Luke Fickell

[Katzenboyer]

Probably not. Remaining games @USC, @Iowa, @Nebraska, while hosting Penn State and Oregon. All without his starting QB

Not sure the loss of TVD is a bad thing for them, to be honest. He's been mediocre ever since teams figured out he has no idea how to throw against zone coverage.

 

[MacIrish75]

Not sure the loss of TVD is a bad thing for them, to be honest. He's been mediocre ever since teams figured out he has no idea how to throw against zone coverage.

Better than not being able to throw against any coverage, amirite?

 

[NDFAN2008]

Wisconsin fans have a bizarre hatred of ND considering the complete lack of history between us. Hope that program struggles.

That's because any good OL they wanted we got

 

[zelezo vlk]

Wisconsin fans have a bizarre hatred of ND considering the complete lack of history between us. Hope that program struggles.

Good, fuck 'em

 

[Irish#1]

It seems like Fickell (and Phil Longo) tried to go with an Air Raid offense but Wisconsin doesn't have the athletes (or QB) for it. Maybe they should stick with what Wisconsin has always been good at?
Also, frankly, probably no team in the Big Ten - except maybe Iowa - will suffer more from ending divisions and adding several new powerhouse programs.
Could be a rough go for Fickell. But maybe he can be our next DC when Golden retires?

You hit the nail on the head. Hard to change philosophies so quickly, especially when the ground and pound is so deeply entrenched in the program.

 

[Katzenboyer]

You hit the nail on the head. Hard to change philosophies so quickly, especially when the ground and pound is so deeply entrenched in the program.

What's most confusing to me is that Fickell didn't run a wide-open offense at Cincy, where he had a ton of success. The Longo choice is a complete head-scratcher, especially with the point you make -- Wisconsin had ground and pound in their blood.

 

[pumpdog20]

Wisconsin fans have a bizarre hatred of ND considering the complete lack of history between us. Hope that program struggles.

Same in iowa... it's odd.

 

[Irish Knuckles]

What's most confusing to me is that Fickell didn't run a wide-open offense at Cincy, where he had a ton of success. The Longo choice is a complete head-scratcher, especially with the point you make -- Wisconsin had ground and pound in their blood.

i think fickell can see the writing on the wall in as far as wisky's ability to recruit with the big boys in the big ten. solid program, but he doesn't want to cap wisky's ceiling. trying to give himself a fighting chance for something more than perpetual tier two status. that's prolly what's gonna happen anyway, he's just taking a shot at something better.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

i think fickell see the writing on the wall in as far as wisky's ability to recruit with the big boys in the big ten. solid program, but he doesn't want to cap wisky's ceiling. trying to give himself a fighting chance for something more than perpetual tier two status. that's prolly what's gonna happen anyway, he's just taking a shot at something better.

Yeah, it's one of those weird programs for sure. Good, but not great.

The last Big Ten Championship they won was because Ohio State and Penn State were both ineligible for postseason due to sanctions. UW got there by going 4-4 and finishing third behind those two teams.

Their all time record against tOSU, scUM and Michigan State speaks for itself. That being said I think most Illinois fans would trade places with them for the last 30 years in a second.

 

[Irish Knuckles]

Yeah, it's one of those weird programs for sure. Good, but not great.

The last Big Ten Championship they won was because Ohio State and Penn State were both ineligible for postseason due to sanctions. UW got there by going 4-4 and finishing third behind those two teams.

Their all time record against tOSU, scUM and Michigan State speaks for itself. That being said I think most Illinois fans would trade places with them for the last 30 years in a second.

yeah. he could play it safe and win 8 or 9 games a year or he can take a chance and try develop talent, keep upperclassmen and run an offense that can make a run at a playoff spot every now and then.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

yeah. he could play it safe and win 8 or 9 games a year or he can take a chance and try develop talent, keep upperclassmen and run an offense that can make a run at a playoff spot every now and then.

It would seem that they dismissed Chryst with a .720 winning percentage knowing what they want of Fickell. I'm going to guess they want the latter.

 

[Irish Knuckles]

It would seem that they dismissed Chryst with a .720 winning percentage knowing what they want of Fickell. I'm going to guess they want the latter.

agree. it's just what it looks like to me.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Chryst had fallen off hard towards the end, but admittedly their entire recruiting department was poached by Sparty when Mel Tucker made it to East Lansing. He had less support from the administration than I think any other Big Ten program at the end there.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I just find it interesting that Bielema and Andersen both left there willingly on their own accord. Bielema could have stayed there and probably carried on for a while and been fine.

He left after the 8-5 Rose Bowl season when they leaped in over sanctioned tOSU and PSU. His time at Arkansas did not go well. Illinois is probably happy to have him, but he's got a big season ahead of him. Year 4. Schedule could allow for 8 wins.

Gary Andersen appears to be consulting at BYU.

Chryst is no longer with Texas.

 

[Katzenboyer]

I mean, the ground and pound offense + Russell Wilson got them to a Rose Bowl in 2011, and if I recall correctly each of their losses that year was by 7 points or less.

I'm not saying Fickell was wrong to try to elevate the program, but going to Longo's system was a drastic change from a program that may not have needed such a complete reset. And I'm not sure he has access to the athletes to make Longo's offense hum.

Just my two cents.

 

[Irish du Nord]

Wisconsin fans have a bizarre hatred of ND considering the complete lack of history between us. Hope that program struggles.

The arrogance of beating up on the teams of the little 10 combined with us being the second most liked team in their region probably contributes to this

 

[Irish du Nord]

Yeah, it's one of those weird programs for sure. Good, but not great.

