Tag: Luke Fickell

Badgers in Top 4 schools of four-star running back

Jordan Marshall, a four-star running back from Cincinnati, Ohio announced that the Badgers were in his top four programs to join in 2024.

Jordan Marshall, a four-star running back from Cincinnati, Ohio announced Thursday that the Badgers were within his top four programs to join in 2024. The 5-foot-10, 193 pound athlete still has one more football season at Archbishop Moeller High School before he’ll make the jump to the collegiate level.

Wisconsin originally offered Marshall in May while Paul Chryst was still in charge of the program, but to their benefit, new head coach Luke Fickell (Cincinnati) has had a relationship with the running back for many years.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Badgers have already secured three commitments for the class of 2024, reeling in four-star quarterback Mabrey Mettauer (The Woodlands, Texas), four-star tight end Grant Stec (Algonquin, Illinois) and three-star Robert Booker (Waunakee, Wisconsin) so far.

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Oklahoma’s schedule is underwhelming

While playing the new Big 12 members will be interesting to see, the 2023 Oklahoma Football schedule leaves a lot to be desired.

As a fan of this game we all know and love, I couldn’t care less about the Oklahoma Sooners getting favorable matchups during the regular season. I’m the kind of fan that just wants to see good football.

With that being said, you could imagine my disappointment when I saw the entirety of the Sooners’ 2023 football schedule. While there are a few good things to look forward to, if this is the final Big 12 schedule the Sooners will ever have, it’s very underwhelming.

The absent Big 12 teams on OU’s schedule will be missed. Oklahoma will not be playing Baylor, Texas Tech, Kansas State or Houston in 2023. Considering that the Sooners went 0-3 against the Bears, Wildcats, and Red Raiders, that’s not the end of the world. But again, I don’t care about favorable matchups. I just want to watch good football games.

Other than a November trip to BYU, nothing on this schedule feels very special. The nonconference games especially sting due to the Sooners postponing their home-and-home series with Georgia. It could’ve been so much better.

While seeing three of the four new Big 12 teams in the regular season is different, I would’ve rather seen one or two of Baylor, Texas Tech or Kansas State instead of Cincinnati without Luke Fickell. Brent Venables deserves another shot at his alma mater, Kansas State before the Sooners head to the SEC.

The worst and weirdest thing about the schedule is the timing of Bedlam.

The Sooners will head to Stillwater for what could be the last time in a long time at the beginning of November. Having Bedlam the game before rivalry week was bad. This is so much worse. There’s no reason for the Sooners to play TCU on a Friday for the last game of the season when they’ve already played Oklahoma State three weeks earlier.

Like I said, the schedule isn’t all bad, but it just feels like a bit of a dud. The one thing I will miss about the old ten-team Big 12 is playing everyone in the conference throughout the regular season.

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Three-star defensive tackle recommits to Wisconsin

Jamel Howard Jr., a class of 2023 three-star defensive tackle from Chicago, Illinois recommitted to the Badgers on Wednesday.

Jamel Howard Jr., a three-star defensive tackle from Chicago, Illinois recommitted to the Badgers on Wednesday. The class of 2023 athlete was originally committed to Wisconsin before withdrawing it in November, but he will now be a part of new defensive coordinator Mike Tressel’s defense next season.

The 6-foot-3, 320 pound defensive lineman will offer Wisconsin another option on the interior as they look to replace Keeanu Benton in 2023 as he makes the leap to the NFL this year. Howard Jr. will join transfer Darian Varner (Temple) amongst others as a part of the incoming class for the Badgers defense.

Since Luke Fickell took over at head coach, almost all of the hype has been around the offensive side of the ball, but Wednesday’s news is certainly a win for the flip side.

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Three-star tight end commits to Wisconsin

Robert Booker, a three-star class of 2024 tight end from Waunakee, Wisconsin committed to the Badgers on Tuesday.

Robert Booker, a three-star tight end from Waunakee, Wisconsin committed to the Badgers on Tuesday. The 6-foot-6, 215 pound athlete will join Wisconsin’s football team as a part of their class of 2024.

Booker picked the Badgers over nine other Division 1 offers, staying in his home state and going to the nearby campus in Madison. He became the third offensive player to commit to join Luke Fickell and Phil Longo’s offense in 2024.

So far, Wisconsin has gotten the commitments of four-star quarterback Mabrey Mettauer (The Woodlands, Texas) and four-star tight end Grant Stec (Algonquin, Illinois) in addition to Booker for 2024.

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Three-star class of 2024 wide receiver gets offer from Badgers

Wisconsin offered Kyan Berry-Johnson, a three-star class of 2024 wide receiver from Bolingbrook, Illinois on Saturday.

Wisconsin offered Kyan Berry-Johnson, a three-star class of 2024 wide receiver from Bolingbrook, Illinois on Saturday. The 5-foot-10, 162 pound athlete still has one more season of high school football before he could potentially make the jump to the collegiate level.

