Wisconsin Badgers fans have not been shy about voicing their concerns with Luke Fickell. In his third season with the program, things have deteriorated rapidly, leading to boos and cheers amid a dismal season.
After a shellacking at the hands of the reigning national champions, which dumped the program to 0-4 in Big Ten play, his time might be up, but who should the Badgers seek out as a replacement?
Who Could Wisconsin Hire if They Parted Ways With Luke Fickell?
The on-field results, where the Badgers are one loss away from being ineligible for bowl season and yet to taste victory in the Big Ten, have led to fans calling for Fickell’s firing. In the midst of their Week 8 defeat to the Buckeyes, it was also revealed that there are some Bill Belichick-level off-field issues at play.
What is Luke Fickell doing at #Badgers practices…? pic.twitter.com/UOY597mcOQ
— ESPN Madison (@ESPNMadison) October 18, 2025
The writing appears to be on the wall, even though firing Fickell comes at a hefty financial cost. His buyout is currently set at $27.5 million, ranking as the ninth-most expensive in the Big Ten. It’s a serious change, but it’s worth it to completely rewrite the current story in Madison. But who makes the most sense?
Lance Leipold, HC, Kansas Jayhawks
Lance Leipold built a dynasty at DIII Wisconsin-Whitewater before performing an even more impressive miracle at Kansas, turning a basketball school into a legitimate football program that’s won games and competed for Big 12 titles.
Wisconsin is obviously the bigger brand with more resources and tradition, but Leipold has a much easier path to the College Football Playoff in the Big 12 than he would navigating a Big Ten gauntlet that includes Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and Michigan.
Of course, money talks in college football, and if Wisconsin is willing to pay top dollar for a proven winner with deep ties to the state, Leipold could be convinced to come home and try to restore the Badgers to their former glory.
Fran Brown, HC, Syracuse Orange
A coach who gets players to run through walls for him, Fran Brown would bring exactly the kind of energy Wisconsin desperately needs after watching Fickell’s lifeless tenure suck the soul out of the program.
Brown took over Syracuse in 2024 and immediately led the program to 10 wins for the first time since 2018. He’s already proven it wasn’t a fluke by knocking off the Clemson Tigers in his second season, showing he’s built a culture at Syracuse that’s turned them into a legitimate ACC contender.
Brown spent time at Rutgers from 2020 to 2021 (DBs coach), so he has experience in the Big Ten, and despite being a defensive-minded coach, he’s turned Syracuse into an offensive powerhouse, proving he can adapt and evolve.
Mike Tressel, DC, Wisconsin Badgers
If Wisconsin decides to promote from within, Mike Tressel should be the only name on the list, because offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes has done nothing to deserve consideration, given how anemic the Badgers’ offense has looked all season.
Tressel, nephew of former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel, has been Fickell’s defensive coordinator since 2021 at Cincinnati and followed him to Wisconsin. Before hitching his wagon to Fickell, Tressel spent over a decade under Mark Dantonio at Michigan State, where Dantonio briefly named him acting head coach when he retired in 2020 before Mel Tucker took over the program.
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Tressel has been universally praised everywhere he’s coached over his three-decade career, spending nearly all of his DI time working for either Dantonio or Fickell, with a brief stint on his uncle Jim’s staff at Ohio State mixed in.
He represents the safest internal hire Wisconsin could make, but the question is whether the program wants to stay in-house or blow everything up and start fresh with someone who can bring genuine excitement back to Madison.
Andy Kotlenicki, OC, Penn State Nittany Lions
Andy Kotelnicki arrived at Penn State as a highly touted offensive mastermind following his transformative work at Kansas, where he revitalized the Jayhawks’ attack into a legitimate Big 12 contender during his three-year tenure.
However, despite his established reputation as an innovative play-caller capable of maximizing talent, the results in Happy Valley have fallen short of expectations, leading to questions about whether his offensive system truly fits the Penn State personnel.
Kotelnicki’s two-year stint at Kansas showcased his ability to modernize offenses and develop quarterbacks, turning around a program that had struggled for years before his arrival. His track record includes leading units that rank among the nation’s best in key metrics such as lowest sack percentage and big-play production over his decade-long FBS coordinator career.
Wisconsin, seeking to evolve beyond its traditional ground-and-pound approach that has become increasingly ineffective in today’s Big Ten landscape, would benefit from Kotelnicki’s expertise in implementing dynamic, contemporary offensive schemes that emphasize explosive plays and quarterback development.
Jim Leonhard, Assistant HC, Denver Broncos
Jim Leonhard is the sentimental favorite for Wisconsin fans who remember when he was the DC, turning the Badgers into one of the most feared defenses in college football. Of course, that was before Paul Chryst got fired, and the program botched the transition by not giving Leonhard the job permanently.
Leonhard spent a decade coaching at Wisconsin from 2016 to 2022, building elite defenses and earning universal respect before the administration passed him over for Fickell, a decision that looks worse with each passing loss. He’s currently the assistant head coach with the Denver Broncos, learning under Sean Payton and getting NFL experience that could make him an even better college coach if he decides to return.