Another day, another soundbite to put in the archives of why Luke Fickell is never going to be a Power Four head coach after this shameless Wisconsin charade ends. Wisconsin is riding a three-game losing streak, all to Power Four teams. The Badgers' latest on-field catastrophe came at the hands of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It was close for a while, and then Fickell decided he had no interest in winning.
Showing up to work on Monday with those unused timeouts in his back pocket, Fickell did his best to explain the quarterbacking conundrum he has somehow turned into a tangled Gordian Knot of epic proportions at Wisconsin. Fickell may be a very good man, but a very good head coach he is not... Look forward to him completely contradicting himself around sunset when Wisconsin hosts Iowa.
Fickell defined what Hunter Simmons did at quarterback as "things". This is empty calorie nonsense.
"He did things we asked him to do ...I think we can definitely build on that and build with him in different ways."
So do not be shocked if Danny O'Neil gets the start if always injured Billy Edwards Jr. cannot play...
Luke Fickell says Hunter Simmons is the starter if Billy Edwards can't go.
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) October 6, 2025
"He did the things we asked him to do...I think we can definitely build on that and build with him in different ways."#Badgers
Trusting Fickell to make the right decision is like trusting Charles Ponzi to take care of your money.
Luke Fickell's assessment of the quarterback situation is why he must go
The guy lives to put his foot in his mouth more than a flexible toddler. While Wisconsin fans may be in favor of seeing Simmons get more run than O'Neil, neither are great options, and neither is Edwards. Fickell thought that he landed the Three Amigos in the transfer portal, but instead netted the Three Stooges. Who is who in both situations? That is a more fun exercise than watching this team play ball.
These are the consequences of the head coach sitting on the hottest seat in college football, who just so happens to lead the worst team in the Big Ten. Although Simmons may be an upgrade over O'Neil in the event that Edwards cannot go, this is like putting a bumper sticker on your beater of a car. You may feel really proud about your decision-making process, but this is not fooling anyone...
In the end, the fact Fickell was allowed to even have this press conference after what he has done on the field so far in Big Ten play just goes to show how unserious of a football program Wisconsin has become under his watch. It will end at some point. This too shall pass. That being said, we keep telling ourselves that patience is a virtue, but we are heading to Vice City, baby. This program is rather sinful.
If there was a fourth quarterback Fickell could have started out of the portal, he would have done it.