Jedd Fisch’s tenure at Arizona lasted a little over three years.
He took over a program on a 12-game losing streak and guided it from 1-11 to 5-7 to 10-3 in short order.
But when the Washington job opened, Fisch couldn’t resist the opportunity to make significantly more money and to have more resources at his disposal. The move became official early Sunday evening.
Here’s a look back at Fisch’s whirlwind relationship with the Wildcats:
January 2018: First contact
After the firing of Rich Rodriguez following six seasons as Arizona’s head coach, Fisch is among the candidates to receive interviews for the job. It ultimately goes to Kevin Sumlin. But Fisch makes a positive impression on UA president Robert C. Robbins, among others.
Dec. 12, 2020: Sumlin era over
Sumlin’s disappointing tenure ends the morning after a humiliating 70-7 loss in the Territorial Cup game vs. ASU to conclude a pandemic-shortened season. The defeat is a rock-bottom moment for the program — the most lopsided loss in the history of the series and the program’s 12th defeat in a row, dating to 2019.
Jedd Fisch poses at Arizona Stadium on Dec. 28, 2020, five days after being hired as the Wildcats' head football coach.
Dec. 23, 2020: Fisch is The Guy
This time it’s Fisch as he is named the Wildcats’ coach — his first head-coaching job after a nomadic career spanning 20-plus years. With pandemic protocols still in effect, Fisch’s introduction comes via video conferencing from Foxborough, Massachusetts, where he was working as the QB coach for the New England Patriots.
Dec. 31, 2020: Cecil, Hunley hired
Fisch’s hiring was met with skepticism among fans who were under the impression Arizona would hire a coach with UA ties. But Fisch vowed to reconnect with the program’s past, and he began to fulfill that promise by hiring Wildcat legends Chuck Cecil and Ricky Hunley as full-time defensive assistants.
Jan. 4, 2021: Going on the offensive
Fisch completes his offensive staff by hiring Jimmie Dougherty, Scottie Graham, Kevin Cummings and Jordan Paopao to join offensive coordinator/O-line coach Brennan Carroll. In an era of constant change in college football, that group will remain together for the duration of Fisch’s tenure.
Jan. 6, 2021: ‘Coming home’
Fisch begins the process of remaking the roster with his first transfer-portal class. Among the first commitments is Northwestern defensive back Gunner Maldonado, who attended Chandler High School. Maldonado will be one of many Arizona prep players to transfer to the UA. After an up-and-down career, he’ll also play a significant role in the Wildcats’ Alamo Bowl victory nearly three years later.
Jan. 7, 2021: UA gets a ‘Dude’
Fisch hires former Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown as the Wildcats’ DC. “Dr. Blitz” is considered the highest-profile defensive coordinator hire in program history.
Jan. 27, 2021: Championship pedigree
Fisch hires Tyler Owens as Arizona’s director of strength and conditioning. Owens played for and coached under Nick Saban at Alabama and was part of multiple championship teams with the Crimson Tide. Owens will play an instrumental role in making the Wildcats a bigger, stronger, tougher team.
Tedy Bruschi returned to Tucson in April 2021 to serve as a guest coach in the Wildcats’ spring game.
Feb. 1, 2021: Tedy Bears Down
Fisch again reaches into Arizona’s past by adding all-time UA great Tedy Bruschi of the “Desert Swarm” days to the football front office as senior advisor to the head football coach. Bruschi will remain an NFL analyst for ESPN while consulting Fisch and making occasional appearances in Tucson.
March 23, 2021: Hope springs eternal
Arizona begins its first spring football session under Fisch — the first time he’s officially working on the practice field with his team. Unlike his predecessor, Fisch opens most practices to media and fans in an effort to connect with the Tucson community.
April 4, 2021: The Servite 1
Arizona gets a verbal commitment from three-star quarterback Noah Fifita of Servite High School in Anaheim, California. Three of his prep teammates eventually will join him, forming the nucleus of the 2022 signing class upon which the foundation of the program will be built.
