I wanted JL as HC and certainly wanted him to stay on. However, the decisions have been made and now it is clearly Like Fickell’s team. Let’s go!

I honestly could not see how it was going to work with Jimmy staying on, so this is likely good for all involved.

I am sure the players are emotional….yet they probably have known or thought they knew for a while.

I hope the players see the opportunity ahead with a new coach and coaches and stay the course…at least through Spring ball.

Wild days remain…but On Wisconsin!

1. It seems like I am in agreement with most here that McIntosh picked the right guy in Fickell, but in hindsight where I think he made a mistake was in firing Chryst in the midseason. It disrupted recruiting, it allowed for the alleged poaching of Badger players, it created discontent amongst the current team, and it created ill will between CM and Jim Leonhard. Chryst needed to go, but letting him go in October vs November created a shitstorm that may take a long while to calm down.

2. Even with Fickell hired something seems off. Graham Mertz transfers, Jim Leonhard leaves, there have been no twitter posts that I have seen from the players talking up the new coach. To me this seems like the program will have to take one step backwards to go forward, unless Fickell can massively change the attitudes of the current players.

3. It would be positive for the program to pull a stud out of the transfer portal. the Program seems to have so many negative things happening between players and Coaches opting out, getting a good player coming in could change the short term narrative around Fickell.

3. I usually put a few bucks on the Badgers in their bowl game….but is there any chance this team will have the focus needed to play a big game? No bet for me this year.

4. I hear a lot of talk about Fickell going to a 4-3. Not possible with the current team. We barely have enough good defensive linemen to run the 3-4.

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Potrykus has said multiple times that once the application period was over that Jim Leonhard would be announced as DC and that it was already a done deal. The application process is over so why hasn’t it been announced yet if it was indeed a done deal? Was he wrong?

Right here:

With 1,000 kids hitting the portal at what point do sponsors of bowl games start realizing there return on investment with bowl games is becoming even more meaningless and start canceling their sponsorships?
Also, with the early signing period and portal we will continue to see more coaches get fired halfway through the year too so a new coach is in place by December. Sure seems like the college football leadership needs to take a step back and look at timelines and get the sport stabilized.

A coach in the Milwaukee area told me Greg Gillum would be at their high school today. Guessing he carries a similar title at Wisconsin.

With Satterfield getting the Cincy HC job, any news, thoughts on if he is coming to UW as OC /QB coach?

Graham Mertz for DJ Uiagalelei, thoughts?

well Sean Lewis is off the board

He mentions Wisconsin in the video. The Badgers should be a major contender here. He is visiting LSU next weekend and I wouldn't be surprised if Wisconsin received a visit the following weekend. Only rated a 5.7 three-star right now, but is very likely to be a four-star come our final 2023 rankings release.

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A lot of momentum indicating that Leonhard plans to stay on staff at Wisconsin. As far as what title? Not sure at this point. But this could be announced as soon as this weekend. Big push from the family to stay in Madison, which has been consistent with Leonhard since he arrived on staff.

There is a LOT to talk about this week — let @Clint Cosgrove and I know what you want to hear about

Though possible Alabama could make the cut, even if TCU, Michigan and Georgia all lose tomorrow, I can’t see 10-2 Alabama leapfrogging a 12-1 Michigan, TCU or Georgia, and it’s unlikely they leapfrog idle 11-1 and higher ranked Ohio State. TCU is arguably the most vulnerable of the 4. All signs point to the playoffs being:
1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. TCU
4. Ohio State
And I’m not even 100% convinced that losses tomorrow will even change that much. I don’t think Georgia drops below #2 even if they lose by 50 tomorrow. A Georgia loss and a Michigan and TCU win would still likely end up with Georgia #2.

This might be the easiest job a selection committee will have had in any sport for any NCAA tournament.

Other TOS board saying we just lost another commit

A couple of years ago I offered an opinion on BA's replacement...whoever that was going to be. I stated tha BA was a legend and carried weight with the administration and regents that the new person was not going to have that advantage. We all know the challenges of the athletic department vs the administration at UW and Becky Blank personified the problem. Whoever took that job wasn't getting the benefit of the doubt from her like BA did. I didn't think CM could overcome some of those challenges. Out goes Blank, in comes a new chancellor who we didn't know whether she liked sports or not. CM fires PC, which was a ballsy move, and hires a home run while enlisting the new chancellor in the process. I, like many on this board are in shock with what has happened in the last 60 days. Not only was CM able to see clearly at 30,000 feet, he was able to land a national coach NONE of us thought would happen. He opened the purse strings, partnered with the new chancellor and administration and said out loud, "The football program is the engine that drives the athletic department and it needs to be successful" (I paraphrased it a bit). While LF hasn't won a single game, I couldn't have been more wrong about the new AD, and specifically CM.