Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell is considered ‘safe and secure’ in CBS Sports’ recent analysis of the job status of every college football coach.
CBS Sports senior writer Dennis Dodd created six categories for his recent evaluation of all 134 FBS coaches’ job securities ahead of the 2024 campaign. Ranging from ‘untouchable’ to ‘win or be fired,’ Luke Fickell landed alongside 43 other head coaches in the ‘safe and secure’ bucket.
For context, Fickell was placed in the same category as Big Ten rivals Sherrone Moore (Michigan), Jonathan Smith (Michigan State), Matt Rhule (Nebraska), David Braun (Northwestern) and James Franklin (Penn State).
Fickell’s spot on this tier is due to the recency of his hire and his track record before arriving in Madison, Wisconsin. The former Ohio State nose tackle became the Badgers’ 31st head coach in program history on Nov. 27, 2022, and will enter his second full season manning the sidelines this fall.
How safe is your coach. My annual deep dive into job security for every FBS coach. https://t.co/PeZIpEfUWz
— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) July 9, 2024
Other faith surrounding Fickell relates to his success on the recruiting front. 247Sports has Fickell’s 2025 cycle, complete with six blue-chip athletes, ranked No. 21 in the nation with an average player rating of 88.29.
Fickell’s previous accomplishment of leading the Cincinnati Bearcats to the College Football Playoff also offers a blueprint for what he could do at UW. The Badgers went 7-6 in 2023 but will aim to kick-start a resurgence in 2024.