Have the Badgers Seen all that Luke Fickell has to Offer Following 27-10 Maryland Loss?

Maryland and Washington may have found answers on the field and solidified themselves as serious contenders this season, but the Badgers on the other hand may have confirmed many concerns. The Terrapins were almost certainly the easiest game remaining on the schedule for Wisconsin with opponent and location considered, and yet the Badgers only managed to score a single touchdown against deep zone coverage late in the game. Wisconsin needed to prove themselves in an effort to display some sort of life ahead of a gauntlet of a schedule, but the team was unable to do so.

Blame can be thrown all over as the special teams unit struggled and some strange offensive play calls were utilized, but ultimately the primary person to blame for the loss would be Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell.

Fickell entered the season on the hot set despite receiving an extension from the Wisconsin program, which would currently make the coach the second priciest buyout in college football. However, winning games is more important than money to some and with little to no signs of improvement on the field for the Badgers throughout his tenure, changes might be looming in the future. Thinking about a possible buyout seems wild given the $25.4 million price tag but the number dropped significantly from $40.1 million last year on his previous deal.

Moving forward, Wisconsin will have to decide whether or not parting ways with Fickell makes logical sense and also whether or not the coach really has hit his ceiling with the program. Given the cost, Wisconsin could potentially wait until the end of the 2026 season when the buyout would drop to $12.8 million.

Luke Fickell Main Man to Blame Following Badgers Loss to Maryland at Home

As bleak as things may seem, the current state of the Badgers could be a culmination of what coach Fickell has built in Madison and may not get better. Wisconsin lost against Maryland not just in a terrible fashion after entering the game as 10.5-point favorites, but also lost to the Terrapins without showing any positive signs.

Quarterback Danny O’Neil was once again given a shortened week of practice with the first-team despite starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. dealing with a knee injury. The decision to send an unprepared O’Neil into the game would be costly, and the quarterback again had to play nearly the entirety of the game after Edwards Jr. again injured his knee. O’Neil did not look good, recording a quarterback rating of 18.3 and delivering a momentum shifting interception that was supposed to be a pass thrown away.

In addition to O’Neil clearly not being prepared, Wisconsin entered the game proudly stating that both quarterbacks would be playing throughout the game despite Edwards Jr. still being injured. Edwards Jr. left the game injured again and O’Neil looked like he again took steps backwards on the field instead of progressing. The quarterback situation alone has been unfortunate but also a complete mismanagement on the part of the Badgers coaching staff.

The quarterbacks were not the only issue during the Maryland game either as the special teams unit looked inexperienced and unaware despite being full of veterans. Wide receiver Jayden Ballard was brought in through the transfer portal specifically as a special teams all-star, but instead Ballard received a catch-kick interference penalty after laying his shoulder into the defenseless receiver. In addition to the rookie mistake from Ballard, a field goal and a punt were both blocked by the Terrapins with a few other close calls during the game.

The Badgers not long ago had a respectable special teams unit that may have not added plenty to the outcomes of games, but the unit certainly did not negatively affect how the team performed. For things like special teams, the quarterback room, and the offensive line to now be issues for Wisconsin despite previously having solutions is an issue that should no longer occur for Fickell and the Badgers.

Fickell has had enough time to both build a base and evaluate talent but yet the Badgers continued to look slow, unprepared, and unaware on the field.