After a 1–5 start to the season which extended Arizona's losing streak against FBS programs to ten games (the one win came against FCS Northern Arizona) Stoops was fired and Kish was promoted to interim head coach.
[2] Kish would lose the next three games on the schedule but closed out the conference slate by defeating the rival Arizona State Sun Devils in Tempe, reclaiming the Territorial Cup in the 85th Duel in the Desert.
Two days later, Rich Rodriguez was named Arizona's new full-time head coach.
Kish would finish the season with a 45-37 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette in his final game as head coach.
Kish was not retained on Rodriguez' new staff and was succeeded as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach by Jeff Casteel.