The college football coaching carousel has been well underway all season long. So far in early December, we've seen 15 hires made so far. While it is pretty...
Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell Hired By Wisconsin to Replace Paul Chryst as Football HC
Nov 27, 2022
CINCINNATI, OH - NOVEMBER 25: Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell runs off of the field with his players at halftime of a college football game against the Tulane Green Wave on November 25, 2022 at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Wisconsin Badgers are making Luke Fickell their next head football coach, announcing his hiring on Sunday.
The news doesn't come as a major surprise. Earlier on Sunday, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported the Badgers had targeted the former Cincinnati head honcho to take over as head coach.
Former head coach Paul Chryst was fired midseason, with defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard taking over for him on an interim basis.
Thamel noted that "Fickell's attraction to the Badgers' brass, along with his record and roots in the league, is his ability to build a program."
Fickell, 49, has had great success with the Bearcats, going 57-18 in six seasons, including last year's 13-1 team that reached the College Football Playoff. Nine of his players from that team were selected in the 2022 NFL draft, including cornerback Sauce Gardener (No. 4 overall, New York Jets), safety Bryan Cook (No. 62 overall, Kansas City Chiefs) and quarterback Desmond Ridder (No. 74 overall, Atlanta Falcons).
Fickell also spent one season as Ohio State's interim head coach in 2011, going 6-7 after Jim Tressel was fired. He was on the Buckeyes' coaching staff between the 2002-16 seasons, including stints as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2005-10, 2012-16).
Wisconsin went 67-26 in parts of eight seasons under Chryst and has gone 4-3 this year with Leonhard at the helm. Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported this week that the Badgers were considering hiring him as the full-time head coach as early as Sunday.
"They want to get moving as soon as they can," a source told Potrykus.
Per that report, Baylor coach Dave Aranda and Kansas coach Lance Leipold were also evaluated by the school as potential replacements for Chryst. Leonhard, meanwhile, somewhat addressed the possibility of being named the full-time coach this week.
"I don't really want to get into much of that right now," he told reporters. "This week to me is about this season, this group of players... I don't want that attention for our guys. ... Going to have some conversations this week and hopefully it leads in the direction I want it to go."
But in the end, Wisconsin honed in on Fickell and got its man.
Wisconsin's Jim Leonhard Says CFB Coaches Are 'Tampering with Other Teams' Players'
Nov 13, 2022
MADISON, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 22: Head coach Jim Leonhard of the Wisconsin Badgers before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 22, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Wisconsin Badgers interim head coach Jim Leonhard addressed the rumors that running back Braelon Allen was considering transferring to Michigan on Saturday.
"I would never accuse any teams of tampering with your players," Leonhard said after the Badgers' 24-10 loss to Iowa on Saturday, via Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "but teams are tampering with other teams’ players."
"It's unfortunate to see where it's at, but I have to continue to show a clear vision. I've mentioned it a number of times, the uncertainty is going to cause people to look and see what the best decisions for their future are, and we have to be real about that as coaches. It's why we have these conversations almost daily with our team about where we're going, what the plan is and how we're going to get there. That's all we can do at this point, and, like I said, it's unfortunate that a kid has to address that with the media when it's not supposed to be real, right, but obviously it is."
During an appearance on 97.3 The Game in Milwaukee (h/t Potrykus) earlier this week, Allen addressed the rumors of him potentially entering the transfer portal, noting that as long as Leonhard remains head coach, he'll remain at Wisconsin.
"That is honest truth," Allen said. "I haven't had any contact with them. The fact that rumor sprouted up is surprising to me … especially Michigan specifically."
Leonhard is 3-2 as head coach of the Badgers since taking over for Paul Chryst, who was fired just five games into the season after the team started the year 2-3 after being projected to be a contender for the Big Ten West title during the preseason.
Allen, a sophomore, has played a big role in Wisconsin's success. During his 2021 freshman season, he rushed for 1,268 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games. Entering Saturday's game against Iowa, he had rushed for 989 yards and 10 scores in nine games this season.
Losing Allen in 2023 would be a tough blow for the Badgers, but it seems like there's an easy way to prevent that from happening by removing the interim label from Leonhard's title.
As we head into Week 6 of the college football season, we have a pretty good idea of which teams are contenders or not. There are also a handful of teams that...
Former Wisconsin HC Paul Chryst to Receive $11M Contract Buyout After Firing
Oct 4, 2022
MADISON, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 03: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Badgers before the game against the Illinois State Redbirds at Camp Randall Stadium on September 03, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Paul Chryst is no longer the head football coach at Wisconsin, and he took a reduced buyout as he was fired.
ESPN's Adam Rittenberg noted the school said he accepted a reduced buyout of $11 million.
He had approximately $20 million remaining on his deal that ran through January 2027. The buyout money will be funded by the University of Wisconsin Foundation, which is the school's fundraising organization, and must be paid by Feb. 1.
Chryst was fired after a 2-3 start that fell short of the standards that he helped put in place.
He started as the head coach in the 2015 season and went 67-26 with four double-digit win campaigns and three Big Ten Championship Game appearances. While he lost all three of those conference title games, twice to Ohio State and once to Penn State, the Badgers have still largely been the class of the Big Ten West under his leadership.
They were even one win away from the College Football Playoff during the 2017 campaign but saw their undefeated journey come to an end when they lost to the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Reaching the Big Ten title game, especially with star running back Braelon Allen leading the way, was once again the expectation this year, but Wisconsin is 0-2 in conference play with losses to Ohio State and Illinois.
Chryst was fired after the 24-point defeat to the Fighting Illini, although a 17-14 nonconference loss to Washington State in which Wisconsin enjoyed a 401-253 advantage in total yards and still fell short likely didn't help his cause either.
Jim Leonhard will take over in an interim role for the Badgers.
Leonhard was the defensive coordinator and appeared in 39 games for Wisconsin from 2002 through 2004 as a player. He also played 10 seasons in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns.
Next up for the Badgers is a conference game against Northwestern on Saturday.
Wisconsin HC Paul Chryst Fired After 2-3 Start; Jim Leonhard Named Interim HC
Oct 2, 2022
MADISON, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 17: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Badgers during the game against the New Mexico Aggies at Camp Randall Stadium on September 17, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
A 24-point loss to Illinois was apparently the final straw for Wisconsin.
The Badgers fired head football coach Paul Chryst on Sunday and made defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard the interim head coach in a corresponding move:
ESPN's Pete Thamel shared the contractual details:
Per Paul Chryst’s contract, the school owes him more than $16.4 million if he’s fired without cause. Terms of separation could apply. But that’s the contract.
Things started going wrong for Wisconsin in its second game of the year when it lost at home to Washington State 17-14 despite finishing with a 401-253 advantage in total yards. Three turnovers and 11 penalties for 106 yards proved to be the team's undoing.
Following a get-right win over New Mexico State, the Badgers lost 52-21 at Ohio State.
Losing to the Buckeyes is hardly a fireable offense, as Wisconsin has now lost nine straight in the series and, like most of the teams in the country, cannot match up from a talent standpoint. Rather, the 24-point loss at home to Illinois in the following game was the performance that simply wasn't up to the program's standards.
Still, Chryst had been largely successful in his role.
He began as the head coach at the start of the 2015 campaign and went 67-26. The Badgers won double-digit games in four of his six full seasons not counting the shortened 2020 schedule and reached the Big Ten Championship Game three times.
Wisconsin entered one of those conference title games undefeated in 2017 and would have made the College Football Playoff with a win, but it fell short against Ohio State. It also lost to the Buckeyes in the 2019 Big Ten title game and fell to Penn State in the 2016 version.
That, in short, is the story of Wisconsin football.
It is typically a contender in the Big Ten West but is at least a step behind the true College Football Playoff contenders such as Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Clemson and others. It showed in the conference title games under Chryst.
Fortunately for the Badgers, they are still in the thick of the Big Ten West race despite an 0-2 start in conference play. Every other team in the division has a loss, and Wisconsin doesn't play Michigan or Penn State after getting its cross-divisional game against Ohio State over with early in the season.
That could open the door for Leonhard, who played at Wisconsin prior to a 10-year NFL career, to lead a late season turnaround. That would help his case if he is looking to parlay his interim opportunity into becoming the long-term head coach of his alma mater.
Worker Injured in Fire During Construction at Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium
Apr 13, 2022
The seats at Camp Randall Stadium are empty during the second half of an NCAA college football game between Wisconsin and Indiana Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A subcontract worker was injured in a fire at the University of Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium on Wednesday, the school announced in a statement (h/t Brandon Marcello of 247Sports).
Paramedics treated the injured person and brought them to a local hospital.
