Badgers Football 2025-2026

[Voyageur]

While I do agree with you....

In Fickell's defense, when he was at Cincy the transfer portal and NIL money didn't exist in the way that it does today. So while Fickell's performance as a Badger Football coach can be greatly put into question, I think that the UW's preparedness, or lack there of, for NIL and the TP, had a big part of those Fickell cards falling.

I am guessing that the stats haven't been compiled yet, if they even can be. However, I would love to see graphs of TOTAL NIL money and transfer portals, in and out, and how teams success rates played out with each. The TP numbers should be weighted by "value" of said player going in or out of a program.

The following players came to Wisconsin following Fickell when he left Cincinnati. Not much in this group worked out for them. Fickell's winning seasons at Cincinnati were fueled by his QB who was in the Heisman Trophy watch, Desmond Ritter. Ritter was recruited by their OC, Zac Taylor. How good is Taylor? He's not the Bengals head coach so that gives you some idea of his chops. Gino Guidugli recruited Jerome Ford to the Bearcats. He was the RB coach for them. Ford has been with the Cleveland Browns for 4 years. The additional standout from that team was Alec Pierce, a WR. He was recruited by Fickell. He's presently with the Colts and having a solid season. Technically Jake Renfro was recruited to Cincinnati by the HC prior to Fickell. He chose to stick with the commitment because he knew how Fickell wanted linemen his size and with his skill sets to anchor the OL. Anyhow, that's pretty much the story of how Fickell found success. You also have to remember that he prided himself on the "300-mile radius" in recruiting. That's the range that encompasses Ohio and the entire hotbed of northern football recruits that exist. He was able to bring in overlooked 3-star players that his coaching staff found and got into the fold. He was just a small part of the reason for their success. The coaches around him made it happen. Anyhow, that is not what happened in Madison. His name didn't associated with Wisconsin sports like it did with Ohio sports. He was a fish out of water since coming to the Badgers. Anyhow, just my opinion.

Player	Position	Transfer Year	Notes
Braedyn Moore	Safety	2023	A four-star recruit who committed to Cincinnati and followed Fickell to Wisconsin.
Amare Snowden	Cornerback	2023	A four-star recruit who initially committed to Cincinnati and flipped to Wisconsin after Fickell's hiring.
Jonas Duclona	Cornerback	2023	A three-star recruit who had committed to Cincinnati and followed Fickell to Wisconsin.
Will Pauling	Wide Receiver	2023	A Cincinnati transfer who appeared in four games for the Bearcats in 2022.
Quincy Burroughs	Wide Receiver	2023	A Cincinnati transfer who did not play as a freshman in 2022.
Joe Huber	Offensive Lineman	2023	A transfer who started at right tackle for Cincinnati in 2022.
Jake Renfro	Center	2023	A first-team All-AAC center in 2021 who missed the 2022 season due to injury.

 

[Voyageur]

At least Badger nation leads the nation in one activity at Badger football games. Alcohol consumption. I don't know if I should cheer or cry.

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[Pokerbrat2000]

At least Badger nation leads the nation in one activity at Badger football games. Alcohol consumption. I don't know if I should cheer or cry.

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Easy explanation.

The Badgers are a train wreck and the only way to watch them, and still be entertained, is by being hammered.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Well this sheds a lot of light on what we all suspected. Fickell isn't recruiting in state very well, if at all.

New report confirms that Luke Fickell is blatantly not recruiting Wisconsin well

Credit to where credit is due. Reporters have been getting some extra flak this year for not asking the tough questions, when that's a loaded issue and not easy

badgerofhonor.com

 

[Voyageur]

Well this sheds a lot of light on what we all suspected. Fickell isn't recruiting in state very well, if at all.

