The Wisconsin Badgers did not have a player drafted for the first time since 1978.

[TrueOrange]

That’s actually a pretty impressive streak.

Congrats Luke Fickell!

 

[DarkVolder]

That program has really fallen off the last few years and many thought that Fickell was a homerun hire for them. I bet they would kill to have Brett back

 

[IndianaVol]

That's just insane to have not missed a single draft in almost 50 years.

Even more imsane how far they've fallen off in the last few years.

 

[DarkVolder]

That's just insane to have not missed a single draft in almost 50 years.

Even more imsane how far they've fallen off in the last few years.

yea pretty impressive when you think about it. I think we had a couple of years in the last decade where we didn’t have anyone drafted.

 

[wmcovol]

That’s actually a pretty impressive streak.

Congrats Luke Fickell!

Tennessee was there a few yrs ago.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

yea pretty impressive when you think about it. I think we had a couple of years in the last decade where we didn’t have anyone drafted.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The low point of the program wasn’t Pruitt or Dooley or Jones. It was Michael Palardy having the second best 40 time at Tennessee’s pro day. If there ever was an indicator of how far we had fallen.. that was it. Maybe that falls on Dooley or Jones, but still incredibly embarrassing

 

[05_never_again]

It's more surprising that Wisconsin was ever good to begin with rather than them being bad right now. There's no reason they should be good at basically any sport except maybe ice hockey.

 

[GVF]

I think Fickell is a really good coach. I think it was a bad idea to leave Cincy for Wisc. Wisc has struggled to keep up in the NIL era. Same with that Fleck guy that seemed so good before he got to Minn. Brett seemed like a proper Wisc coach & fit. But, he'd still have been gone by now though.

 

[GVF]

It's more surprising that Wisconsin was ever good to begin with rather than them being bad right now. There's no reason they should be good at basically any sport except maybe ice hockey.

Kind of a testament to how good Alvarez and Brett were to have that success up there. I'm thinking the level at which they kept alvarez involved post HC is probably what eventually got Brett out of there when they should have held on to him.

 

[05_never_again]

Kind of a testament to how good Alvarez and Brett were to have that success up there.

Yep. He became the AD after he retired as HC (actually overlapped by a year) which sounds like a recipe for disaster but it worked for them. Hiring Bielema as his successor was a great hire, and he ended up unexpectedly having to replace both Bielema and Gary Andersen and nailed both of those hires too.

Even though Wisconsin has a lot working against them, especially in the current era, I'm surprised the Fickell hire hasn't worked out better.

 

[GVF]

Yep. He became the AD after he retired as HC (actually overlapped by a year) which sounds like a recipe for disaster but it worked for them. Hiring Bielema as his successor was a great hire, and he ended up unexpectedly having to replace both Bielema and Gary Andersen and nailed both of those hires too.

Even though Wisconsin has a lot working against them, especially in the current era, I'm surprised the Fickell hire hasn't worked out better.

Me too. Didn't expect Wisc to disappear off the map under fickell. He is quite good. Makes you wonder what the issue is. Prob just can't get players there and keep them with this NIL landscape. Even traditional B10 players. You could always count on Wisc to have a snow plow toting the rock. Maybe the formula for the O is just not Wisc football. I can see not getting a top QB and receivers to come to Wisc so if you have been trying to bring a different style of game there, it's not gonna work. Too many other established high flyer O's elsewhere.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Yep. He became the AD after he retired as HC (actually overlapped by a year) which sounds like a recipe for disaster but it worked for them. Hiring Bielema as his successor was a great hire, and he ended up unexpectedly having to replace both Bielema and Gary Andersen and nailed both of those hires too.

Even though Wisconsin has a lot working against them, especially in the current era, I'm surprised the Fickell hire hasn't worked out better.

It feels like Fickell has been a square peg in a round hole. He has a more spread the field out, throw it around kind of philosophy and he’s had really bad luck with his quarterbacks being injured, but it seems like the Wisconsin identity is power football. I think Fickell is a good coach, but in the wrong spot. If he were coaching in a place like Tallahassee I think he would find a lot more success.

 

[GVF]

It feels like Fickell has been a square peg in a round hole. He has a more spread the field out, throw it around kind of philosophy and he’s had really bad luck with his quarterbacks being injured, but it seems like the Wisconsin identity is power football. I think Fickell is a good coach, but in the wrong spot. If he were coaching in a place like Tallahassee I think he would find a lot more success.

Fickell probably would have been a homerun at FSU. Far more so than Norvell. I agree. I think his style of Offense just doesn't hit all cylinders at Wisc. Prob time he consider moving on voluntarily and salvage his worth as a HC.He's kind of a midwest. upper central US kinda coach fit wise maybe. But, I can see him rebounding at some other B10 or select ACC schools.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Fickell probably would have been a homerun at FSU. Far more so than Norvell. I agree. I think his style of Offense just doesn't hit all cylinders at Wisc. Prob time he consider moving on voluntarily and salvage his worth as a HC.He's kind of a midwest. upper central US kinda coach fit wise maybe. But, I can see him rebounding at some other B10 or select ACC schools.

I could see him having success at a lot places, but Wisconsin is a different job. I’m not familiar with all of their NIL limitations, but if they’re not big $$ players it’s gonna even more difficult to get people there than it traditionally has been. I think Fickell and Norvell are both coaching for their jobs, and most likely will be fired at some point this season. I think Fickell could be successful a lot places, some places in the SEC as well. If he landed at a South Carolina or Miss St or Mizzou I think he would eventually be in line for a bigger job.

 

[GVF]

I could see him having success at a lot places, but Wisconsin is a different job. I’m not familiar with all of their NIL limitations, but if they’re not big $$ players it’s gonna even more difficult to get people there than it traditionally has been. I think Fickell and Norvell are both coaching for their jobs, and most likely will be fired at some point this season. I think Fickell could be successful a lot places, some places in the SEC as well. If he landed at a South Carolina or Miss St or Mizzou I think he would eventually be in line for a bigger job.

I could see success for him at Mizz or USCe for sure. State would seem like the Wisc of the SEC, but Mullen and the Pirate both made it work well there. I'm just curious if Mullen will ever try to return to the conference. He's got a sweet gig at UNLV and has done quite well there. THe AD knows that coaches like him they bring in for rep rehab are never there for the long haul and they built the program expectations around that premise and it works for them. I watched a pretty interesting rehab video of Mullen at UNLV.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

I could see success for him at Mizz or USCe for sure. State would seem like the Wisc of the SEC, but Mullen and the Pirate both made it work well there. I'm just curious if Mullen will ever try to return to the conference. He's got a sweet gig at UNLV and has done quite well there. THe AD knows that coaches like him they bring in for rep rehab are never there for the long haul and they built the program expectations around that premise and it works for them. I watched a pretty interesting rehab video of Mullen at UNLV.

I was hoping like hell Mullen wasn’t going to be offered the the Kentucky job last season. I’m glad he wasn’t . If he winds up at some of these down programs w/ high potential like an FSU he can turn it around. This is assuming he feels like recruiting. If he went to either Columbia he could do a good job. If it doesn’t work for Dabo this season, there would be worse choices than Dan Mullen. I bet they wouldn’t go there, but they would be a better football team than they are right now.

 

[LouderVol]

That program has really fallen off the last few years and many thought that Fickell was a homerun hire for them. I bet they would kill to have Brett back

put me down for that piece of crow. I really thought Fickell was going to do well there. I really wanted him to coach here.

not sure what the issue is, but I was wrong about Fickell having success there.

no watch him turn it around this season...

 

[GVF]

put me down for that piece of crow. I really thought Fickell was going to do well there. I really wanted him to coach here.

not sure what the issue is, but I was wrong about Fickell having success there.

no watch him turn it around this season...

I don't think you were wrong about Fickell, just Fickell AT Wisc. Hindsight always 20/20, but was discussed above his system is not Wisc football...and maybe some other things too as with possible oeverall fit and NIL competitiveness and such.