"Our thoughts are with the individual who was injured this morning and we are grateful to the first responders both already on-site as well as from fire and police personnel, who assisted during the incident," UW Athletics said in the statement.
The fire began during construction of the south end zone renovation project.
"I don't have any details yet on how the fire started, or how the person was injured, but it appears that the fire was out when we arrived," Madison Fire Department spokesperson Cynthia Schuster told Emily Hammer of the State Journal.
According to Todd Milewski of the State Journal, the fire and injury are under investigation.
Camp Randall has been the home of the Wisconsin Badgers football team since 1917. It is undergoing a renovation that is expected to be completed by fall 2022.
Wisconsin Knocks Off No. 9 Iowa to Hand Hawkeyes 2nd Straight Loss
Oct 30, 2021
MADISON, WI - OCTOBER 30: Wisconsin Badgers outside linebacker Noah Burks (41) celebrates after recovering a fumble durning a college football game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Wisconsin Badgers on October 30th, 2021 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, WI. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The unranked Wisconsin Badgers upset the No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes 27-7 on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium to move to 5-3 on the season.
Saturday's loss dropped Iowa to 6-2 on the year. It was the Hawkeyes' second straight loss to an unranked opponent after a 24-7 defeat to Purdue last weekend.
Iowa made it seem like it had a real shot at the College Football Playoff following a surprising 23-20 victory over then-No. 4 Penn State on Oct. 9. However, the team's playoff hopes are effectively crushed following this weekend's loss to Wisconsin.
Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz had a solid outing, completing 11 of 22 passes for 104 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for two scores. Running back Braelon Allen and wide receiver Danny Davis III also had impressive performances.
Allen finished with 20 carries for 104 yards, and Davis finished with five catches for 59 yards.
However, the best player on the field Saturday was Wisconsin linebacker Leo Chenal, who finished with 0.5 sacks, nine tackles and one tackle for a loss. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky made it a point to mention Chenal's performance during the broadcast:
Wisconsin outside linebacker Nick Herbig also had a big day, recording 2.5 sacks, six tackles, two tackles for a loss and one forced fumble.
The Iowa offense had an unimpressive afternoon. Quarterback Spencer Petras completed just nine of 19 passes for 93 yards and no touchdowns, though he did rush for a score. Running back Tyler Goodson finished with 13 carries for 27 yards, while wide receiver Sam LaPorta finished with three catches for 44 yards.
The Hawkeyes ended up replacing Petras with Alex Padilla in the fourth quarter, who completed three of six passes for 39 yards.
The Badgers hadn't beaten the Hawkeyes since November 2019. Iowa won last year's meeting 28-7 at home. However, Wisconsin holds a 49-44-2 record against Iowa.
The Badgers have now won their last four games and will take on Rutgers next weekend, while the Hawkeyes will be on the road against Northwestern.
The Wildcats have dominated the Hawkeyes in recent years, going 4-1 against the team since October 2016. So, Iowa won't necessarily have it easy.
No. 12 Notre Dame Beats No. 18 Wisconsin; Brian Kelly Becomes Winningest ND Coach
Sep 25, 2021
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 25: Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. (4) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the Shamrock Series game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Wisconsin Badgers on September 25, 2021 at Soldier Field, in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Notre Dame remained perfect at 4-0 with a 41-13 victory over No. 18 Wisconsin on Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Brian Kelly now has 106 wins as head coach of the 12th-ranked Fighting Irish, moving him ahead of Knute Rockne for the most in program history.
With the game tied at 10 midway through the third quarter, Notre Dame had to turn to third-string quarterback Drew Pyne. Backup Tyler Buchner has a hamstring injury, and starter Jack Coan had limped back to the locker room.
Pyne attempted just three passes as a freshman, and his inexperience showed on his second drive when he didn't feel Rodas Johnson bearing down on his blind side.
The fumble set up a 27-yard field goal by Collin Larsh at the 14:14 mark of the fourth quarter.
Chris Tyree had registered little impact to that point, accumulating 12 yards from scrimmage. But the sophomore running back made his presence felt by returning the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown.
After Jayson Ademilola's strip-sack three plays later, Pyne hit Kevin Austin Jr. for a 16-yard touchdown pass to help widen Notre Dame's lead to 24-13.
Drew White capped a 31-point fourth quarter for the Irish with a pick-six of Graham Mertz with 54 seconds on the clock. It was Mertz's second pick-six in little more than a minute and the denouement of a brutal outing as the pressure continues to mount on the Wisconsin quarterback.
