Badgers Football - 2025 Season

[MVP2110]

As if the on field situation wasn't reason enough, Fickell's recruiting has fallen off a cliff this season

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[Kerb Hohl]

As if the on field situation wasn't reason enough, Fickell's recruiting has fallen off a cliff this season

Read on Twitter

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The recruits have seen the writing on the wall. NIL funds have probably dried up.

To be fair - I can't care about this. Even if we're good under this new system, guys will take the money to go to Ohio State if their profile rises.

[MVP2110]

As if the on field situation wasn't reason enough, Fickell's recruiting has fallen off a cliff this season

Read on Twitter

?t=v5fd6ZRkxWyLQJzUny70jA&s=19

The recruits have seen the writing on the wall. NIL funds have probably dried up.

To be fair - I can't care about this. Even if we're good under this new system, guys will take the money to go to Ohio State if their profile rises.

The Latimer thing on it's own isn't something I'd get worked up about other than saying it sucks. But Fickell is on pace to have a class worse than any class Chryst ever had. His whole thing was about being good in recruiting

[Kerb Hohl]

As if the on field situation wasn't reason enough, Fickell's recruiting has fallen off a cliff this season

Read on Twitter

?t=v5fd6ZRkxWyLQJzUny70jA&s=19

The recruits have seen the writing on the wall. NIL funds have probably dried up.

To be fair - I can't care about this. Even if we're good under this new system, guys will take the money to go to Ohio State if their profile rises.

The Latimer thing on it's own isn't something I'd get worked up about other than saying it sucks. But Fickell is on pace to have a class worse than any class Chryst ever had. His whole thing was about being good in recruiting

For sure. Everybody knows he's gone now and his seat was warm before the season. Hard to recruit.

I know this is getting unrealistic, but it's still crazy to think of the circumstances. Imagine if Mordecai was healthy and they won 8-9 games in '23 and/or TVD helped them sneak some tough ones out if healthy in '24/easier schedule in either '24 or '25, Edwards healthy.

They could be riding some respectable seasons with Mandell, Posa, Heywood, Dilin Jones, etc. coming up - I'd be mildly optimistic. Similar to Napier at Florida - maybe a blessing in disguise because these coaches have shown they probably aren't the long-term answer, but schedule and QB injuries have made it impossible to even gain some momentum.

[ReasonablySober]

I don’t have a strong opinion either way regarding firing Fickell now or at the end of the season is the way to go. Saving money isn’t a small thing. But it is annoying to see the team’s best recruits being flipped.

That said, I don’t think there’s anything they can do about Lattimer.

[MVP2110]

Some reporting today that Fickell might be back in 2026. That the boosters are looking at throwing $30 million at the program for a better roster and higher paid assistant coaches rather than using that month towards LF's buyout.

[ReasonablySober]

Some reporting today that Fickell might be back in 2026. That the boosters are looking at throwing $30 million at the program for a better roster and higher paid assistant coaches rather than using that month towards LF's buyout.

Honestly wouldn't hate that.

[ReasonablySober]

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[MikeIsGood]

Some reporting today that Fickell might be back in 2026. That the boosters are looking at throwing $30 million at the program for a better roster and higher paid assistant coaches rather than using that month towards LF's buyout.

Honestly think this could be best case scenario. I have fallen quite out of love with LF, but at the same time I don't think he suddenly turned into a dumpster fire of a coach. If we spent a fortune on his buyout, I have a hard time believing we'd give the funds to buy a bunch of players right after. If the money is there...go buy him a ton of great players.

[MickeyDavis]

Some reporting today that Fickell might be back in 2026. That the boosters are looking at throwing $30 million at the program for a better roster and higher paid assistant coaches rather than using that month towards LF's buyout.

Honestly think this could be best case scenario. I have fallen quite out of love with LF, but at the same time I don't think he suddenly turned into a dumpster fire of a coach. If we spent a fortune on his buyout, I have a hard time believing we'd give the funds to buy a bunch of players right after. If the money is there...go buy him a ton of great players.

Agreed. Upgraded (hopefully) roster and easier schedule and let's see what happens.

[MickeyDavis]

So if they wait a year does anyone know how much less the buyout would be?

[BUCKnation]

Idk man, if Fickell is going to stick around and they do invest heavily, they need to basically rebuild from scratch.

They are barely competitive with teams that should be in their class.

[MikeIsGood]

So if they wait a year does anyone know how much less the buyout would be?

It's 80% of the remaining value of the original contract, when it then becomes a flat rate.

+ Buyout is $25.4 million after the 2025 season
+ Buyout drops to $19.2 million after the 2026 season
+ Buyout drops to $12.8 million after the 2027 season
+ Buyout drops to $6.4 million after the 2028 season
+ Buyout drops to $6.4 million after the 2029 season
+ Buyout drops to $6.4 million after the 2030 season
+ Buyout drops to $0 after the 2031 season

Source (which I've seen multiple places): https://www.on3.com/news/luke-fickell-buyout-details-of-wisconsin-head-coach-contract/

[ReasonablySober]

There's obviously been nothing to indicate Fickell and Co. can coach well in the Big Ten, but if you told me The Money was going to actually invest substantially in NIL I'd rather that money go to players than a coach who isn't coaching.

[Ayt]

The last time Wisconsin was blanked in consecutive games: 1977. The last time the Badgers lost consecutive shutouts by a worse margin than these past two: 1968.