The University of Wisconsin is closing in on hiring Luke Fickell as its head football coach.
There is a Board of Regents meeting on Sunday to make the offer and decision official.
“I think it’s a home-run hire,” former Badgers coach and exec Barry Alvarez told Madison.com.
Fickell will get the job over interim coach Jim Leonhard, who took over after Paul Chryst was fired during the 2022 season.
“You know what, I love Jimmy,” Alvarez said. “I think Jimmy would have done a good job. I hate to go there. Jimmy’s done a great job and he’s a great coach. I don’t want to say anything. All I know, I love Jimmy. Jimmy’s done a great job for us, a tremendous job, and I have all the respect in the world for him. I don’t want to go any further. I’m just going to say good things about our new guy.
“There’s a new era and I’m excited for it. Our fans should be excited for it.”
The Bearcats were 9-3 this season, including 6-2 in the American Athletic Conference.
Fickell, a native of Columbus, Ohio, played for Ohio State from 1993-96 and coached there from 2002-16.
Wisconsin is 6-6 in 2022 and 4-5 in the Big Ten.