Former Wisconsin OC Phil Longo opens up on his departure from Madison

Things just didn't work out for Phil Longo while he was running the offense for Wisconsin. Badgers head coach Luke Fickell thought Longo's offensive system would be a good fit in Madison, but he didn't even last two years with the program.

After a disappointing showing in 2024, Fickell fired Longo not long after the heartbreaking loss to No. 1 Oregon. The Badgers had a golden opportunity to post one of the biggest upsets of the year, but the O and Longo let them down tremendously.

This offseason, Longo packed his bags and moved to Texas, as he's the new head coach for Sam Houston State. In an interview with Mike Lucas of The Cap Times, Longo made it clear he has no ill will towards Fickell and Wisconsin as a whole. Nope, he wants to see the program have success in the future.

Phil Longo will continue to root for the Wisconsin Badgers

Talk about someone taking the high road. Longo understands this is a business and Fickell had to make the call that he felt would be best for the program. Wisconsin ended up going 5-7 this season, which no one saw coming.

The inconsistent play on offense was a big reason for that, which was why Longo got his walking papers. Not long ago, Fickell brought in a replacement, with the Badgers hiring veteran coach Jeff Grimes to take over as the team's new offensive coordinator. That's not the only big change for the offense.

Tyler Van Dyke and Braedyn Locke entered the transfer portal, while Billy Edwards Jr. and Danny O'Neil have transferred in from Maryland and San Diego State, respectively. Longo is going to be busy running his own program, but he won't hesitate in saying he'll be cheering on Wisconsin whenever he has the chance. He appears to have left Madison on the best terms possible, which is great to see.