Wisconsin Football: Reflections and Musings on the 2023 Season

In the wake of the Wisconsin football team’s 28-14 triumph over Minnesota in the regular-season finale, a few reflections emerged about the current state and future trajectory of the Badgers under Luke Fickell.

Wisconsin is entering a college football dead period, if you will, preparing for a late-December bowl game after a much-needed break. 

Despite finishing 7-5 overall and 5-4 in the Big Ten, tied for second in the West, the season is undoubtedly viewed as a disappointment relative to preseason expectations. Particularly when many, myself included, thought there was a clear path to the league title game for Wisconsin. 

Despite their shortcomings, there were moments of resilience and promise. The Badgers rallied in their final two games, showcasing Fickell’s emphasis on toughness and resiliency within the program.

Challenges persist in the Big Ten, especially in an 18-team league. Upgrading talent and aligning skill sets with the systems at hand remains a priority for the Wisconsin football coaching staff. 

The recent wins against Nebraska and Minnesota, though against 5-7 teams, signify an encouraging turning point for the Badgers’ future.

That said, Wisconsin has several questions to answer this offseason to begin competing for ‘championships.’ Let’s examine — from my perspective — what they are — and add a few musings of my own to reflect on the 2023 season. 

Wisconsin Football Offensive Line Play Must Improve 

Wisconsin’s offensive line, a topic of discussion over recent seasons, displayed marked improvement against Minnesota. The unit’s collective performance, devoid of penalties and yielding zero sacks, stood out, signaling potential amidst disappointment. Yet, impending changes loom with potential departures like Jack Nelson and Michael Furtney.

Jack Bicknell talked about wanting to rotate seven or eight players during the offseason, but that number quickly dwindled to five or six. Either way, the unit collectively played their best ball by the season’s end. 

So, the million-dollar question becomes, how do they build on that? 

Are in-house options such as Tredy Wedig, Nolan Rucci, Jake Renfro, and Joe Brunner ready to push for starting roles? Or will the Badgers need to dip into the transfer portal to field a competitive starting five? 

UW also has five incoming scholarship freshmen joining the program — and there will assuredly be offseason departures as well. The bigger picture will come into focus between now and spring ball, but improved & consistent offensive line play is a must. 

The Wisconsin Badgers Quarterback Situation  

Then, there’s the quarterback situation. Tanner Mordecai exhibited leadership and grit despite an injury-riddled season. Although he didn’t produce the eye-popping numbers many were hoping for, Mordecai gave the Badgers everything he had and then some. 

The challenge Wisconsin football faces for the future will be filling his void after the bowl game, as other quarterbacks on the roster lack meaningful experience. 

You could argue that Braedyn Locke showed enough to assume the reigns as QB1 in 2024 — but the Wisconsin Badgers would probably be wise to explore proven options in the transfer portal that can help elevate the team’s offense under Phil Longo.  

Despite the offensive struggles this season, Longo’s play-calling against Minnesota showcased the scheme’s potential when it’s appropriately tailored to the personnel at their disposal.  

The offensive coordinator experienced a steeper learning curve than most expected — but having a better understanding of the Wisconsin football team’s culture — and adding a few hand-picked additions in the portal — should reflect a more refined approach in the future. 

Call me biased, but I’m reasonably confident the Wisconsin Badgers will finish better than No. 75 in total offense (370.8 YPG) and No. 101 in scoring offense (22.8 PPG) again next season. Time will tell, though.  

Wisconsin Football Needs More Playmakers on Defense 

Defensively, the Wisconsin football program faced myriad challenges in their first season under Mike Tressel. 

There were maddening inconsistencies in stopping opponents on opening drives — and if we’re being honest, the first half of games overall were often a disaster. I’m still scared by what Georgia Southern QB Davis Brin did to the Badgers (minus the ungodly amount of INTs).

However, Coach Tressel did a masterful job of making adjustments at halftime of games — which also deserves mentioning. But that hot and cold product leaves me uncertain of how to feel about his first year as the Badgers defensive coordinator. 

By the numbers, it was a pretty solid season — although not up to the standard set by his predecessors. UW finished with the No. 19 scoring defense in the country, allowing 18.92 points per game, and was No. 31 in total defense, giving up 331.7 yards a contest. 

Wisconsin didn’t have many playmakers on its defense in the spirit of being fair. Hunter Wohler and Ricardo Hallman are the only players you could point to and say they’re all-conference caliber talents, which is a problem that needs correcting — and fast. 

The lack of consistent disruptive forces in the front seven impacted the Wisconsin football program’s overall performance, highlighting the need for an influx of talented plug-and-play options that can only come from the transfer portal. In a perfect world, those players would also be better schematic fits that match the coaching staff’s vision moving forward. 

Final Thoughts 

Again, I echo the sentiment that this season was largely a “failure.” But the late-season unity and resolve the Badgers showed following the Northwestern debacle that left me feeling cautiously optimistic about the future of the Wisconsin football program under Luke Fickell. 

The new coaching staff wanted to bridge the gap between who the Badgers have been and who they want to be in 2023, and it didn’t work.

Was Fickell expected to walk in and turn Wisconsin into a powerhouse? Not exactly. The sky-high expectations were primarily due to the combination of his track record — the returning talent — and a manageable schedule paired with a borderline pathetic Big Ten West. 

But now, we face the toughest task for any fan: to exercise patience. Even the best coaches need some time. 

Nick Saban and Kirby Smart went 7-6 and 8-5 in their first seasons at Alabama and Georgia, respectively. But they were able to cross the double-digit win thresholds in year two. Even Luke Fickell struggled mightily in his first year at Cincinnati, going 4-8 — before turning things around and rattling off 10+ wins in three of the next four seasons. 

Is there an argument to be made that rebuilds can happen quicker in the transfer portal era? Possibly. But the reality is — rebuilding the Wisconsin football program will take some time.

I’ll reserve judgment until Fickell has a couple of seasons to instill his culture and construct a roster in his vision — because his track record suggests that success is just around the corner. 

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