Jedd Fisch’s Real Offseason Challenge: Winning Washington’s Financial Game
Jedd Fisch spent Saturday night watching his Washington Huskies dismantle Boise State in the LA Bowl, cruising to a 28-point victory that capped a 9-4 season. But while most coaches might take a moment to savor the win, Fisch made it clear: there’s no offseason when you’re building a program in today’s college football landscape.
The next phase of his job? Fundraising.
And lots of it.
“Fundraising and talking to donors and trying to put our best team together that we possibly can,” Fisch said after the win at SoFi Stadium. That’s not coach-speak-it’s the reality of modern college football, where keeping a roster intact and a coaching staff in place often comes down to dollars and cents.
Washington’s athletic department is valued at roughly $975 million, according to CNBC, and Fisch is ready to leverage every bit of that. His mission is simple but far from easy: secure the financial backing to ensure continuity-among both players and coaches.
Because in today’s game, continuity isn’t just a luxury. It’s a competitive advantage.
“The most important thing you can do is have continuity,” Fisch emphasized. “And not having continuity is not good.”
That’s about as blunt as it gets. Translation: if Washington wants to keep its rising stars and trusted assistants, they’ll need to invest in them.
And Fisch is stepping up as the face of that push.
The timing couldn’t be more critical. Washington just landed the 13th-ranked recruiting class in the nation-a strong bounce-back after the roster turnover that followed the Huskies’ 2023 championship game run.
Fisch has already shown he can build momentum, turning a six-win debut into a nine-win campaign in Year 2. Now, Year 3 has the potential to be a breakthrough-if the roster stays intact.
And if anyone still needed convincing that Washington has something worth investing in, Demond Williams Jr. delivered the perfect sales pitch Saturday night. The sophomore quarterback put on a clinic, throwing four touchdowns and showing exactly why he’s the centerpiece of this offense heading into 2026.
Williams wrapped up the season with over 2,800 passing yards and 21 touchdown passes. Those numbers might not scream Heisman, but they’re the kind of stats that win games-and build programs.
He’s the type of player you build around, not replace. And that’s exactly why Fisch is about to spend the next few months rallying donors and writing checks with his words.
Around Williams, the Huskies showed balance and explosiveness. Boston hauled in six receptions, while Coleman added 85 yards on the ground.
Washington built a three-score lead before halftime and never looked back. It was the kind of performance that says, “We’re close.”
Fisch knows it. The players know it. Now it’s about making sure the financial support matches the on-field potential.
“We won nine games with a roster held together by duct tape,” Fisch could easily tell a room full of boosters. “Imagine what we could do with real resources.”
That’s not just a pitch-it’s a challenge. Because in this era of NIL, transfer portals, and escalating coaching salaries, programs that want to compete at the highest level can’t just rely on tradition or talent.
They need infrastructure. They need investment.
And they need leaders like Fisch who are willing to treat fundraising like fourth-and-goal.
The Huskies have momentum. Now they need the money to match.