3 Fearless Predictions for Wisconsin Football During the Luke Fickell Era
With the Wisconsin football season just one week away, I make three fearless predictions for the Badgers as they enter the Luke Fickell era.
Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves because the highly anticipated Luke Fickell era is upon us. Wisconsin football wanted a seat at the big boy table, and the prospects of that happening seem possible now that the Badgers have one of the top 10 head coaches in the country, full stop.
With the honeymoon phase coming to an end, now felt like a good time to unleash some bold-as-hell proclamations about where I see the future of the Badgers football team heading during Coach Fickell's tenure.
So, grab a beer, take a deep breath, and feel free to join the discussion afterward because I'm about to channel my inner Believe with Rajeev and dive into three fearless predictions for the LFEra in Madison.
Let's begin.
Luke Fickell Will Turn Wisconsin Into a "Progrum"
Luke Fickell provides the Wisconsin football team with instant credibility. This man took a non-Power 5 school to the college football playoffs, so on paper, it's fair to assume he'll be able to accomplish a lot now that he has access to additional resources.
The Badgers haven't even played a game under Fickell yet (not counting the bowl game), and Wisconsin was viewed as a legit destination for players in the transfer portal this offseason. We've also seen an uptick in recruiting athletes at positions where UW doesn't traditionally prevail.
Which leads me to my point: if Wisconsin comes out and produces out the gate, the Badgers will become a Progrum. Yes, I intentionally spelled that wrong. What I'm getting at is if UW can establish itself as a top-tier team in the Big Ten, consistently land top 20 or better recruiting classes, and combine that with the school's rich tradition and fan support ... there's no reason the Badgers can't begin to close the talent gap with the blue-bloods and take steps towards becoming the next powerhouse.
That's obviously what Chris McIntosh envisioned when he hired Fickell -- and while it might seem like a longshot -- I honestly believe Wisconsin football has the potential to become a contender capable of going toe-to-toe with the best in the country in a few years.
In general, I'm a glass-half-full guy anyway -- but Luke Fickell completely won me over this offseason -- Wisconsin football will be a full-fledged Progrum within a couple of years. Nothing would make me happier.
Wisconsin Will Land Its Highest Rated Recruiting Class EVER Under Luke Fickell
One of the reasons Wisconsin hasn't been able to get over the proverbial hump is the substantial talent gap between them and the Ohio State's of the world. But that hasn't stopped the Badgers from giving them the occasional run for their money by recruiting and developing system fits.