Over the last two days, it’s been Big Ten Media days for the college football season. During this session at Lucas Oil Stadium, each coach gets about 15 minutes to address the media on what they can expect this season and answer any questions during their allotted time. First year Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell was the second last coach to go to the podium. Here were some takeaways from his press conference.
What Defines Success In Year One
Fickell assumed this question would be asked so he answered the question in his opening statements. He mentioned he wants to see his team playing their best football in the last month of the season. The objective is to also win a championship first and foremost. Fickell ended this by noting he wants to see his team handle adversity as well.
Fickell: "We have one objective: To play for a championship."
"Nobody outside of our walls … will define what success looks like for us."
"Success looks like, to me, when you play your best ball at the end of the year."
— Colten Bartholomew (@CBartWSJ) July 27, 2023
He isn’t wrong about any of this. The expectations in year one are that Wisconsin needs to win the Big Ten West and contend for a Big Ten Championship. To do that, the Badgers need to be playing their best ball not just in November, but in September and October. Every team also has adversity during the year. It’s different for each but every team needs to overcome it.
Crediting The Foundation
Fickell: Foundation that Alvarez, Bielema, Chryst and Leonhard built was evident and he's thankful for it. #Badgers
— Colten Bartholomew (@CBartWSJ) July 27, 2023
Fickell also noted that he credits former coaches Barry Alvarez, Bret Bielema, Paul Chryst, and Jim Leonhard for creating the foundation at Wisconsin prior to his arrival. As noted in the past, Fickell has said he wants to keep that foundation going and it’s one of the reasons why he chose Wisconsin.
I don’t think you see that a lot in today’s college football. Most of the time, a new head coach wants to change everything and make the program his or her own. It goes to show how much Fickell respects Wisconsin as an athletic department, as a university, and the coaches that came before him.
Why Wisconsin?
Badgers Arrive 5
Fickell was also asked a question on why he chose Wisconsin over other offers he could have potentially had? Along with the culture, Fickell mentioned his familiarity with the Big Ten as a whole. That is true as he spent a number of years at Ohio State and even served as the interim head coach for a season.
Fickell also included how much Madison and the university has exceeded all his expectations despite being the coach for only eight months. Familiarity with a conference is important as you already have an idea on what the conference is what it takes to be at the top. Coming from the powerhouse in Ohio State, Luke Fickell knows what it takes to not only win a Big Ten Championship but a National Championship as well.
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