Luke Fickell’s burdens aren’t over yet. He probably knows this is what he signed up for when he took the role from Paul Chryst. Wisconsin. Once upon a time, they were the Rose Bowl favorites. And that also counts being a former prodigy in the Big Ten which is now topped by Ohio State and Oregon. But Fickell seems to be going down the same path as his predecessor who was fired. Only he’s falling way faster. And this past 5-7 season didn’t give out much hope going forward. 

A section of the latest The Solid Verbal College Football Podcast episode on January 29 revolved around Wisconsin as the most solid ground program in the country. And Bruce Feldman is the bearer of bad news as he compares the past to the present saying,

“I think a couple of things happened. Like remember there used to be East and West in the Big 10, pre the four old Pac-12 schools coming in. So you were better positioned scheduling-wise.” But this past season saw them matching up against opponents like Alabama, USC, Penn State, and more powerhouses. Still, Feldman feels that the Badgers had their flaws saying, “I think in the first year it sounded like Wisconsin had real, like some not great staff chemistry on the offensive side of the [football].”

Feldman also added, “It just felt like they were struggling to find their identity. They had a stretch in midseason where they won three in a row.” Wisconsin started great winning the first two games. But their Week 3 game against Alabama set the foundation of their downfall starting with their QB Tyler Van Dyke’s injury that kept him out for the rest of the season.

Braedyn Locke found himself as an unexpected starter and we can’t blame him for such a turn of events. After brutal falls to the Crimson Tide and USC, the Badgers were able to make a comeback with wins over Purdue, Rutgers, and Northwestern. But that’s that. The following five were all losing games.

Top Comment by Lepricon1622

They had great talent in mabrey mettauer and now the new 4 star freshman at qb. But I’m guessing if...more

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What transpired next questioned Wisconsin’s coaching chemistry when they fired OC Phil Longo mid-season following a three-game losing streak averaging 12 points. The Badgers finished 91st in total offense and 97th in scoring offense. But are there going to be any changes in the upcoming season?

Can Luke Fickell restore Wisconsin to its former glory?

The burden is heavy for the one with the crown. Take heed of Feldman’s words, “I think it felt like they were a low ceiling team and I think they can still be like an 8-win team.” Wisconsin was a B1G powerhouse in the ‘90s winning consecutive Rose Bowls and conference championships under legendary coaches like Barry Alvarez and Bret Bielema. While Paul Chryst had a promising start, the lack of improvement became evident until his dismissal in 2022. 

Luke Fickell came in the following season, ready to bring change. But his first two seasons haven’t been that promising, this past season being even worse than the 7-6 record in 2023. He’s packing his roster up with 23 high school commits and 18 portal commits. Can 2025 be any different? 

Tyler Van Dyke transferred to SMU and Wisconsin is projected to start redshirt senior Billy Edwards Jr. with Danny O’Neil as the backup. The Badgers fans would love to see them prove Feldman’s concerns wrong.