Wisconsin Badgers football may have decided to extend Luke Fickell’s contract but the pressure for him to deliver results remains. The pressure might have only gotten bigger.
MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
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Fickell is entering his third season as the head coach of one of the nation’s most historic and most decorated football programs. He made history in his second but not the good kind.
The team failed to play in a Bowl Game for the first time since 2001 after finishing with a 5-7 record in 2024.
The team has been busy with their offseason moves, with coaches actively participating in recruitment process.
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There are those who personally visit with players, play Playstation with them.
Even Fickell flies to far away states to personally send his message on interest to top recruits.
Despite that, the results matter most. Many analysts believe he is among those who will get fired in the middle of 2025 season.
Luke Fickell sees honesty as starting point for Wisconsin Badgers
A new season means a fresh start. How does Fickell plans to approach this new one? He wants to start with honesty.
He said that the team, lead by him, should recognize the reality that they are not that good yet. He is also more critical about his role in all of it.
“I felt like I hadn’t done a good enough job as a leader of being really honest,” Fickell said in an interview with The Athletic.
“Sometimes honesty is very difficult. And sometimes honesty can be a de-motivator for some. Through that process, that’s what I mean by I think we were delusional, and I wasn’t honest enough with us to say, ‘Look guys, we’re not better than so-and-so.’ Honesty comes with being self-reflective to say, ‘OK, where are we?
He said being honest is not his job alone
Let’s embrace the idea of where we really are and don’t think we’re someplace we’re not.’ If we can’t be honest with each other, then it’s really difficult to move forward.”
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