Breaking Down Jedd Fisch as the Potential Next Virginia Tech Head Coach

Is Jedd Fisch a realistic option for the Hokies?

Oct 4, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch leads his team on to the field before a game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Jedd Fisch could be an intriguing option for Virginia Tech's next head coach. Currently, Fisch serves as the head coach at Washington. He brings a wide range of experience to the table, coaching in both the NFL and in college. Let's break it down to see if he makes sense to be the next head coach at Virginia Tech.

Background/Resume:

Fisch graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in criminology. He began his coaching career at his alma mater, serving as a graduate assistant from 1999 to 2000. Fisch made the jump to the NFL in 2002, joining the Houston Texans as a defensive quality control coach. Over his coaching years, he has built an extensive resume in the NFL, making stops with several organizations: the Texans, the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots.

Although the majority of his coaching experience has been at the professional level, Fisch still boasts a wealth of experience coaching in college. He returned to the college ranks in 2011 to be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Miami.

In 2017, he went to UCLA, serving as its offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for UCLA. He was later promoted to interim head coach that season. The Bruins had one of the better offenses that year, averaging over 32.5 points a game.

Fisch got his first head coaching job in 2021 when Arizona hired him to lead its program. Fisch was given the task of rebuilding one of the worst teams in FBS at the time. In his first season, the Wildcats only won one game, snapping a 20-game losing streak. In 2022, there was a clear improvement, winning 5 games, including an upset victory over No. 12 UCLA. Fisch's best year came in 2023 when the Wildcats finished 10-3, finishing No. 11 in the final AP Poll.

Fisch took over the head coaching job for Kalen DeBoer at Washington in 2024. He had big shoes to fill since the Huskies made the National Championship game the year prior. Fisch was unable to produce anything close to what Washington had in 2023, finishing 6-7 last season. This season is off to a strong start as the Huskies are 5-2.

Oct 18, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch on the sideline in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Pluses:

• Proven Offensive Background: Fisch has built his career around offense, especially around good quarterback play and passing concepts. He has spent time as an offensive coordinator at Michigan, UCLA and Miami, along with experience in several roles in the NFL. In 2023 when he was at Arizona, the Wildcats ranked 21st in the country in total offense (456.1 yards per game) after ranking towards the bottom the two years prior. That kind of growth could be appealing to Virginia Tech, which has struggled to find consistency putting points on the board the past few years.
• Proven Program Builder: Arizona was in a catastrophic state when Fisch took over. The Wildcats finished winless in a shortened 2020 season before Fisch's arrival. However, by Fisch’s last season, Arizona was one of the best teams in the country with one of the most electric offenses.
• Experience at Power Four Level: Not every coach that Virginia Tech is considering can say that they have as much experience coaching in a power conference as Fisch has. He knows the difficulty of winning games against some of the best teams in the country like Ohio State. He also knows the pressure to win that would be expected of him if he came to Blacksburg since he already feels something similar from his time at Arizona and Washington.

Minuses:

• Current Commitment to Washington: Fisch is now in his second season in a seven-year contract at Washington. He has publicly stated that he is committed to Washington so unless there is a major shift, it is unlikely that he will be leaving there any time soon.
• Short Tenure at Programs: Fisch has bounced around jobs for his entire career. The longest he ever stayed at a coaching position was from 2004 to 2007, when he was an offensive assistant with the Baltimore Ravens. This could be concerning for Virginia Tech, as it is looking for someone who can be in Blacksburg long-term.
• Defensive Weakness: There is no denying Fisch’s capability as an offensive mind. However, there could be concerns with his ability to lead a defense. In his four full seasons as a head coach, his defenses have averaged over 28 points allowed per game. That puts a lot of pressure on his offense to put up a lot of touchdowns to keep games competitive.

Sep 6, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch stands on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the UC Davis Aggies at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Is he a realistic option?

More likely than not, Fisch will not be the next coach of Virginia Tech. He is so early into his contract at Washington that it is hard to see him leaving this offseason. If he were to leave, it's my guess that he would be more likely to fill the head coaching vacancy at his alma mater, Florida.