The Wisconsin Badgers made a big move by firing their coach. Was it the right call? We’ll have to wait and see. But one thing’s for sure—firing a coach can have major consequences, as we’re seeing with Wisconsin right now. After a poor season that included a close loss to the top-ranked Oregon Ducks, their offensive coordinator Phil Longo was recently removed. Following the Badgers’ third straight loss with a 5-5 record, head coach Luke Fickell made the decision. What did the Badgers lose as a result of this firing?

There’s been no official word on any severance packages or debts owed to Longo following his termination. But it’s common practice for coaching contracts to include severance pay. In fact, he joined the team last year and was one of the highest-paid offensive coordinators in CFB, earning $1.25 million per year on a three-year contract. If you are not aware, after a fruitful tenure as North Carolina’s offensive coordinator, where Longo worked with current NFL QBs Drake Maye and Sam Howell, he moved to Wisconsin. Because Longo’s experience with Air Raid-style attacks was out of the ordinary for a team that is primarily known for running the ball, his entrance to Wisconsin prior to the 2023 season attracted a lot of attention.

Badgers finished 7-6 last season with a scoring average of 23.5 points per game, which was its lowest since 2004. This season, they have run the ball 55.2% of the time, but their success rate hasn’t increased significantly. During their current 3-game losing streak, they have only scored 36 points overall, scoring 23.9 points per game. It seems like Longo’s success at his prior destinations has not been replicated by Wisconsin’s offenses. And that’s what makes it go boom.

However, the question of why Longo’s coaching was unsuccessful remains unanswered. Is it an injury or another issue? 

What’s up with Phil Longo’s coaching?

Due to a fractured hand, QB1 Tanner Mordecai missed 3 and a half games last season. This season, quarterback Tyler Van Dyke was sidelined for the remainder of the season after tearing his ACL in the first series of a Sept. 14 loss to Alabama. After all of those setbacks, Braedyn Locke has filled in at quarterback, although he has only completed 53.1 percent of his total passes. This season, Locke has completed 9 interceptions and 9 TDs. Injuries seem to be hurting Longo’s coaching.

“This morning, I informed Phil Longo that he will no longer serve as our offensive coordinator. After continuing to evaluate the program, I decided we are not where we need to be and believe this decision is in the best interest of the team. I appreciate Phil’s commitment to helping us build our program over the past two seasons and wish him well moving forward. This team still has a lot in front of us and I am committed to doing everything we can to close out this season with success,” said Badgers’ head coach Luke Fickell.

However, in order to continue the third-longest existing streak amongst Power 4 teams and earn a spot in the bowl for a 23rd season, the program needs to prevail in one of its next 2 games. They are also aiming for its 23rd consecutive winning season. Let’s see what transpires after Longo’s firing.