Notable Performers
Jack Coan, QB, Notre Dame: 15-of-29, 158 yards, TD
Drew Pyne, QB, Notre Dame: 6-of-8, 81 yards, TD
Kevin Austin, Jr., WR, Notre Dame: six receptions, 76 yards, 2 TD
Graham Mertz, QB, Wisconsin: 18-of-41, 240 yards, TD, 4 INT
Chez Mellusi, RB, Wisconsin: 18 carries, 54 yards; two receptions, 39 yards
Notre Dame Defense Making Strides
Coming into Saturday, it was unclear how good the Fighting Irish were. They went to overtime against Florida State (0-3) in their opener, and Toledo pushed Kelly's squad to the brink six days later.
The defense in particular generated questions after allowing 795 yards in those two games under first-year coordinator Marcus Freeman. Now, the unit looks far more comfortable following the transition to Freeman from Clark Lea.
Pyne also exceeded everybody's expectations under difficult circumstances. He was efficient and avoided critical errors after his fumble.
Depending on Coan's health, Kelly may have a quarterback dilemma. One doesn't want to be a prisoner of the moment, but the gap between Coan and Pyne may not be that big.
At the very least, Pyne did nothing Saturday to hurt his standing.
Though putting the Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff would be premature, their dominant defense and solid quarterback play—the kind of balance Notre Dame showed against Wisconsin—have made for a winning recipe for Kelly before.
Wisconsin Has a Graham Mertz Problem
To some extent, this game was a referendum on Mertz.
With Mertz entrenched as the starter, Coan chose to transfer to capitalize on his final season of eligibility. The net effect would probably be marginal if Wisconsin could swap Mertz for Coan, but it seems clear Mertz cannot elevate the offense.
The sophomore struggled as the 2020 season went on, and things haven't gotten better.
That 20-of-21 for 248 yards and 5 TDs performance against Illinois feels like a lifetime ago for Graham Mertz.
For years, Wisconsin was perceived to be holding itself back with game managers such as Alex Hornibrook, Joel Stave, Scott Tolzien, John Stocco and Jim Sorgi.
Mertz was a 4-star recruit and the No. 3 pro-style quarterback in the 2019 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. The Kansas native was supposed to be the elite passer the Badgers had lacked.
Instead, fans might be longing for the days when Wisconsin played to type.
Notre Dame’s defense is really good.
But Wisconsin can’t run like it used to and has a big, big problem at QB.
The best quality of great college football coaches is the ability to adapt and keep up with the times. Why do we view Wisconsin's offensive philosophy as charming? https://t.co/Z5WXjWP9oY
After Austin's second touchdown reception, the Badgers had more than nine minutes to close a two-score gap. But the gulf felt much larger because the offense had failed to move the ball.
Wisconsin finished 1-of-14 on third down. It failed to deliver in critical moments and couldn't maintain drives.
What's Next?
Notre Dame heads back to South Bend, Indiana, for what may be its toughest test of the season against No. 8 Cincinnati. Wisconsin will host No. 19 Michigan in a game that could make or break the Badgers' hopes of winning the Big Ten West.
Video: Wisconsin Fans Erupt for 'Jump Around' Tradition in Return to Camp Randall
Sep 4, 2021
Wisconsin fans sing and dance to "Jump Around" during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Maryland Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017, in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin 38-13. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)
For the first time since the 2019 season, Wisconsin Badgers football fans Saturday took part in the "Jump Around" tradition at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.
Following the third quarter of No. 12 Wisconsin's Big Ten clash with No. 19 Penn State, a sellout crowd of more than 80,000 jumped simultaneously as the House of Pain hit "Jump Around" blared through the stadium:
There is arguably no greater tradition in college football than "Jump Around," as Wisconsin has played it at every home game since 1998.
Per Meg Jones of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the tradition began during homecoming against Purdue on Oct. 10, 1998, when fans jumped as the song played and the Badgers beat the Boilermakers 31-24.
Since no fans were permitted to attend Wisconsin home games last season during the COVID-19 pandemic, "Jump Around" went on a one-year hiatus.
It returned in force Saturday, however, as the home fans jumped and cheered jubilantly during a 7-7 game.
The Wisconsin faithful looked to help extend one of the most impressive streaks in college football, as the Badgers entered the day having won 25 consecutive home openers.