To this point, Berry-Johnson has received six Division 1 offers, with Wisconsin representing the only high-profile program. Since adding Luke Fickell at head coach and Phil Longo at offensive coordinator, it seems like the Badgers have become a more attractive spot for offensive weapons to end up.

For the class of 2024, Wisconsin has already gotten the commitments of two athletes, four-star quarterback Mabrey Mettauer (The Woodlands, Texas) and four-star tight end Grant Stec (Algonquin, Illinois).

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Four-star tight end commits to Wisconsin

The Badgers received the commitment of Grant Stec, a class of 2024 four-star tight end from Algonquin, Illinois on Sunday.

The Badgers received the commitment of Grant Stec, a four-star tight end from Algonquin, Illinois on Sunday. The 6-foot-6, 220 pound athlete is a member of the class of 2024 and will join the Badgers after he completes his final season at Harry D Jacobs High School.

Stec chose Madison over 14 other Division 1 offers, becoming the highest ever rated tight end in Wisconsin history. In addition to that, he became the second player to commit to the Badgers from the class of 2024, joining four-star quarterback Mabrey Mettauer (The Woodlands, Texas).

With the addition of Luke Fickell (Cincinnati) at head coach and Phil Longo (North Carolina) at offensive coordinator, recruits like Stec and Mettauer will likely become regulars for the program moving forward.

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Badgers offer three-star wide receiver from class of 2024

Wisconsin offered Terrance Moore Jr., a class of 2024 three-star wide receiver from Tampa, Florida on Friday.

Wisconsin offered Terrance Moore Jr., a three-star wide receiver from Tampa, Florida on Friday. The 6-foot-3, 190 pound athlete is a junior at Tampa Catholic High School and still has one more season before potentially making the leap to a collegiate program.

Moore Jr. has now received 37 Division 1 offers, a list that includes powerhouse programs like Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State as well as in-state schools like Florida and Florida State. Prior to the addition of head coach Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo, Moore Jr. would have never really been in consideration for the Badgers, but the times have changed.

Since the two joined the program, Wisconsin has brought in four wide receivers from the transfer portal, including former four-star CJ Williams from USC. In addition to the receivers, the team has brought in great talent at quarterback as well and have already secured the commitment of four-star Mabrey Mettauer (The Woodlands, Texas) for the class of 2024. If the Badgers can pull it off, Moore would be a big body for Mettauer to connect with in a couple years.

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Wisconsin offers five-star class of 2025 wide receiver

The Badgers offered Jaime Ffrench Jr., a class of 2025 five-star wide receiver from Jacksonville, Florida on Tuesday.

The Badgers offered Jaime Ffrench Jr., a five-star wide receiver from Jacksonville, Florida on Tuesday. The sophomore still has two more seasons of football with Mandarin High School before he potentially makes the jump to the college level as a part of the class of 2025.

Although he’s still a couple years away, the wide receiver has received 20 Division 1 offers, including powerhouses Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State. With the addition of Luke Fickell as head coach, even though it’s still a long shot, there’s more hope than ever that Wisconsin could land Ffrench Jr. in 2025.

In recent weeks, the Badgers have brought in four wide receivers through the transfer portal, including former four-star wide receiver CJ Williams from USC.Wisconsin offers five-star class of 2025 wide receiver

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Class of 2024 cornerback decommits from Wisconsin

Austin Alexander, a three-star cornerback from Chicago Heights, Illinois decommitted from the Badgers on Wednesday.

Austin Alexander, a three-star cornerback from Chicago Heights, Illinois decommitted from the Badgers on Wednesday. The class of 2024 athlete has decided to reopen his recruitment and could still remain an option for the Badgers moving forward.

The cornerback originally made the decision to commit to Wisconsin in late October, but that was under a completely different coaching staff. With all the additions and hype around the program since Luke Fickell took over as head coach in late November, Alexander may have seen his expected role diminish in front of his eyes.

As a result of his decommitment, four-star quarterback Mabrey Mettauer (The Woodlands, Texas) is the lone recruit that the Badgers currently have set to join the program as a part of the class of 2024.

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Where do Luke Fickell and Deion Sanders rank among offseason hires?

Where does Luke Fickell rank among offseason hires?

Wisconsin football made a massive splash this offseason by hiring former Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell to lead the program.

College Football News recently put together an offseason list of the best head coaching hires. The list included Deion Sanders at Colorado, Fickell at Wisconsin, and Matt Rhule down the road at Nebraska among others.

Fickell came to Wisconsin with arguably the best resume of any offseason hire, having taken Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff in 2021. He has gone 63-25 as a head coach before even stepping foot on campus in Madison.

Where does CFN rank him? Here is a look at their rankings of the top offseason hires: