The clock is on for Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell after a disappointing 27-10 loss to the Maryland Terrapins last weekend. Nearly every ‘hot list’ by national media has Fickell’s name on it, and the pressure is only mounting after a disappointing two-plus years to start his tenure.
When he was hired back in November of 2022, there was significant hype around the coaching move, with many lauding it as the best hire of the cycle. That was a cycle that saw Hugh Freeze hired at Auburn, Deion
Sanders hired at Colorado, Matt Rhule hired at Nebraska, Zach Arnett promoted at Mississippi State, Jeff Brohm hired at Louisville, and many more moves.
Well, a few years later, there are more questions than answers for Fickell and the Badgers, and a murkier path ahead than what Wisconsin faced in 2022 with the new Big Ten. Wisconsin has struggled to develop an identity and build a culture over the past few years, and many of the issues that have plagued the team on the field have remained problems.
That leads us to the question: Should Luke Fickell get a fourth year at Wisconsin? That’s a loaded question filled with emotions. But, there are several factors in the equation, and one that may trump them all.
The biggest issue with Fickell currently is the $25+ million he’s owed via buyout stemming from the seven-year deal he signed in 2022. That would be a significant hurdle for the Badgers to climb, especially if they’re trying to remain financially competitive and hire a new coach. Wisconsin’s resources would certainly be tested, as they’d need another big splash at head coach to jumpstart the program’s rebuild.
Then comes the player aspect. While no college football player alone is beyond a program, the Badgers are in a rebuilding year, playing quite a few underclassmen from their 2024 and 2025 classes. Those were Fickell’s first two true cycles, which resulted in multiple top-30 classes filled with four-star talent.
Some of those players, such as Kevin Heywood, Mason Posa, Eugene Hilton Jr., and others, have flashed their potential, making it clear why they were ranked as such heading out of high school.
Providing Fickell with a fourth year keeps those players in the program and allows for a full year of development before hopefully seeing a major jump in 2025. Next year, a majority of those top players from both classes could be in starting roles, but it’s important to get them experience, hence the desire to play younger guys this season.
That’s where we’re seeing struggles along the offensive line and even at quarterback, as Wisconsin gauges who are its core pieces moving forward.
Firing Fickell this early could very well lead to a mass exodus of those younger players, which would completely disrupt the program’s infrastructure and make life significantly harder for the new coach. It would put Wisconsin in a very similar spot that they were in years ago, and create another rebuild that may take years to overcome in a loaded Big Ten.
2026 is going to be the true litmus test for the Badgers. It’ll speak to the development of Fickell and his coaching staff, as they’ll be tasked with making sure their top recruits from the past two years can be high-level starters in the Big Ten. If the development isn’t up to par, then it would make sense to move on and clean house, with a new coach bringing in his own players to jumpstart a rebuild.
Wisconsin has had a talent issue when competing in the Big Ten over the past few years. They have not gotten consistent All-Big Ten talent, and have really struggled in the transfer portal (more on that soon). But, in the past, their coaching staffs had been able to accomplish a lot more with less talent, namely, defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
For some reason, this coaching staff has not been able to do that, and it’s a question whether they have at any stop in the past. Cincinnati was Fickell’s major stepping stone. But, during the year he took the Bearcats to a College Football Playoff, Fickell had a team comprised of NFL talent going up against teams that weren’t as good as them.
That is why development is absolutely essential for Fickell and his squad, hence the point of 2026 being the true litmus test for the Badgers.
But, development and talent haven’t been the only issues for the Badgers. They’ve really struggled at identifying talent out of the transfer portal. Over the past few seasons, looking for immediate solutions, Wisconsin has not gotten any All-Big Ten talent from the transfer portal and has really struck out at the most important position: quarterback.
Wisconsin has gone to the portal for quarterbacks, but they haven’t had a starter yet that would be considered in the top half of the new-look Big Ten. They looked to identify a quality backup as well, but have struggled in that capacity, too. Resources play a major factor, but the Badgers have missed out there, while teams like Indiana have hit paydirt with NFL talents like Kurtis Rourke and Fernando Mendoza.
That wouldn’t be a problem if the Badgers developed quarterback talent, but they haven’t done that either. Elsewhere in the transfer portal, Wisconsin just hasn’t gotten many quality starters. And that’s another issue with the coaching staff that has contributed to the talent disparity.
There are quite a few valid concerns about the Fickell era, but it seems likely he’ll get a fourth year, both due to financials and the development of underclassmen.
Only one true factor could seem to change that: a massive collapse this season with the team showing a complete lack of heart, indicating Fickell has completely lost the locker room. Then, there may be no choice, but to make a move, even in a temporary capacity.
