Fisch Says Large UW Coaching Turnover Wasn't a Bad Thing

The Husky football coach had a polished take on what all the changes meant.

Jedd Fisch watches the clock count down at Penn State. / Skylar Lin Visuals

More than one previous University of Washington football coach, when asked something in a media setting that might be construed as questioning how things are done, has responded with the reflexive and dismissive non-answer, "Next question."

Or they took offense with some sort of irritated explanation and an accompanying glare.

Not Jedd Fisch.

The guy is incredibly unflappable. Gets beat by four touchdowns at Penn State and his expression, his posture, never changes.

Afterward, he calmly sat with reporters and explained how that ugly loss in State College was all part of the rebuilding process for the Huskies.

Even the seemingly always under control Kalen DeBoer looked and sounded a tad uncomfortable, if not somewhat distressed as the UW head coach, after losing to heavy underdog Arizona State in Tempe in 2022 and vowing a greater effort would be forthcoming once everyone was back in Montlake.

Fisch doesn't blink, alter his demeanor, veer off course.

He's a human spin cycle.

Such was the case this week when Fisch was asked about losing 40 percent of his coaching staff all at once, after just one season with the Huskies, and whether he had any lingering concern over staff continuity or the effect those mass departures might have on recruiting efforts going forward.

Some coaches might have taken that question as an afront to their leadership abilities or even their likability factor.

Yet Fisch had such an immediate answer that was so positive, detailed and direct, it was nothing short of amazing.

"It's also a compliment when people want to hire people off your staff," he reasoned. "It means you're doing it right."

Fisch went on to say how those coaching departures simply enabled in-house promotions for coaches such as Jimmie Dougherty and Michael Switzer to fill the roles previously held by Brennan Carroll as offensive coordinator and offensive-line coach, moves that he said demonstrated to his players and coaches alike a certain amount of loyalty.

The Husky coach also inferred that the departures of defensive Steve Belichick to rejoin his father at North Carolina and Carroll to reunite with his father Pete with the Las Vegas Raiders represented a good image for his players, not to mention networking opportunities.

"I think that obviously the situation with Brennan and Steve is, I think, it's wonderful for our kids to see it," Fisch said. "The fact that they now know there is more and stronger relationships with coach Carroll being back in the NFL, that gives all of our kids who have come here, or have played through here, it gives all of our kids a direct line, a direct line to the Raiders."

Whether or not all or any of that was believable, it was presented by Fisch in a masterful and unrehearsed manner.

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