The timing of Chris McIntosh's departure is known to be a problem. There were many fans who wanted to see him go, thanks to the demise of the football program and other poor-performing things (like funding). However, without a Chancellor at UW-Madison, the timing is weird. Also, after publicly backing Luke Fickell and tying his own job to Fickell's success (or lack thereof).
As soon as an opportunity to flee came, McIntosh took it. This is why beloved journalist and broadcaster Mike Lucas (now writing for The Cap Times) slams McIntosh. Lewis calls McIntosh's decision "running away" and says he didn't have the back of any of the football coaches who came under his watch. That was just the start for Lewis as he posted that on social media. He went much further into it with an article. Read that here.
Nothing like running away from the challenge of getting the UW football program back on track. Wasn't it the goal? He didn't have Paul Chryst's back. He didn't have Jim Leonhard's back. And you can't say that he has Luke Fickell's back. Not with such a consequential season ahead. https://t.co/eOYhp1uljd
— Mike Lucas (@LucasAtLarge) April 13, 2026
Mike Lucas calls Chris McIntosh's departure "running away from the challenge."
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In the article, Lewis details all the problems now left in McIntosh's wake and how cowardly it looks for McIntosh to leave just when the challenge is the greatest. The challenge he created in the first place. McIntosh is the one who set the standard that he told fans he would hold himself and the department to, and now he's gone as soon as he can be.
That leaves an interim chancellor to find the next replacement for the athletics director. An interim shouldn't be hiring anyone, and yet, that's the place Wisconsin finds itself. This is a bigger mess than fans realize. Many fans are excited to see him go, but if the interim screws up this hire, things could actually get worse long before they get better.
McIntosh left a bunch of mounting issues, problems, and "opportunities," and the right person could see it all as a ball teed up, and a great hire will knock it out of the park. However, a bad one will fumble it even more. Not ideal, and Mike Lewis is right, shame on McIntosh.