Washington football: Worst head coaching hires in program history

Washington was left to pick up the pieces after Kalen DeBoer fled for Tuscaloosa. Now, to usher in the Jedd Fisch era in Seattle, let's take a look at a few cautionary tales of failed Huskies coaches from the past.

Washington head coach Tyrone Willingham / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

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In the 107-year history of Washington football, the two under Kalen DeBoer rank up there as two of the best. DeBoer took the Huskies to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game with an undefeated 2023 season, but as quickly as he built the program, he was even quicker to take the open job at Alabama.

After his departure, the administration at Washington that was tasked with replacing DeBoer settled on Jedd Fisch, a football mercenary who revived the Arizona program in just three seasons. Fisch will need to rebuild in Seattle too because the best players from last season’s team are all entered in the NFL draft, and the rest have fled to the transfer portal.

Hopes are high for Huskies fans, but hiring a head coach is far from an exact science. Washington, like every school, has gotten it wrong in the past and these are the cautionary tales of Huskies history.

With the transition to the Big Ten, change is coming for Washington. Fisch is tasked with navigating it and finding a way to stay off this list.

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