 

[05_never_again]

I could see him having success at a lot places, but Wisconsin is a different job. I’m not familiar with all of their NIL limitations, but if they’re not big $$ players it’s gonna even more difficult to get people there than it traditionally has been. I think Fickell and Norvell are both coaching for their jobs, and most likely will be fired at some point this season. I think Fickell could be successful a lot places, some places in the SEC as well. If he landed at a South Carolina or Miss St or Mizzou I think he would eventually be in line for a bigger job.

Towards the end of last season, Fickell got the vote of confidence/announcement from the AD that he'll be back. If he doesn't bounce back pretty strongly (probably 8-9 wins, which would be his best season since he got there) he 100% will be fired. Could be a midseason firing if they aren't competitive with ND and PSU, which they play in Week 1 and Week 4 respectively.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Towards the end of last season, Fickell got the vote of confidence/announcement from the AD that he'll be back. If he doesn't bounce back pretty strongly (probably 8-9 wins, which would be his best season since he got there) he 100% will be fired. Could be a midseason firing if they aren't competitive with ND and PSU, which they play in Week 1 and Week 4 respectively.

I just looked at their schedule. They really need to get to USC at mid-October with 1 loss or a competitive loss at Penn State. He cant afford to lose to Michigan State or UCLA. In all honesty, Fickell should be in a better position than he is, going against first year head coaches in the first 3 conference games against PSU, MSU and UCLA. They close the season with Maryland, Rutgers and Minnesota. At worst they need to be 8-4. You give the Vols their schedule and I’ll start making CFP plans right now

 

[Savannahbayvol]

I just looked at their schedule. They really need to get to USC at mid-October with 1 loss or a competitive loss at Penn State. He cant afford to lose to Michigan State or UCLA. In all honesty, Fickell should be in a better position than he is, going against first year head coaches in the first 3 conference games against PSU, MSU and UCLA. They close the season with Maryland, Rutgers and Minnesota. At worst they need to be 8-4. You give the Vols their schedule and I’ll start making CFP plans right now

Second game, Sept 6 , is Notre Dame at Lambeau. Field. That would help!

Tix already in the stratosphere.

#4 Granddaughter from Nashville is a sophomore in Madison. Huge hockey fan, women and men.

 

[RDU VOL#14]

Second game, Sept 6 , is Notre Dame at Lambeau. Field. That would help!

Tix already in the stratosphere.

#4 Granddaughter from Nashville is a sophomore in Madison. Huge hockey fan, women and men.

That would be a huge help! Would love to see the Badgers get a W over ND. Not very probable though

That’s great that your granddaughter goes to school up there. I heard that it’s a really fun place to go, on top of being a very good school.

 

[05_never_again]

That would be a huge help! Would love to see the Badgers get a W over ND. Not very probable though

That’s great that your granddaughter goes to school up there. I heard that it’s a really fun place to go, on top of being a very good school.

My BIL spent something like 6 weeks there a few years ago as part of a medical residency, and it was during football season. Said that the city was really cool, really unique geography with the center of town being right between two lakes, but it was just brutally, brutally cold.

 

[GVF]

Towards the end of last season, Fickell got the vote of confidence/announcement from the AD that he'll be back. If he doesn't bounce back pretty strongly (probably 8-9 wins, which would be his best season since he got there) he 100% will be fired. Could be a midseason firing if they aren't competitive with ND and PSU, which they play in Week 1 and Week 4 respectively.

Seems that vote of confidence is all about timing with AD speak. If mid-season or before, you have to finish strong. If late season or after you got the next season unless tanking really bad, then probably to game 6 or 7.

 

[GVF]

I just looked at their schedule. They really need to get to USC at mid-October with 1 loss or a competitive loss at Penn State. He cant afford to lose to Michigan State or UCLA. In all honesty, Fickell should be in a better position than he is, going against first year head coaches in the first 3 conference games against PSU, MSU and UCLA. They close the season with Maryland, Rutgers and Minnesota. At worst they need to be 8-4. You give the Vols their schedule and I’ll start making CFP plans right now

Just that run they should be 6-0 if they are mediocre or better this year. The only one of those 6 that should have a ? is PSU.