How Long Will Fickell Last in Madison?

[LetsGoHawks83]

Wisconsin DESERVES to have some down years and a coaching BUST.

How many coaching changes since Barry? They somehow kept trucking along with new coach after new coach for 20 years, some coaches with more or less success, but no BAD years.

Chryst was a damn good coach and had a lot of success. Getting rid of a good coach finally bit them in the a$$.

F*** Wisconsin

 

[MAXIMUSHAWKEYE]

Really thought they made a mistake not giving the job to Leonhard. Great defensive coach and he wouldn’t have scratched the offensive philosophy that Wisconsin thrived in.

So happy Leonard left. That 3-4 gave us fits. Of course we had BF.

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

So happy Leonard left. That 3-4 gave us fits. Of course we had BF.

BF had no idea what to do against that 3-4...

Actually he had no idea what to do against any defense. Man alive, we wasted some great defenses with his sorry a$$ 15 PPG offense.

 

[Legs94]

He's not who they thought he was, is he...

No, I was nervous about him, but turns out he just might be shitty.

 

[ShonnDeereGreene]

That brand of football was also a good fit for their primary recruiting ground.

This 100%. Same for Iowa. Yes we need athletic skill players, but if there’s one place the Midwest can compete - and maybe out-compete from a recruiting standpoint, it’s at the line of scrimmage and LB positions. If we try to go head to head with the likes of southern and west coast offenses, we’ll lose because we’ll never be on the same level at the skill positions.

I love what is happening to Wisconsin, but I just don’t get why they thought abandoning such a strong identity was the silver bullet to “get to the next level.”

 

[IowaHawk1994]

I give it maybe another two seasons tops. Although if they lose to Nebber this year, I could see them cutting their loss early.

Barry Alvarez .4 coming! what an awful looking football team. Maybe the worst qb to play in Kinnick in past decade. That include Hawk qbs! Nice D play 3-3-5 vs a team that can't throw. That coach will go back to MAC or wherever he came from. You lose to Iowa by 40, you get fired.

 

[hexumhawk]

He was the IT hire when he went there so hard to blame Wisconsin for thinking they got it right. Turns out you just never know sometimes how things will fit when you put it in to action.

 

[Rifler]

Once Barry departed the big donors were able to influence the direction of the program, and they wanted something new and shiny,.. Phuck em, They got it.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Depends, the new era of playoff football is “make the playoff or who fricking cares”.

Some schools will fly through coaches every couple years chasing the playoff. Others will be happy with their big fat TV checks and ride a coach that keeps the stadium full knowing playoff is darn near a pipe dream form the lower two thirds of the Big Ten.

The donors will decide on a school by school basis.

 

[pistachio1999]

Will he take down the relatively new AD with him? The one that fired Paul and brought in Luke.

 

[Rifler]

Badger football will wander through the same type of lengthy drought that was experienced by Michigan post Carr,.. Blindly jumping towards the bright light isn't really a plan...

 

[pistachio1999]

Badger football will wander through the same type of lengthy drought that was experienced by Michigan post Carr,.. Blindly jumping towards the bright light isn't really a plan...

Paul Chryst has a shit eatin' grin.

 

[Rifler]

Paul Chryst has a shit eatin' grin.

Leonard as well...

 

[DewHawk]

Could not understand firing Chryst and Leonard.

 

[HawksRule73]

I think Fickell gets another 2 years after this one, especially because the AD that hired him is still there. But I'm going to guess that Fickell throws in the towel on "air raid" and goes and gets an OC that will play a style of ball more suited to the types of players that Wisconsin can bring in on a regular basis.

 

[unipanther1999]

Cautionary tale for Iowa fans that might want a different offensive style post-Ferentz. What Iowa has, works, and can be occasionally tweaked or enhanced to go from good to great every few years.

Abandoning the current identity is a path toward inconsistency and irrelevance.

I think most Iowa fans realize this, but a few need to be reminded.

 

[Fan In Black]

they’ve lost their identity clearly.
In the past could count on a bruising run game, stout defense. Fickell trying to reinvent the wheel is not going well. Get back to running the football . Winning at the LOS. That’s clearly where we killed them last night

I neverstood why they did that. Their recruiting foot print is not built for Air Raid. It's built for what Alveraz started. And they did better than anyone. Just a weird move.