New report confirms that Luke Fickell is blatantly not recruiting Wisconsin well

Credit to where credit is due. Reporters have been getting some extra flak this year for not asking the tough questions, when that's a loaded issue and not easy

badgerofhonor.com

This is what I mentioned some time ago. Fickell blew up the in-state HS coaching network and turned his back on the Wisconsin players. When I found out about what was happening, last year, I knew the end was coming. It was going to take time for the entire program to collapse. That's why I say that the only hope of resurrecting it is by bringing in someone like Leonhard. I'm also interested in the possibility of Jason Eck leaving the Lobos of New Mexico to take over the Badger program. He's turned the Lobos into a bowl eligible team for the first time in years and it's his first year there. Granted they've lost to San Jose State, Boise State, and Michigan, but they will only lose one more, to San Diego State. Excellent coach and ex-Badger offensive lineman who knows the game.

If someone like him or Jim Leonhard take on the team, they could rebuild those links into the Wisconsin's players who can be a solid part of the Badgers future.

Right now it's all a wait and see game.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I guess McIntosh has drawn the line in the ....ocean and has decided to either ride the ship out or go down with it.

I don't think this ends well for the Badger Football Program. Quite possibly, this won't end well for Badger athletics in general. When your AD is fully on the hot seat, that can make it hard for ALL programs to operate efficiently and effectively. I also doubt financial supporters are going to take this news well and "shower" the UW Athletic Department with big donations.

AD's commitment to Luke Fickell has Wisconsin Badgers fans in shambles

Luke Fickell's position as the Wisconsin Badgers head coach is safe for now following the athletic director's announcement on Thursday.

clutchpoints.com

 

[Firethorn1001]

I'm not a 'fire this guy' kind of person, but I'm pretty strongly in the corner off if football is a mess in 2026 again then not only should Fickell be canned, but also McIntosh. Don Morton should be the happiest person in the world as he will no longer be the most despised coach in Badger's history.

And honestly, it shouldn't go into 2026, but obviously forces in play other than the product on the field (stubbornness, cheap, ego, ineptitude or all 4). I'm not sure what I fear more. Another 1-2 win season or a 5-6 win season and McIntosh totes 'progress' and struts around.

I'll be shocked if they crack 35K season tickets next year and I envision attendance in the low 40K range which would have been unheard of just a few short years ago.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I'll be shocked if they crack 35K season tickets next year and I envision attendance in the low 40K range which would have been unheard of just a few short years ago.

My buddy, that I attend Packer games with, has had his Father--In-Laws Badger football tickets since about 2000. He said he's not renewing his tickets.

 

[Firethorn1001]

Why am I watching this game? They don't have a QB that can throw even a 5 yard pass...

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[milani]

Why am I watching this game? They don't have a QB that can throw even a 5 yard pass...

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Stunned! Great defensive effort.

 

[weeds]

Stunned! Great defensive effort.

I would think there are a good number of Husky's fans wanting to jump off of the Space Needle. Looking at the stats, 48 yards passing by the Badgers offense - 24 of which came from the punter.

 

[milani]

Re

I would think there are a good number of Husky's fans wanting to jump off of the Space Needle. Looking at the stats, 48 yards passing by the Badgers offense - 24 of which came from the punter.

Makes me think of how the Browns beat the Packers.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Why am I watching this game? They don't have a QB that can throw even a 5 yard pass...

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Cause they may win this game....keep watching, I promise you a good outcome.

Not making excuses, but they are down to their #4 QB, a freshman, that until this week, had rarely taken snaps with the starters.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I would think there are a good number of Husky's fans wanting to jump off of the Space Needle. Looking at the stats, 48 yards passing by the Badgers offense - 24 of which came from the punter.

Was thinking the same thing after the successful fake punt and pass "Our punter has the longest pass of the game and probably the most yards passing."

If you didn't catch it, USC also pulled off a successful fake punt on Friday night. Why was this so different than the Badgers or others? They had a back-up QB in there "faking as the punter", wearing the same jersey number as their punter (which is legal in college ball). Northwestern didn't catch it, and the USC coach Lincoln Riley thanked the media for not reporting on the jersey number change during the week.

Now THIS was sneaky!

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[Poppa San]

Was thinking the same thing after the successful fake punt and pass "Our punter has the longest pass of the game and probably the most yards passing."

