Arizona hires Patriots' Fisch as new head coach

Arizona has hired New England Patriots quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch as its new head coach, the school announced Wednesday.

"We are tremendously excited to have Jedd Fisch come to Tucson to reinvigorate our football program and lead us to championships," said athletic director Heeke. "Jedd has a unique ability to teach the game of football effectively to his players and to inspire them with his passion.

"We conducted a comprehensive national search with an impressive array of candidates but in the end, Jedd is exactly what our program needs right now and I cannot wait to partner with him to move us forward."

Fisch interviewed with the Wildcats on Monday. He'll take over for Kevin Sumlin, whom the team fired after finishing the campaign 0-5, including a 70-7 season-finale loss against rival Arizona State.

The 44-year-old Fisch joined New England for the 2020 season after two years with the Los Angeles Rams. He's never worked as a head coach but has wide-ranging experience at both the NFL and collegiate levels.

Fisch spent time with UCLA, Michigan, Miami, Minnesota, and Florida, as well as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, and Houston Texans.

Cam Newton has produced a disappointing first year with the Patriots under Fisch's guidance. He's thrown for 2,381 yards and five touchdowns against 10 interceptions, adding 489 yards and 11 scores on the ground.