MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Head Coach Luke Fickell sat down with Sports Director Karley Marotta ahead of the Badgers' home opener against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
Entering his fourth year leading the program, Fickell said he feels much different than he did in year one.
"Quite quite a bit, but I mean it, it has obviously been a roller coaster ride," Fickell said. "It's hard to even think back because the things you did even three years ago and a lot of what you're doing doesn't relate in a lot of ways just because this thing is continuing to evolve."
Watch Karley Marotta's One-on-one with Luke Fickell in the video player below:
"I feel like we're in a much better, a much different place going into the start this year," Fickell said.
On the topic of NIL and the transfer portal, Fickell said the landscape of college football has changed rapidly but expressed concern about how easy it has become for players to leave programs.
"I think it's all great. I mean, the world today, nothing stops. Nothing slows down, and if we don't recognize that in whatever business we're in," Fickell said. "I think the one thing that makes it most unique in college athletics and football for us is the ability to just pick up in the transfer world, the ability to not recognize that the grass isn't always greener. It's just become, I think, way, way too easy to pick up and move and leave."
When asked about establishing an identity at Wisconsin, Fickell acknowledged the outside perception doesn't always match what he sees from within the program.
"From the outside looking in, when you don't win and when you don't have the success on Saturdays that everybody wants and we want, I think that from the outside you would say, well, I don't know if the identity is there, but from the inside I can tell you that there's a definite growth in the identity," Fickell said. "I think it's shown a little bit in some of the world of recruiting and in particular within our own state, but I also think if you really study this team, you're going to see that it's the youth of this team - that's the heart of the team."
Fickell expressed excitement about quarterback Colton Joseph heading into the season.
"He's a competitor. I think that above all other things is what I love the most. His last two weeks of spring ball, we really saw a comfort level. We saw the competitive spirit when we actually went live, really kind of take another step, and that just showed me that he's just scratching the surface," Fickell said.
The Badgers have dealt with quarterback instability in recent seasons, as the last three starters have gotten injured early in the season. Fickell said the lack of depth behind the starter made those situations especially difficult.
"I think the bigger issue is, unfortunately, I'm not sure that you have the next one there when those opportunities, when those things happen," Fickell said. "In year one, you had a completely new quarterback room and where you had one starter. You had a lot of other guys that you know not really [had] the experience and didn't know if those guys were the future, and when a guy gets hurt, and you don't have the future in your room, I think it's really difficult. I think right now it's another reason why we're in a much different place. I can tell you this: the next great one is in that room."
On opening the season against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field, Fickell said the experience visiting the stadium left a lasting impression.
"It's a great thing for us. I mean, obviously it's an incredible challenge. I'm not sure that we have seen some really talented teams, in particular last year. This would be in that category of one that is as talented as anybody we've played, but to be opening the season, to be in Lambeau Field," Fickell said. "I don't understand why Lambeau and the Green Bay Packers aren't America's team after being there."
When asked what he wants people to say about Wisconsin football after the season, Fickell kept it simple.
"We're headed in the right direction," Fickell said. "They've got the makings and the means for the things that we need to do to be at the top of this league. Nothing I want more. There's nothing I have more hope for than to say that everybody believes and sees that."
This story was reported on air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
