Wisconsin makes push to rent Luke Fickell as coach

Wisconsin has focused Luke Fickell to be the varsity’s subsequent head coach, sources informed ESPN. No deal is signed, however there is a robust push by the Badgers to attempt to land Fickell within the subsequent 48 hours.

Fickell led Cincinnati to the Faculty Soccer Playoff final season and has gone 57-18 in his six years there. Fickell’s 2021 Bearcat crew went 13-0 earlier than shedding to Alabama within the Faculty Soccer Playoff, changing into the primary Group of 5 crew to achieve the CFP.

Fickell has robust roots within the Large Ten, as he is a long-time assistant coach and coordinator at Ohio State and performed there collegiately. He’d been choosy about jobs over time as Cincinnati rose to the highest of the Group of 5, being selective concerning the Midwestern footprint.

Fickell would substitute Paul Chryst, who was fired in the midst of the season after going 67-26 in eight seasons there. He’d been changed by Jim Leonhard, who had been the defensive coordinator and was thought of a candidate for the top teaching job.

Fickell’s attraction to the Badgers brass, alongside along with his report and roots within the league, is his skill to construct a program. Fickell turned Cincinnati into one of many nation’s greatest growth packages, taking modest recruits and persistently churning out robust groups.

Final 12 months, Fickell’s Bearcats had 9 gamers picked within the NFL draft, which was third behind solely Georgia (15) and LSU (10).

Fickell spent one season as an interim coach within the Large Ten, going 6-7 in 2011 within the wake of the firing of Jim Tressel at Ohio State. He stayed affected person from there, working because the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator underneath City Meyer and profitable a nationwide championship within the 2014 season.