Fickell's Losing His Corner Man at Wisconsin, and He Knows Winning is the Only Answer Now

Luke Fickell got the news last week, and he's not hiding how much it stings. Wisconsin's athletic director Chris McIntosh, the guy who brought Fickell to Madison and had his back through some brutal seasons, is leaving to become the Big Ten's deputy commissioner for strategy. And now the Badgers coach is facing a reality he can't outrun: wins are coming, or nothing else matters.

"I think the easiest thing for us right now is to understand you've got to win," Fickell said Tuesday after practice. "We're not beating around the bush."

Losing Your Guy in the Front Office

McIntosh has been Wisconsin's athletic director since summer 2021, which means he hired Fickell away from Cincinnati at the end of the 2022 regular season after firing Paul Chryst. Back then, it looked brilliant. Fickell had gone 53-10 in his last five seasons at Cincinnati and led the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff in 2021. The contract looked like a home run.

But then Wisconsin went 5-7 in 2024 and 4-8 last season, snapping a Power 4-leading streak of 22 straight winning seasons. McIntosh stuck with Fickell anyway, making public comments supporting him even after a brutal 27-10 home loss to Maryland in September. He sent letters to season-ticket holders promising to increase investment in the football program.

Now he's gone. And Fickell is feeling it.

"It's not easy to lose a friend," Fickell said. "Anytime there are changes with people you know were in your corner, it's always a little difficult, disappointing, whatever you want to say. But so is life. You've got to be able to move and continue to go on."

What's Next in Madison

Marcus Sedberry, Wisconsin's deputy athletic director and chief operating officer, is now interim athletic director. He's got serious experience: stints at Baylor, Arkansas, Central Florida, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Fickell is counting on that perspective.

"When you've been to other places and seen how things are done, you get a lot of experiences you take with you," Fickell said. "That's one of the great things about Marcus. He's been in the NFL. He's been in several different spots."

The bottom line for Fickell is simple: his record at Wisconsin is 17-21. The excuses are gone. McIntosh believed in him. Now Fickell has to believe in himself, and more importantly, he has to start winning.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.