Wisconsin Football HC Receives Low Grade in On3’s Report Card

Luke Fickell completed his debut season as head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers with a 7-6 record, leaving fans with uncertainty and looming questions for the football program. 

Typically, new coaches get a grace period to shape their program before criticism arises. In an ideal scenario, Fickell would have time to mold the team to his vision without immediate scrutiny.

However, unexpected losses to teams like Washington State, Iowa, Indiana, and Northwestern altered the narrative, making the upcoming 2024 season significantly more critical in the eyes of the public.

Further, when you take over a historically successful program like the Wisconsin Badgers with a resume like Fickell’s, which includes a College Football Playoff appearance, most rationale gets thrown to the wind. 

Wisconsin Football HC Luke Fickell Receives C- Grade From On3

Oct 14, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell leads the football team onto the field for warmups prior to the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Had the Wisconsin football regular season ended with 8-9 wins or a Big Ten West division title, the vibes from the media surrounding the Badgers heading into the offseason might have been different — optimistic even.

However, with consistently challenging schedules on the horizon, some doubts have surfaced with the high expectations surrounding Luke Fickell’s arrival and the program’s new schematic directions.

Recently, On3’s Jesse Simonton evaluated the first-year performance of every new head coach from last season. Fickell received a C-grade due to a blend of the team’s expectations, lack of offensive output, and the brutal midseason stretch where the Badgers lost four of five games. 

Year 1 College Football Head Coach Report Cards via @JesseReSimonton👀

Read: https://t.co/CmasYZuCy9 pic.twitter.com/WT2wBHKwEX

— On3 (@On3sports) January 3, 2024

In Simonton’s assessment, he encapsulates the sentiments of many Wisconsin football supporters by saying: “Fickell is too good of a coach to be overly concerned about the direction of the program. He’s won too many games elsewhere, and he just inked a Top 25 recruiting class. But it’s clear Wisconsin faces a much steeper challenge to truly start competing for championships like the administration hoped.”

Overall, I’d say that’s an incredibly fair analysis. The Wisconsin football staff has now had a year to identify what this team needs and is working tirelessly to address those concerns while building their own culture. 

The trouble of it all comes from the Big Ten getting an influx of high-end programs that will make it more challenging to win double-digit games moving forward. Time will tell, but there’s certainly some work to do. 

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