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

Cautionary tale for Iowa fans that might want a different offensive style post-Ferentz. What Iowa has, works, and can be occasionally tweaked or enhanced to go from good to great every few years.

Abandoning the current identity is a path toward inconsistency and irrelevance.

I think most Iowa fans realize this, but a few need to be reminded.

I think most fans have not problem with the pro style, establish the run, use our stud TEs type offense.

The problem is have BF run the offense with ZERO experience. It's just insane that he was given the reins to the offense AND named QB coach!!! Also sticking with immobile, inaccurate QBs for waaaay to long is a major issue.

Hopefully things keep on the current trajectory with Lester. He doesn't appear to be clueless like BF.

 

[hawkeyemark18]

I think Fickell gets another 2 years after this one, especially because the AD that hired him is still there. But I'm going to guess that Fickell throws in the towel on "air raid" and goes and gets an OC that will play a style of ball more suited to the types of players that Wisconsin can bring in on a regular basis.

Watching the game I got the vibe Fickell has some intention of going that direction. The Air Raid clearly seems like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Right now they don't like a team that wants to spread you out and throw it or a power team that wants to run the ball. The Badgers seem stuck in neutral and Fickell may not turn out the right coach to move them forward.

 

[HawksRule73]

Watching the game I got the vibe Fickell has some intention of going that direction. The Air Raid clearly seems like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Right now they don't like a team that wants to spread you out and throw it or a power team that wants to run the ball. The Badgers seem stuck in neutral and Fickell may not turn out the right coach to move them forward.

Fickell is an old school tough guy (former state wrestling champ and defensive lineman), so it was surprising as hell that this was the offense he wanted to bring to Madison. It just doesn't fit with who he is or the identity you'd think he would want to establish. But hey, as a Hawk fan, I'm all for him trying to continue to push that square peg into the round hole. 😀

 

[gojojo]

I didn't like the hire for them. Imo, you need a style that fits what you can attract. Álvarez was smart to build a program around big, road grading lineman and power backs, the types of guys that are either within a few hours of campus, or guys willing to leave home to play that style.

An air raid style that Fickell wanted to bring doesn't make a lot of sense in Madison as you need a deep, talented wr room, and a top notch passing QB; things Wisconsin hasn't traditionally had.

 

[Hawkeye Marching Band]

Fickell is an old school tough guy (former state wrestling champ and defensive lineman), so it was surprising as hell that this was the offense he wanted to bring to Madison. It just doesn't fit with who he is or the identity you'd think he would want to establish. But hey, as a Hawk fan, I'm all for him trying to continue to push that square peg into the round hole. 😀

Didn’t he run the air raid at Cincinnati?

 

[Greenway4Prez]

Didn’t he run the air raid at Cincinnati?

Not really, it was more of a balanced attack with under-center run game and traditional dropback passing. Mike Denbrock was his last OC at Cincy (IIRC) and he is now at Notre Dame.

 

[HawksRule73]

Didn’t he run the air raid at Cincinnati?

I would call his O in Cinci "aggressive", but certainly not "air raid". And I don't ever want to see that shit at Iowa. Leave that shit for the Big 12 and the MAC. Lester has shown that you can still be a successful offense, while still having the run as your bread and butter and have everything work off the run. I think next year we'll be pleasantly surprised by the strides we make with the passing game since he'll have an entire spring, summer, and fall to continue the install of that piece of the offense.

 

[pistachio1999]

Cautionary tale for Iowa fans that might want a different offensive style post-Ferentz. What Iowa has, works, and can be occasionally tweaked or enhanced to go from good to great every few years.

Abandoning the current identity is a path toward inconsistency and irrelevance.

I think most Iowa fans realize this, but a few need to be reminded.

Kirk has said an air raid (Mike Leach) type offense would not work at Iowa. Some fans went crazy with that statement.

 

[HawksRule73]

Wisconsin DESERVES to have some down years and a coaching BUST.

How many coaching changes since Barry? They somehow kept trucking along with new coach after new coach for 20 years, some coaches with more or less success, but no BAD years.

Chryst was a damn good coach and had a lot of success. Getting rid of a good coach finally bit them in the a$$.

F*** Wisconsin

Chryst was a damn good coach who also happened to be a terrible recruiter. The main reason he was let go is because his recruiting had fallen so bad that something had to be done.

