Fisch to Coordinate Passing Game, Coach Quarterbacks and Receivers
1/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 16, 2015
• Kornacki: Fisch's Offensive Style Spawns from Coaching Greats
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh announced today (Friday, Jan. 16) the hiring of Jedd Fisch as the team's passing game coordinator and quarterbacks/wide receivers coach. Fisch spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"Jedd has acquired a great deal of expertise during his career and he'll be an outstanding member of our Michigan family," said Harbaugh, the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach. "He has shown the ability to develop young talent, like Blake Bortles just last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he has a great passion for teaching the game. With his track record in the NFL and college -- including time in Big Ten country -- he will be a great fit in Ann Arbor."
"I am extremely excited about the opportunity to come to Michigan and work with Coach Harbaugh," said Fisch. "I have had the good fortune during my years to learn from some tremendous mentors, and I believe this situation will be another terrific experience. Most importantly, I am looking forward to mentoring the outstanding student-athletes that will suit up for the Wolverines."
Fisch oversaw a young Jaguars offense in 2013-14 that included former Michigan standouts Denard Robinson ('13) and Chad Henne ('08). Robinson enjoyed improved production in 2014, rushing 135 times for 582 yards (4.3 yards per attempt) before an injury cut short his season.
Fisch mentored rookie quarterback Blake Bortles in 2014, helping him to a 58.9 completion percentage and nearly 3,000 yards of passing in 13 starts. Bortles led all NFL QBs with a 7.48 average per rush, and under Fisch's tutelage, cut down his interceptions to three over the last six games of season after throwing 14 in his first eight games. Bortles also completed 37 passes of 25-plus yards, second-most among rookie quarterbacks.
Fisch developed two rookie receivers in 2014 that did something no one else had done in NFL history: Allen Hurns (51-677, six touchdowns) and Allen Robinson (48-548, two touchdowns) became the first rookie duo in NFL history with at least 48 receptions each.
In his first season with the Jaguars, Fisch guided the offense to improvements in nearly every category from the first eight games to the final eight games, including 31st to eighth in red zone offense and doubling its points per game total.
Fisch spent the two prior seasons (2011-12) at the University of Miami as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. In 2012, the Hurricanes scored more than 40 points on six occasions and averaged 31.4 points and 440.2 yards per game. Under Fisch's direction in 2012, quarterback Stephen Morris as a first-year starter threw for a career-high 3,345 passing yards and set a single-season total offense record with 3,415 yards. In his first season, Fisch tutored quarterback Jacory Harris, who solidified himself as one of the best signal-callers in Miami and ACC history. Harris finished with a single-season school record 65.0 completion percentage while throwing for 20 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. Miami's offense averaged 26.5 points per game and amassed 4,533 yards of total offense in 2011.
Prior to joining Miami, Fisch served as quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks in 2010 and worked with three-time Pro Bowler Matt Hasselbeck. Fisch joined the Seahawks after serving the 2009 season as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at the University of Minnesota, where he helped the team earn a spot in the Insight Bowl.
In 2008, Fisch was the wide receivers coach at Denver under Mike Shanahan where he tutored Pro Bowl wideout Brandon Marshall to a then career-high 104 receptions for 1,265 yards and six touchdowns. Prior to joining the Broncos, Fisch spent four seasons in Baltimore (2004-07). He was the Ravens' assistant quarterbacks coach in 2007 after serving as the assistant quarterbacks/wide receivers coach from 2005-06 and offensive assistant in 2004. In 2006, the Ravens posted a 13-3 record and won the AFC North. Steve McNair received Pro Bowl honors after setting a franchise record for completion percentage (64.0).
Fisch began his NFL coaching career with the Houston Texans where he served three seasons (2001-03) as an assistant to head coach Dom Capers. Fisch served two seasons (1999-2000) as a graduate assistant under Steve Spurrier at the University of Florida while obtaining a master's degree in sports management. During those two seasons, the Gators advanced to the Citrus (1999) and Sugar (2000) bowls in addition to winning the SEC championship in 2000.
A native of Livingston, N.J., Fisch earned a degree in criminology from Florida in 1998. From 1997-98, Fisch was the defensive coordinator for P.K. Jonge High School in Gainesville, and he then spent one year (1998) with the New Jersey Red Devils of the Arena Football League as a wide receivers/quality control coach.
Fisch and his wife Amber have three daughters: Zaylee, Ashlee and Kendall.
Communications Contacts: David Ablauf, Zach Eisendrath (734) 763-4423
