Luke Fickell dips into the NFL to find Wisconsin's next wide receivers coach

It was rumored months ago that Wisconsin would be bringing in Ari Confesor as the next wide receivers coach, but then the airwaves went silent. Now, it appears it's finally happened, and Luke Fickell has his new wide receiver coach in former Jacksonville Jaguars staffer Ari Confesor.

There's an interesting wrinkle to this story; it's not as simple as poaching from an NFL staff, though there is some of that happening. Confesor is part of a special program that helps rising coaches of color get opportunities in the NFL. This is good news as his time in Jacksonville will go a long way for Wisconsin, but due to the short-term nature of the hire, Wisconsin called at the right time.

Ari Confesor is one of the fastest rising names in the coaching world and is now at Wisconsin

Wisconsin lost its wide receiver coach, Jordan Reid, to the NFL, specifically the Atlanta Falcons. It was a big move for Reid, but it left a gaping hole on the coaching staff right during the transfer portal season and ahead of spring camp. Now, it appears Wisconsin will have a wide receiver coach for spring practices afterall.

Confesor started his coaching career in the NFL as part of the Kansas City Chiefs' scouting department back in 2012. He has had a few different coaching jobs since then, even at his alma mater, Holy Cross. His most recent gig before Jacksonville was as the Wake Forest wide receiver coach. He had tremendous success there, and the Jaguars hired him "as part of the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program."

He comes at a pivotal time for Wisconsin, as they need this year to be a success in a desperate way. He has a few veterans to work with, a handful of transfers, and even a few young players who need to be developed. This feels like a big hire and at an important moment for Wisconsin.