 

[Shafthawk]

I think most fans have not problem with the pro style, establish the run, use our stud TEs type offense.

The problem is have BF run the offense with ZERO experience. It's just insane that he was given the reins to the offense AND named QB coach!!! Also sticking with immobile, inaccurate QBs for waaaay to long is a major issue.

Hopefully things keep on the current trajectory with Lester. He doesn't appear to be clueless like BF.

I agree.

Iowa has been very effective when they have had a QB with mobility.

We should be able to find some guys that can both throw and run the football well. Probably not going to be able to get a recruit that is great at both.

Find one that is good at both at least. And if you’re worried about him getting hurt, then get some depth behind him. Hopefully, this is what Lester makes happen.

 

[jonesy5960]

I agree.

Iowa has been very effective when they have had a QB with mobility.

We should be able to find some guys that can both throw and run the football well. Probably not going to be able to get a recruit that is great at both.

Find one that is good at both at least. And if you’re worried about him getting hurt, then get some depth behind him. Hopefully, this is what Lester makes happen.

He already brought in Sullivan so he's 1 for 1 so far.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

On another Fickell subject.
He was an Ohio 3 time state wrestling champ in HS, going 106-0 over that span.
2 years as heavyweight.

Well, he got spladled on Saturday. Right in front of the cheerleading squad.

 

[pistachio1999]

Well, he got spladled on Saturday. Right in front of the cheerleading squad.

We put the chicken wing on 'em.

 

[Indybadger123]

That’s the million dollar question.
Apparently to keep up w the “new” B1G.
Have to be able to pass and score like Oregon, USC,tOSU. That seems to be the mindset. Bad mistake on their part to sacrifice what made them so tough to play. I have no doubt the end of KF will come soon, but I’m guessing Iowa will hire someone who will value running the football and winning at the LOS . I’d be shocked if that changed

The “Air Raid” is such a misnomer for Wisconsin. Phil Longo, the OC runs a balanced offense (50/50 runs, passes). Track his entire career, almost exactly 50/50. (Under Chryst, was 60/40 run) Wisconsin looks awful on offense because of 1) A MAC-level QB that can’t run nor see over the line and cant read a zone defense 2) Not having a Jonathan Taylor or Melvin Gordon or even Braelon Allen and 3) a mediocre offensive line on its 4th coach in 4 years (btw, the o-line coach now is Blazek from Iowa - the best coach on the staff). Paul Chryst actually had NO ONE staffed in a recruiting dept for an entire year! That dude committed coaching malpractice. Who on this team will eventually be on an NFL roster? Maybe Wohler and Fourqurean will be UDFAs. Fickel needs a few more years to stack talent. Paul Chryst was the ultimate example of the Dilbert Principle - he was promoted to his level of incompetence. He was a great O Coordinator. He was an awful and incompetent head coach that ****ed over the program. On Wisconsin

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

The “Air Raid” is such a misnomer for Wisconsin. Phil Longo, the OC runs a balanced offense (50/50 runs, passes). Track his entire career, almost exactly 50/50. (Under Chryst, was 60/40 run) Wisconsin looks awful on offense because of 1) A MAC-level QB that can’t run nor see over the line and cant read a zone defense 2) Not having a Jonathan Taylor or Melvin Gordon or even Braelon Allen and 3) a mediocre offensive line on its 4th coach in 4 years (btw, the o-line coach now is Blazek from Iowa - the best coach on the staff). Paul Chryst actually had NO ONE staffed in a recruiting dept for an entire year! That dude committed coaching malpractice. Who on this team will eventually be on an NFL roster? Maybe Wohler and Fourqurean will be UDFAs. Fickel needs a few more years to stack talent. Paul Chryst was the ultimate example of the Dilbert Principle - he was promoted to his level of incompetence. He was a great O Coordinator. He was an awful and incompetent head coach that ****ed over the program. On Wisconsin

Indiana's QB was a former MAC QB ... seemed to work out okay for them this season. Just sayin' ....

 

[Indybadger123]

Indiana's QB was a former MAC QB ... seemed to work out okay for them this season. Just sayin' ....

Yes, he’s good and I think Minny is fortunate to have Brosmer. Locke just isnt the guy. The PSU and Iowa backup QB proved to be incredibly more talented than Locke.