Jedd Fisch hopes staff restructure makes Washington more competitive

Citing NFL influence, UW's coach introduced a more robust personnel department. He believes the Huskies will recruit better as a result.

SEATTLE — The “Washington Football Organization” smells like new carpet.

Months ago, they tore the old stuff out of the team meeting room attached to the Husky Stadium tunnel. There are new, plush chairs, too, all gray (beige?) and UW-purple branded, with folding desks attached. Mural-style action photos of Napoleon Kaufman and Trent McDuffie border the head of the room; Dillon Johnson’s determined face adorns the back wall, with coach Jedd Fisch’s “R.A.I.S.E” motto spelled out in purple, block letters.

An illuminated block “W” looms over Fisch from the front wall as he addresses the media — this is the room where UW typically holds press conferences and postgame interviews — as do two television monitors hanging above him on either side, beneath two illuminated messages: “NO EXCUSES” and “IT’S OUR TIME.”

Fisch’s renovation of the UW program continues.

This is true for the myriad facilities upgrades and touch-ups throughout the football building, and also for the manner in which Fisch has now structured the Huskies’ “organization,” to borrow the school’s own nomenclature. In all, Fisch figures the program added 11 new full-time positions, between on-field coaches, recruiting and personnel staff, quality-control positions and administrative roles.