If you didn't catch it, USC also pulled off a successful fake punt on Friday night. Why was this so different than the Badgers or others? They had a back-up QB in there "faking as the punter", wearing the same jersey number as their punter (which is legal in college ball). Northwestern didn't catch it, and the USC coach Lincoln Riley thanked the media for not reporting on the jersey number change during the week.

Now THIS was sneaky!

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I thought the rule was the duplicated numbers cannot be on the same side of the ball. Punter and backup QB probably qualify as offsense.

 

[Firethorn1001]

I thought the rule was the duplicated numbers cannot be on the same side of the ball. Punter and backup QB probably qualify as offsense.

I think it's just that they can't play the same position. In this case, both were the punter.

I think the B10 stated that USC should have been flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct as it would have fallen under the unfair tactics rule. NCAA Rule 9, Section 2, Article 2, "Unfair Tactics which prohibits actions design to confuse the opponent (using equipment to deceive in this case)

 

[Firethorn1001]

Was it good to get a win? Yes.
Can you draw anything from this? Not really. Their offense was absolutely dreadful (47 rushes / 150-ish yards? and longest pass play was your punter is not ideal)

Now.. if they could get an actual QB that can do something, if the defense could potentially be solid+ could this team push towards 6/7 wins next year? Sure. If the offense is like this? Ya.. another 3/4 win season

But, sans Carter Smith, none of the QBs on the current roster are it and I'm not sure if Smith is it or not. For the passing game he appeared to be in way over his head.

 

[Poppa San]

For the passing game he appeared to be in way over his head.

But he's the starting QB which makes him BMoC and gives him an in to score with the head cheerleader ... if 60's Disney movies are to be believed.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

But he's the starting QB which makes him BMoC and gives him an in to score with the head cheerleader ... if 60's Disney movies are to be believed.

Randy Wright married the head cheerleader.

Just saying.

 

[Firethorn1001]

But he's the starting QB which makes him BMoC and gives him an in to score with the head cheerleader ... if 60's Disney movies are to be believed.

I think that myth was all undone in the 80s when Stan Gable lost Betty to a nerd from Tri-Lambda.

 

[Voyageur]

Young players making an impact. What's frustrating is that these guys have been there since the season started and been sitting on the bench waiting for a chance to show what they have.

A young QB they don't trust throwing the ball yet. Understandable. But being buried as the 4th stringer, he didn't get much of a chance to show what he might be able to do on the field. Tell you one thing, Carter can scramble when needed and they can design plays for him to move the ball downfield effectively. It removes at least one defender in the front seven from the passing routes because they need to watch him like a hawk.

Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano. Just mentioning their names makes me feel there's something special there. These two young men stepped up and showed that as true freshman they can make an impact at linebacker. They were relentless. It gave Ricardo Hallman a lift and he played like he did when he had some support around him.

I haven't been happy with how the coaches have handled the team as everyone knows. But when I look at these two young men, I see something special and someone recruited them to Wisconsin. That rests heavy on my mind. One is a Wisconsin kid, the other out of New Mexico. Someone did their job right. Then I see Carter Smith and see a kid who understands the meaning of playing within yourself as a QB and making sure what you do doesn't harm the team but helps whenever possible.

Based on one game, which I realize is not a true forecaster of what the future holds I'm beginning to temper my belief on dumping Fickell. I saw young men who were in Madison being recruited ending up in the mix of those bare-chested fans in the stands, part of the whole moment of joy over what was happening on the field. They rushed the field at the end of the game with all the fans. To me, they are the kids, along with the Catalano, Posa, and Carter Smith types who are the future for the Badgers, and if McIntosh truly means they are going to go full bore in helping this program succeed, I'm more than willing to give it another year because I see that there is light at the end of the tunnel and I don't think it's another train coming at us.

I'm not looking for a trip to the playoffs in 2026. I'm looking for a Badger team that gets back to the point that they're a contender to make it to a post-season bowl game. That's where you begin to see the beginning of the return to the top.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I think that myth was all undone in the 80s when Stan Gable lost Betty to a nerd from Tri-Lambda.

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