The Realistic Outlook: Wisconsin Football and the Luke Fickell Era

The Realistic Outlook: Wisconsin Football and the Luke Fickell Era

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell accepts the trophy after the Badgers defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the Guaranteed Rate Bowl Game at Chase Field on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022.
Ncaa Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Madison, Wis. — Wisconsin football has long been a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten Conference. The Badgers have also been one of the most consistent programs across college football for the last three decades — until recently, that is. 

Dating back to 2014, UW has accumulated the most wins of any program that hasn’t made the College Football Playoffs. After four 10+ win seasons in five years, the Badgers peaked under Paul Chryst and began a downward spiral that forced Chris McIntosh to shake things up.  

After three straight years of failing to win the Big Ten West, UW made a splash hire — bringing in former Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell. 

Fickell compiled a 57-18 overall record in six seasons with the Bearcats and won two AAC Championships (2020, 2021). He also became the first non-Power 5 coach to lead his program to the College Football Playoffs in 2021 — so his resume is nothing to shake a stick at. 

“My objective is not to change that [Wisconsin’s identity],” Fickell told UW reporters. “My objective is to try and find ways to grow it and enhance it.”

Hiring Fickell has provided renewed hope and optimism for the Wisconsin football program — maybe even too much.

I’ve heard more people than I care to admit talk about Wisconsin’s chances of winning a national championship during Fickell’s tenure. And while that’s all well and good, it is important to approach these (short-term) aspirations with a realistic perspective. 

While Fickell has already brought several positive changes to the team, expecting an immediate national championship under his leadership will likely leave you brokenhearted. 

This article will explore why such high expectations for Wisconsin football may be premature.

There’s Going to Be a Transition Period

Whenever a new coach takes over a program, there is a transition period as they implement their systems (ground and pound to air raid) and philosophies while recruiting players that better fit their vision.

Despite his previous successes at Cincinnati, Luke Fickell is stepping into a new environment with the Wisconsin Badgers.

Familiarizing himself with the team’s culture, building relationships with players, and establishing a successful coaching staff is important and shouldn’t be rushed. While the early returns have been promising, creating that winning culture takes time. Hiring assistant coaches like Phil Longo and Mike Tressel is an excellent place to start — and having Brady Collins lead his strength and conditioning program also is a major plus.

I’m confident in the people he’s hired to help run the Wisconsin football program and that UW will win plenty of games in 2023 — that needs to be said. Still, giving Fickell the necessary space to implement his vision is crucial before expecting championship-level results.

Wisconsin Football Recruiting Challenges

Recruiting plays a vital role in the long-term success of any football program — it’s not exactly rocket science. 

While Wisconsin football has traditionally faired pretty well in recruiting, attracting top-tier talent to Madison can be challenging. 

First off, the state of Wisconsin lacks the same pool of high school football talent as some other states, and competing against powerhouse programs for elite nationally targeted recruits can be difficult. 

Fickell may take several recruiting cycles to establish the necessary connections and pipelines to bring in top-level talent consistently. But he’s already drastically ahead of where I thought Wisconsin football would be in year one, given the success in the transfer portal. 

However, my last and most important point is that even though recruiting will likely continue to take a step forward under Fickell — I wonder if it can reach the level it might take to contend for a title. 

Since 2014, the teams that have won the college football playoff (Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, LSU, and Ohio State) have recruited at a level Wisconsin has never even sniffed. Except for Clemson, which still produced top-15 classes, the other schools mentioned all consistently produced top-five recruiting cycles annually. 

For reference, Wisconsin has only finished with one recruiting class in the top 20, topping out at No. 16. To me, that’s a substantial gap to close with the “blue bloods” before Wisconsin football can seriously enter the national title conversation. 

Not saying you can’t win at a high level without recruiting top-tier players, but recruiting rankings do matter to some degree. 

Final Thoughts on Luke Fickell + the Wisconsin Football Program

Winning a national championship is an arduous task in today’s college football landscape. Programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and Ohio State have dominated the national stage in recent years, and the gap between them and everyone else is sizeable. A lot bigger than most seem to realize.

While the Badgers have had their fair share of success, breaking through to the highest echelons of college football is a monumental challenge. It’s also worth mentioning that the Big Ten will be more difficult than ever with the additions of USC and UCLA.

First, Wisconsin football must focus on short-term success like sustainability, establishing a culture of success, developing players, and finding the right players in the portal to build around.

While the arrival of Luke Fickell as the head coach of the Wisconsin football program brings excitement and optimism, it is important to temper immediate expectations of a national championship. Because the college football playoff is expanding — I do want it on record that I firmly believe Fickell will get the Badgers to the playoffs.

Transitioning into a new coaching regime takes time, and building a championship-caliber program is a process. The Badgers have a history of success, and with Fickell’s leadership, they have the potential to reach new heights. I ask that fans approach the journey with realistic short-term expectations and enjoy watching Wisconsin football build back into a program that can compete consistently at the highest level.

If given the time to do things his way, Luke Fickell might be able to prove you right down the road (fingers crossed).

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