The last Big Ten Championship they won was because Ohio State and Penn State were both ineligible for postseason due to sanctions. UW got there by going 4-4 and finishing third behind those two teams.

Their all time record against tOSU, scUM and Michigan State speaks for itself. That being said I think most Illinois fans would trade places with them for the last 30 years in a second.

Yeah all 5 U of I fans must really envy them

 

[zelezo vlk]

I mean, the ground and pound offense + Russell Wilson got them to a Rose Bowl in 2011, and if I recall correctly each of their losses that year was by 7 points or less.

I'm not saying Fickell was wrong to try to elevate the program, but going to Longo's system was a drastic change from a program that may not have needed such a complete reset. And I'm not sure he has access to the athletes to make Longo's offense hum.

Just my two cents.

What does it say that arguably Sconny's best team ever have 1 good win (over Sparty in the inaugural Big Ten Title Game) and ended their season with a QB spike? lol

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Wisconsin fans have a bizarre hatred of ND considering the complete lack of history between us. Hope that program struggles.

We gave them Barry. Without him they're still in the dark ages.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

We gave them Barry. Without him they're still in the dark ages.

This is beyond true. They were garbage for nearly a century until Alvarez got there.

I remember the 1993 team that really put them on the map. They beat Michigan and tied Ohio State in consecutive weeks after losing to Minnesota. It was their only loss. Camp Randall became a thing that year. Beat UCLA in the Rose Bowl.

Joe Rudolph and Todd Orlando were on that team. Rob Ianello was recruiting coordinator. The staff included Brad Childress, Dan McCarney, Bill Callahan and Jay Norvell.

Only the 1998 Ron Dayne might have been better

 

[Giddyup]

It took Barry a few years before he started winning.

 

[Pete]

I mean, the ground and pound offense + Russell Wilson got them to a Rose Bowl in 2011, and if I recall correctly each of their losses that year was by 7 points or less.

I'm not saying Fickell was wrong to try to elevate the program, but going to Longo's system was a drastic change from a program that may not have needed such a complete reset. And I'm not sure he has access to the athletes to make Longo's offense hum.

Just my two cents.

Kind of like RichRod trying to implement the spread at michigan

 

[NorthDakota]

This is beyond true. They were garbage for nearly a century until Alvarez got there.

I remember the 1993 team that really put them on the map. They beat Michigan and tied Ohio State in consecutive weeks after losing to Minnesota. It was their only loss. Camp Randall became a thing that year. Beat UCLA in the Rose Bowl.

Joe Rudolph and Todd Orlando were on that team. Rob Ianello was recruiting coordinator. The staff included Brad Childress, Dan McCarney, Bill Callahan and Jay Norvell.

Only the 1998 Ron Dayne might have been better

Wisconsin at its best is a solid football team. They are who they are.

 

[MacIrish75]

Sconny got a commit from Eugene TY Hilton Jr. yesterday. Four ⭐️ from Zionsville, an affluent NW Indy suburb.

He’s on my list of guys for ND to take a flier on later in the cycle.

 

[irishandy]

When I think of Wisconsin I think of running teams with RB's that have a successful junior/senior year and gets to the league.

I was shocked to see that they landed CJ Williams in the portal.

Fickell is in year 2 or 3? Wisconsin isn't Cincy and the competition in the Big 10 is tougher with the additions they made. I don't know how he would've done at ND.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

When I think of Wisconsin I think of running teams with RB's that have a successful junior/senior year and gets to the league.

I was shocked to see that they landed CJ Williams in the portal.

Fickell is in year 2 or 3? Wisconsin isn't Cincy and the competition in the Big 10 is tougher with the additions they made. I don't know how he would've done at ND.

Year 2.

He has wins over MAC WMU and FCS South Dakota by what would be considered slim margins. Then he got housed at home against Bama.

They're going to SC after a bye.

 

[IA4irish]

Got destroyed by Iowa last night 42-10. Game was on the road, but fans are livid. In two years, he legitimately has no good wins. Fans are calling for him to be fired.

Many here (including myself) wanted him for ND. I think we dodged a bullet. Crazy because he did a great job at Cincinnati. We do have the majority of his assistants on our staff, so maybe that was his secret.

 

[MacIrish75]

The fact that they brought in Phil Longo to be the OC at a place like Wiscy is the oddest fit.

VanDyke getting hurt made a huge difference for their hopes this season.

 

[Katzenboyer]

Got destroyed by Iowa last night 42-10. Game was on the road, but fans are livid. In two years, he legitimately has no good wins. Fans are calling for him to be fired.

Many here (including myself) wanted him for ND. I think we dodged a bullet. Crazy because he did a great job at Cincinnati. We do have the majority of his assistants on our staff, so maybe that was his secret.

I’ve started to wonder the same thing: whether Fickell got propped up at Cincy because of excellent assistant hires, and not because he’s a good coach.

Freeman. Denbrock. Mickens. I’m probably missing a few, too.

 

[NDMD]

The fact that they brought in Phil Longo to be the OC at a place like Wiscy is the oddest fit.

VanDyke getting hurt made a huge difference for their hopes this season.

My wife went to UW so I've watched every game. Their WR and OL play have been absolute trash, and Braedyn Locke has been absolutely terrible, worse than Drew Pyne. Leaving him in yesterday was coaching malpractice.

Between the poor recruiting, player development, and complete change in style of offense, Fickell deserves to be on the hot seat. Seems like his success was due to his assistants at Cincy.