) DeWayne Walker (defensive backs), Scottie Graham (running backs), Kevin Cummings (wide receivers) and Jordan Paopao (tight ends).

Passing game coordinator Jimmie Dougherty, linebackers/special teams coach Keith Dudzinski and safeties coach Chuck Cecil will be in the coaches’ booth.

It’s important that Dougherty see the ‘all-22’ look of the field, Fisch said. The same applies to Dudzinski, who worked with Brown at both UMass and Michigan. Cecil coached from the boxes during 2018-20 seasons.

Dougherty and Fisch will be in regular communication throughout the game via the team’s headsets, as will Dudzinski and Brown.

“(Dougherty) knows the type of communication that works best for me in terms of what I want to hear or know for calling the game,” Fisch said.

Fisch expects physical Cougars defense

Arizona coaches and players watched film on BYU during the week, and a couple things of note stood out to Fisch.

“I would expect a lot of zone coverage. I would expect them to be very physical, very strong,” Fisch explained. “Schematically, they’re a top-10 defense in every single category. I don’t know how much they would change from what they’ve done in the past.”

Last season, BYU ranked 10th in FBS in yards allowed per game (317.4), 10th in yards per play (4.8) and fourth in scoring (15.33 ppg).