ARIZONA FOOTBALL

Jedd Fisch hire has Arizona Wildcats fans up in arms with reaction

Dec 23, 2020, 9:56 AM | Updated: 10:25 am
New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton (1) and Jedd Fisch, quarterback coach are pictured befo...
New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton (1) and Jedd Fisch, quarterback coach are pictured before a game. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
(Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The strong majority of vocal Arizona Wildcats fans did not take well to the reports on Wednesday that New England Patriots quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch will be their school’s next head football coach.

At least, if we’re going by Twitter reactions.

It certainly didn’t help that ahletic director Dave Heeke listened to hundreds of past Wildcat football players speak on the importance of hiring a coach who understood the challenges and history of the Arizona program. Heeke said he would find someone who “embodies the incredible ‘Bear Down’ spirit,” insinuating that the hire would at least have some connection to the school.

Fisch, 44, has an extensive career across college football and the NFL. While he’s worked under respected head coaches like Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, Jim Harbaugh and Sean McVay, he has not held a head-coaching job beyond a brief interim appointment with the UCLA Bruins in 2017.

An offensive-minded coach, Fisch has held roles from analyst to passing game coordinator to quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.

But again, he’s missing the one thing that was deemed a priority for rehabilitating an Arizona football program that has traditionally struggled. He doesn’t have a connection to any past success within the program that was built with grinding work ethic that has yet to be sustained.

Past players were not pleased with the hire.

Reporters and football writers criticized Heeke and president Dr. Robert Robbins. The president has a relationship with Fisch and reportedly had a strong say in the decision of how to replace fired coach Kevin Sumlin.

Fans were especially upset after it was reported by multiple outlets that there was a divide between Heeke and Robbins.

Not everyone is down on the hire. Fisch does have some successful history.

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Jedd Fisch hire has Arizona Wildcats fans up in arms with reaction