Big Ten coach reveals why they are 'surprised' Luke Fickell returned at Wisconsin

Is Luke Fickell coaching on borrowed time? An anonymous Big Ten Conference coach admitted they were surprised he returned as the head coach of Wisconsin entering the 2026 season following another disappointing year in Madison. 

Speaking with Athlon Sports as part of their annual anonymous coach survey, the coach questioned both Wisconsin’s direction under Fickell and the university’s decision to stay the course after back-to-back losing seasons. It’s not hard to understand why there’s a search for some clarity.

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“Truthfully, I was surprised that both Wisconsin and Maryland decided to run it back with their head coaches,” the anonymous coach said. “I wasn’t really impressed with either one of those teams. It almost felt like they didn’t really know who the next guy was gonna be, so they decided they’d rather have a year to prepare a move like that.”

Alas, that blunt assessment reflects the growing frustration surrounding Wisconsin’s program after what has been a difficult start to the Fickell era. When the Badgers hired Fickell away from Cincinnati in 2022, the move was widely viewed as one of the biggest coaching hires in college football. 

Fickell had just led Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff in 2021, becoming the first Group of Five program to ever reach the four-team field. Wisconsin hoped he could elevate the Badgers into a consistent national contender. Instead, the program has struggled badly.

Through three seasons, Fickell owns just a 16-21 overall record at Wisconsin, including a 10-17 mark in conference play. The Badgers have also missed bowl games in consecutive seasons for the first time in more than three decades, while suffering six losses by at least 24 points during Fickell’s tenure.

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Moreover, the anonymous Big Ten coach pointed specifically to Wisconsin’s offensive struggles last: “They scored 81 points in nine conference games,” the coach said. “I don’t care who your quarterback is. That speaks to a lot of bigger issues than just the quarterback position. There are teams in the conference who could not throw a single pass and score more than nine points per game.”

Additionally, the criticism didn’t stop there: “It also speaks to, defensively, your ability to make turnovers, and special teams, your ability to make kicks,” the coach continued. “I thought it was a whole package thing.”

Despite the mounting pressure, Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh publicly backed Fickell this offseason, signaling the university still believes he can eventually rebuild the program into a contender in the expanded Big Ten landscape. Now, the spotlight only grows brighter entering 2026.

Fickell was once viewed as one of the safest coaching hires in the country. After three disappointing seasons, many around the conference are wondering whether Wisconsin can still return to national relevance under his leadership. Bigger changes could eventually be coming to Madison.

Athlon Sports took an in-depth look at Wisconsin’s 2026 season in their College Football Preview magazine. Fans can order the magazine by clicking HERE.