Two plays that bookended the third and fourth quarters Saturday said a lot about the current state of the Wisconsin football program.
On 4th-and-4 from the Maryland 25-yard line against Maryland, the Badgers lined up in a shotgun formation, ran some misdirection and had backup quarterback Danny O’Neil — in due to an injury — run a QB draw play up the middle that gained three yards on the final play of the third quarter.
Then, trailing 20-3 to begin the fourth quarter, the Badgers went for it on 4th-and-1 and ran a pitch play to backup running back Cade Yacamelli, who only got the first down after a replay review.
Remarkably, the Badgers still eventually ended up punting after O’Neil took a 19-yard sack. It was an encapsulation of Wisconsin’s woes in its 27-10 loss to Maryland in the Big Ten Conference opener.
Facing a daunting schedule, the Maryland game was expected to be a rare chance for the Badgers to chalk up a win this season. Instead, it should be the last game Luke Fickell coaches at Wisconsin.
Wisconsin has gone in reverse under Luke Fickell
Athletic director Chris McIntosh made the bold decision to drop the hammer on then-coach Paul Chryst after five games and a 2-3 mark in the 2022 season. It was the right move then, just as it is the right move now to bite the bullet and give Fickell his walking papers.
All you had to do was listen to the deafening chants by the Camp Randall Stadium faithful of “Fire Fickell!” that echoed throughout the first half and especially as the team was booed off the field at halftime. The student section, especially vocal, was barely populated in the fourth quarter.
It would be quite the change following the fanfare Fickell had when McIntosh hired him away from Cincinnati, which became the first non-Power Five team to make the College Football Playoff in 2021. Fickell had turned down opportunities to take over other Power Five programs, so Wisconsin landing him was a coup.
But after two-plus seasons, the Badgers have only gone in reverse instead of raising their profile and becoming an annual participant in the CFP. Fickell has a 15-15 record at Wisconsin, including a a 5-7 mark last season after going 7-6 in 2023.
The offense has been the biggest issue. A change in philosophy to a pass-first scheme led by offensive coordinator Phil Longo turned out to be a huge misstep. Recruiting seemed to bring in some interesting weapons at quarterback and receiver, but the offensive line suffered as a result and Longo was fired before the 2024 season finished.
Jeff Grimes came in this season, left to pick up the pieces from Longo’s tenure and changing back to a scheme that seemed to fit the old Wisconsin philosophy while adding his successful touches from previous stops, including Kansas last season.
Still, the progress hasn’t been there. Maybe it has been too much change that hasn’t meshed. Injuries to starter Billy Edwards Jr. and O’Neil forced the Badgers to use third-string QB Hunter Simmons in the fourth quarter. But that is only an excuse. The Badgers were down 27-3 at the time, with hopes of a comeback gone. Simmons did lead a late touchdown drive, but by that time, the damage was etched in stone.
McIntosh needs to do the right thing and take the financial hit that will come with firing Fickell. The rest of the season is already lost, with Wisconsin’s next four games against Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State and Oregon featuring three ranked teams.
If not, McIntosh puts his job in jeopardy, too, if it isn’t already.
