The Florida Gators’ head coach hunt is ongoing. Billy Napier’s run at Gainesville ended abruptly after a frustrating 3-4 start to the 2025 season. Lane Kiffin’s name is on top of the program’s list. However, a former student-turned-head coach is also in the mix.

Jedd Fisch, Washington’s $54 million head coach, sat down with analyst Jim Rome in a candid chat to dig through his Florida roots. Along the way, he revealed how he leaned on present Eagles GM Howie Roseman, a longtime friend from their Florida days, to capitalize on his dream of leading the Gators. “We were fraternity brothers at UF. We randomly got connected up We’re both from New Jersey, and both chose the same fraternity house, and then he needed a roommate….and I moved in,” Fisch said during the conversation.

“My favorite part of Howie or living with Howie was that he’s such a diehard football junkie that neither one of us believed that the other one was as much of a diehard as the other one was.” Fisch continued to say, “So it was a constant conversation and a constant discussion about yeah, but like what are you going to do really, like you’re not really going to be a GM or you’re not really going to be a head football coach, and both of us kept saying no, we actually are.” 

The fun part is that Fisch didn’t even play high school or college football. He was an all-state tennis player in New Jersey who somehow decided his life’s goal was to become a football coach.

It was the mid-’90s in Gainesville, and Steve Spurrier’s Fun ’n’ Gun offense was lighting up the SEC. Yeah, that’s where he wanted to be. When Fisch got to Gainesville, he hustled for any job he could find. And every “no” just fueled him more. Eventually, he started coaching high school ball at P.K. Yonge while still in college, just to get closer to Spurrier’s program. His persistence paid off when Spurrier finally let him in as a graduate assistant in 1999. From there, Fisch climbed the coaching ladder. After Florida’s Sugar Bowl loss to Miami in January 2001, Steve Spurrier pulled him aside with some big news.

During that time, Houston Texans head coach Dom Capers had called asking for a solid young G.A. recommendation. And Spurrier didn’t hesitate to drop Fisch’s name. So the next thing you know, Fisch was hired by the Texans. But his heart was still lingering for the Gators. It was the shared love of football between him and Howie that sparked his dreams. One memorable spring day during the NFL Draft, Roseman grabbed his clipboard, map, and folders, and tracked every pick with full focus.

Fisch just lounged on the couch in boxers and a T-shirt, amazed at his roommate’s laser focus. Roseman calmly said, “I’m going to be an NFL GM.” And on the other side, Fisch had the desire to become a head coach. They both laughed it off but shared a quiet conviction. Fast forward, and they both made it. They’ve even faced off professionally. Fisch is coaching offensively against teams Roseman built. Funny thing is, Roseman hasn’t drafted any of Fisch’s players yet, but their roots in Gainesville remain a touchstone.

Jedd Fisch’s rise to the big leagues

Billy Napier’s time in Gainesville turned into another one of those all-too-familiar Florida coaching flops. But Jedd Fisch wasn’t always the top name for Gainesville’s football throne. At 45% odds, Lane Kiffin is the clear favorite. But the Ole Miss head coach is yet to take a call.

Now that’s where Jedd Fisch enters the picture. Washington hired him after a wild ride at Arizona. And in just over a year, the Huskies went from 6-7 chaos in 2024 to 6-2, nationally ranked. They were dropping 35 points per game behind breakout QB Demond Williams Jr. and running touchdown machine Jonah Coleman. The 59-year-old took over a team with major roster turnover and somehow made explosive offense look easy.

On top of that, he’s a genuine Steve Spurrier disciple. So, everyone in the Gator fan base knows how that connection makes him more attractive. Plus, he is the one guy who can modernize a program, keep recruiting humming, and win while doing it. The hitch? Washington knows exactly how valuable he is. His goodbye money sits at $10 million until January 8, 2026. Add some UCLA rumors to the mix, and every college football fan on the West Coast is holding their breath.