Some kosher college pigskin news to kick off 2017. UCLA has hired Jedd Fisch, currently Michigan’s assistant coach, as its new offensive coordinator. Beyond the obligatory mazel tov and assurance that people eat bagels in Southern California, this hire is extra exciting for Jewish college football fans. It means that next season Fisch will be working closely with Bruins quarterback Josh Rosen—known to fans and teammates as “Chosen Rosen“—the best Jewish player college football has seen in a while. The sophomore, who spent the last month of this season out with a shoulder injury, was one of UCLA’s most anticipated recruits in recent years.
To bring this NCAA-sanctioned game of Jewish geography full circle: In 1987, Jedd Fisch was a camper at Mah-Kee-Nac, an all-boys sleep-away camp in the Berkshires. His counselor in Bunk 21 that summer? A recent graduate of Assumption College, a Catholic school in Worcester, Mass., named Brian Kelly, who almost 30 years later is head football coach for the University of Notre Dame. Dayenu.
These 2 years have been so memorable! Learned so much, coached so many awesome kids, and worked with an A+ staff! Thank you @UMichFootball
— Jedd Fisch (@CoachJeddFisch) January 3, 2017
Related: Notre Dame Coach’s Jewish Past
VoxVault: Kosher Pigskin
Stephanie Butnick is chief strategy officer of Tablet Magazine, co-founder of Tablet Studios, and a host of the Unorthodox podcast.
