The Wisconsin Badgers have hired Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell as the new leader of their football team. Coach Fickell comes to Wisconsin with seven years of head coaching experience. He was the interim head coach at Ohio State in 2011. It was a tough job, as OSU was in the midst of the Jim Tressel scandal. Fickell led the Buckeyes to a 6-6 record and a Bowl appearance.
Related: Fans React to the Wisconsin Badgers Hiring of Luke Fickell
In 2017, Fickell was hired as the head coach at Cincinnati. During that, time, he has amassed a record of 57-18 and a 2-2 record in Bowl games. Last season, Cincinnati went 13-0 and earned a spot in the College Football Playoffs. They were defeated in the Cotton Bowl and finished the season ranked fourth in the country.
Luke Fickell Chose Wisconsin for a Special Reason
Over the years, Coach Fickell has been linked to several high-profile college coaching jobs. In the past, he has turned down head coaching jobs with Michigan State and Notre Dame. USC also invited Fickell to interview for their open head coaching position last season, but Fickell said he was not interested. He has also declined jobs or interviews with LSU and Oklahoma. So why Wisconsin?
Luke Fickell: "This is a destination job at a program that I have admired from afar for years. I am in total alignment with Chris McIntosh's vision for this program. There is a tremendous foundation here that I can't wait to build upon." #Badgers
— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) November 27, 2022
It should be promising to Badgers fans that someone as coveted as Coach Fickell was not only open to taking the Wisconsin head coach position, but that he wanted that job for years. That speaks volumes to the reputation of the program around the NCAA.
Other Big 10 Fan Bases Are Not Happy
The hiring of Fickell by Wisconsin was not only a shock to Badgers fans, but also to fans of Ohio State as well. You see, it has long been assumed that Fickell was next-in-line for that position in a year or two. Even though Ohio State has had a very good season, many fans are not happy with their head coach.
Related: “Slap in the Face:” Badgers Players React to Hiring of Luke Fickell
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