April 24, 2021: They’re baaaack
The first spring game under Fisch features Bruschi as one honorary captain — and another UA legend and fan favorite, Rob Gronkowski, as the other. Gronkowski had little involvement with the UA program before Fisch brought him back into the mix for the first of several visits to Arizona Stadium.
Summer 2021: Facelift
With Fisch intimately involved, Arizona raises several million dollars to upgrade the weight room and offices at the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility. "I wanted it to feel Arizona," Fisch says while giving a reporter a guided tour.
Sept. 4, 2021: Same yet different
The first game under Fisch ends in familiar fashion — a 24-16 loss to BYU in Las Vegas, extending the program’s losing streak to 13 games. But the underdog Wildcats are competitive and make it a one-possession game after trailing by 18 points — a promising sign.
NAU defensive lineman Carson Taylor (1) celebrates a sack on Arizona quarterback Jordan McCloud in the fourth quarter of their game at Arizona Stadium on Sept. 18, 2021.
Sept. 18, 2021: Long way to go
Arizona loses to NAU 21-19 — its first defeat against the FCS Lumberjacks since 1932. This is the low point of Fisch’s tenure — and an indication of just how far the program has to go to become consistently competitive.
Nov. 6, 2021: The streak is over
With the losing streak at 20 games — a dubious school record — Arizona finally breaks through with a 10-3 victory over a Cal team depleted by COVID issues. Michael Wiley scores the lone touchdown for the Wildcats, who overcome multiple injuries during the course of the game.
Dec. 1, 2021: Here’s Johnny!
With Brown unexpectedly having left to become the head coach at UMass, Fisch hires Johnny Nansen as Arizona’s defensive coordinator. Similar to Fisch, Nansen doesn’t have prior experience in the role for which he’s hired. After a rough first year, Nansen will prove to be a prudent choice.
Dec. 17, 2021: T-Mac flips
The fourth player from Servite arrives on the last day of the early signing period as receiver Tetairoa McMillan flips from Oregon to Arizona. McMillan is the highest-rated recruit to sign with the UA during the modern era and elevates the 2022 class to a Top 25 national ranking.
Jan. 3, 2022: Another homecoming
Receiver Jacob Cowing, who prepped at Maricopa High School, transfers from UTEP to the UA. Cowing is considered one of the top players in the transfer portal and a huge get for Arizona. He’ll become one of the school’s most prolific pass catchers over the next two seasons.
Jan. 10, 2022: JDL to UA
After struggling to find a starting quarterback in Year 1 — or, as Fisch refers to it, “Year Zero” — the head coach finds his signal-caller in Washington State transfer Jayden de Laura. De Laura was a two-year starter for the Cougars and the 2021 Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year.
San Diego State's Jack Browning (13) has a punt blocked by Arizona's Dalton Johnson in the second quarter at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022 in San Diego.
March 25, 2022: Be a P.R.O.
Fisch and the UA host the “Be a P.R.O.” clinic for high school and other coaches. The speakers include Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl-winning coach Sean McVay, whom Fisch worked for before joining the Patriots. McVay is effusive in his praise for Fisch. “Jedd’s gonna do a great job,” McVay says. “He’s done a great job.”
Sept. 3, 2022: New and improved
Arizona defeats San Diego State soundly to win a season opener for the first time since 2017 — also the last time the Wildcats went to a bowl game. The performance, especially on offense, signifies that Arizona has made a jump after a 1-11 first season under Fisch.
Nov. 12, 2022: Rosy outlook
Arizona upsets then-No. 12 UCLA at the Rose Bowl, notching the biggest victory of the Fisch era. De Laura plays a starring role, passing for 315 yards and two touchdowns. The win snaps a four-game losing streak, all against ranked opponents, and pushes the Wildcats’ record to 4-6.
Nov. 25, 2022: Taking back the Cup
Arizona edges ASU 38-35 to win the Territorial Cup game for the first time since 2016. Wiley rushes for a career-best 214 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense forces a season-high five turnovers. The Wildcats finish 5-7, a four-win improvement over 2021.
