From the outside looking in, 2025 could feel like a do-or-die season for University of Wisconsin Head Football Coach Luke Fickell. After six stellar years at Cincinnati, Fickell went 7-5 and 5-7 in his first two full seasons in Madison, with Wisconsin missing a bowl game last year for the first time in 23 seasons. We live in a “results now” world of sports. That said, it’s probably smart to think of his seat as more “microwaved burrito with yet another frustratingly frozen center” lukewarm as opposed to “this Hot Pocket just unleashed the power of the sun onto the roof of my mouth” hot.
Historically speaking, Wisconsin is a patient school. Like a reflection of the state and the Midwest overall, missing are the typical knee-jerk coaching changes and headline drama. Quiet, stable, strong, and going about its business while others exist as Jekyll or Hyde. Paul Chryst’s firing in 2022 was a shock and had more to do with an entire lack of a recruiting department in a changing NCAA landscape and continued lack of good QB play, not his .720 career winning percentage in Madison. It was the program’s first firing of a head coach since Don Morton 33 years ago, when he was given three years to amass a record of 6-27 (sorry you’re catching strays in 2025, Don).
Back to Fickell, the win-loss tally this season might not end up great, either – but all losses are not created equal. The schedule includes facing #19 Alabama in Tuscaloosa this Saturday, as well as away at #23 ranked Michigan, hosting #1 Ohio State, traveling to #4 Oregon, away at #22 Indiana, and home against #9 Illinois. Things will not be easy this year.
A sluggish first half against a get-right warm-up opponent like Middle Tennessee State this past weekend was not comforting, but seeing the second half adjustments while also working with an unorthodox offensive line setup gives hope. Leaning on the run game the first two weeks of the season brings the school back to its historical bread and butter. Taking with a grain of salt, QB transfer Danny O’Neil – starting due to the continued injury absence of the other transfer Billy Edwards Jr. – showed flashes of being a much-needed playmaking passer. A full recruiting team and getting on the same page with the Athletic Department are obviously going to help Coach Fickell stay around longer, too.
Recruiting is still a challenge for all coaches, especially in today’s current NIL and constant-transfer structure, though the latter will be changing to hopefully limit that difficulty. This goes doubly so for a school like Wisconsin that can’t offer the winning history of perennial playoff squads while also upholding stricter admissions standards than others, too. That looks to be improving already though, as Fickell has landed #4 overall QB recruit in dual-threat star Carter Smith.
Full recruiting team, already paying dividends? Check. Adjusting the roster and finding ways to win football games even with injuries? Check. 2-0 start? Check. Losses this year will be coming, but if the team is competitive as underdogs, even sneaking an upset or two into the results, I don’t think Fickell is close to being ousted. Check back if they’re getting blown out by 40 multiple times or struggle at home against a very young Maryland squad and reeling team from Iowa.
