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Current Big Ten head coach linked to UCLA opening, per report
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Washington coach Jedd Fisch and his Huskies earned a defining win in B1G play over the weekend when they knocked off previously unbeaten Maryland, 24-20, on the road. The Huskies trailed 20-0 in the second half before mounting a comeback to move to 4-1 on the year.
If the Huskies keep winning, Fisch is likely to be linked to other coaching jobs as they come open.
According to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos, UCLA is interested. Nakos reported Thursday that the second-year Washington coach is “a name to know” in the Bruins’ search.
UCLA fired DeShaun Foster on Sept. 14. Prior to last weekend’s stunning upset win over Penn State, the Bruins were winless.
Fisch was the offensive coordinator at UCLA in 2017 and coached 2 games as the interim head coach that season following the firing of Jim Mora. He coached at Arizona from 2021-23 before taking over at UW.
A move from Washington to UCLA seems curious, at least on the surface. The Huskies were in a national championship game 2 years ago. Meanwhile, UCLA is just 6-11 since parting ways with Chip Kelly after the 2023 campaign.
But the Bruins likely won’t be the only team interested in Fisch during this year’s spin on the coaching carousel. A Florida grad, Fisch has long been linked to the Gators. After a 1-3 start, Florida head coach Billy Napier finds himself on the hot seat.
According to the USA Today coaching salary database, Fisch is slated to make $7.6 million this season at UW. UCLA was paying Foster $3.1 million.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.