Dec. 6, 2022: All-Awkward
One ’22 Wildcat makes the All-Pac-12 Team — and it’s a player who entered the transfer portal the previous day. Receiver Dorian Singer led the conference in receiving yards during the regular season and made second-team all-league. The timing of Singer entering the portal one day and earning an all-conference nod the next illustrates the transient nature of modern college football.
Dec. 13, 2022: A new deal
After the big jump in his second season, Fisch receives a two-year contract extension and accompanying raise. The new deal is valued at $18.3 million over five seasons, running through 2027.
Dec. 21, 2022: Going with Flowe
Fisch’s second signing class includes Oregon transfer linebacker Justin Flowe. Flowe was a five-star prospect coming out of high school and is the latest big-time talent to join the UA roster.
May 5, 2023: Unsettling news
De Laura’s name emerges as part of a sexual-assault civil settlement in his home state of Hawaii. Along with a teammate, de Laura is accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl while in high school. It’s the first off-field crisis during Fisch’s time in Tucson.
Aug. 4, 2023: Big (12) change
Following the lead of Colorado, Arizona leaves the Pac-12 Conference for the Big 12. ASU and Utah also make the move in the latest round of conference realignment, which began with USC and UCLA leaving for the Big Ten the previous summer.
Sept. 23, 2023: QB change
During the course of a 21-20 victory at Stanford, de Laura suffers an ankle injury and Fifita replaces him. Fifita helps the Wildcats rally past the Cardinal and establishes himself as the starter moving forward en route to winning Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors.
Arizona running back Jonah Coleman carries the ball past Washington State linebacker Kyle Thornton during the first half of Arizona’s 44-6 win in Pullman, Washington. Coleman had 11 carries for 71 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching four passes for an additional 98 yards through the air.
Oct. 14, 2023: Powerful in Pullman
Arizona crushes then-No. 19 Washington State 44-6 in Pullman — the largest margin of victory in a road game against a ranked opponent in program history. It will be the first of seven straight wins for the Wildcats following near-misses against Washington and USC.
Nov. 4, 2023: Bowl bound
Arizona defeats No. 20 UCLA 27-10 to notch its sixth victory of the season, attaining bowl eligibility for the first time in six years. "We're bowling,” Fisch says afterward. “Six wins is a big deal and for us to get there nine games into the season, I'm really excited about that.”
Nov. 25, 2023: ‘We want him here’
Arizona again defeats ASU to retain the Territorial Cup — this time by a 59-23 margin, with Fifita passing for a school-record 527 yards and five touchdowns. The subject of another contract extension for Fisch is broached almost immediately after the game. “We’re gonna do everything we can,” UA athletic director Dave Heeke says. “We want him here for a long time. We’ve told him that.”
Arizona safety Gunner Maldonado leaves Oklahoma offensive lineman Jacob Sexton grasping air as he returns a fumble for a touchdown in the third quarter of the Alamo Bowl.
Dec. 28, 2023: Bowled over
Arizona rallies to defeat Oklahoma 38-24 in the Alamo Bowl. Maldonado’s 87-yard fumble return for a touchdown turns the tide and will go down as one of the greatest plays in UA football history. The ’23 Wildcats become the fourth team in school annals to win 10 games in a season. They will finish 11th in the AP Top 25.
Jan. 12, 2024: Dominoes falling
Washington’s Kalen DeBoer is named the head coach at Alabama following the retirement of Nick Saban. That opens the UW job — and Fisch appears on multiple lists as a prime candidate.
Jan. 14, 2024: Fisch to UW
Fisch holds a team meeting at LSFF in the afternoon and informs the squad that he’s taking the Washington job. He heads to Seattle later in the day.
VIDEO: Alamo Bowl: Arizona Gunner Maldonado, the game’s defensive MVP, discusses how his second-half “pick six” return for a touchdown — it was initially thought to be an interception, but was ultimately ruled a fumble recovery; the touchdown return stood either way — came to develop after the No. 14 Wildcats’ 38-24 win over No. 12 Oklahoma in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas. (Courtesy Valero Alamo Bowl)
