Jedd Fisch excited for 'true reboot' with Washington - ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS — First-year Washington coach Jedd Fisch will lead the Huskies into their inaugural season in the Big Ten with what he said is a «brand-new team» from the one that advanced to the College Football Playoff last season before losing to Michigan in the national championship game.

Fisch said Washington, which had won 25 of its past 28 games, has 46 new scholarship players; has an entirely new coaching staff, training staff, strength staff and nutrition staff; and will have 21 of 22 new starters when the Huskies' season kicks off against Weber State on Aug. 31.

«That has never been done before,» said Fisch, who spoke to the media Thursday on the final day of Big Ten media days at Lucas Oil Stadium. «And we're excited about that challenge. We have four players on our team that recorded one start. We are now starting over and it's a true reboot, but so is college football. It's a whole lot of new.»

Fisch, who replaced former coach Kalen DeBoer, said he brought 12 players and 21 staff members with him from Arizona, where he led the Wildcats to one of the most impressive turnarounds in the sport during his three-year tenure there. Arizona was 1-11 in 2021 but finished last season 10-3 and ranked No. 14 in the College Football Playoff selection committee's final poll and No. 11 in the Associated Press poll. Fisch said his current offensive assistants have coached together for four years and have been together for every game with Fisch as a head coach.

«So proud those guys were a part of 1-11 to 10-3 transition where we ended up finishing 11th in the country,» he said. "… This group came here at the University of Washington because we believe in Husky football. We believe we have a chance at an opportunity to win