Loads of changes are coming for the Wisconsin Badgers football program. While plenty of players have announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal, head man Luke Fickell also has to figure out a suitable replacement for Phil Longo.
Plain and simple, Longo's offensive scheme was never a good fit, which is why he's no longer in town. We've already seen some OC changes elsewhere, including Washington State's Ben Arbuckle leaving Pullman for the same job with Oklahoma.
So, who will run the offense for the Badgers next season? That's the question people hope gets answered soon, as Fickell is on the clock there. However, don't expect things to get done overnight, as Fickell stressed that this is a process and it's going to take some more time.
"It's an ongoing process. I'd like to tell you in three days, we're going to do this thing. We have to do our due diligence. We can't just jump into this thing.
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) December 4, 2024
"I wanted it done yesterday...that just isn't the case"#Badgers
Luke Fickell is in the process of finding a new offensive coordinator
Not only is a new OC on the way, but Fickell also said that he might bring in a quarterbacks coach too, which would create two openings for Wisconsin to fill. Throughout the 2024 campaign, it was clear that a change needed to be made.
The offense consistently looked sluggish after QB Tyler Van Dyke went down with his torn ACL. It's up in the air whether or not Van Dyke will be back with the team next season - Fickell said he was planning to meet with the veteran QB to see what his plans are.
Regardless if Van Dyke comes back or not, the door is wide open for the team to go after a signal-caller in the transfer portal, with Conner Weigman already being mentioned as a possibility. Soon enough, we'll find out if a new QB will arrive through the portal.
Before that, though, Fickell must have his new OC in place. This is an important decision for him, as there will be a ton of pressure on the HC to deliver in Year 3 leading the program. Going 5-7 in '24 was unacceptable, but with the right OC, it could change the overall look for the future of the Badgers. Fickell needs to nail this call, no doubt about that.