Luke Fickell receives discouraging news as another 2026 recruit has decommitted

This year has been a source of disappointment for Luke Fickell. He's losing game after game, finding only one Big Ten win, and sitting at 3-6. His job is being called for by Wisconsin fans, even hearing "FIRE FICKELL" chants at every home game. To top it all off, the 2026 recruiting class is unraveling in front of his eyes, killing some of the hope about the future that fans need.

Wisconsin has now lost three players who were committed, with many more rumored to be close to flipping to other schools. The latest and third player out the door is Maddox Cochrane, a 6'7 offensive tackle out of Richmond, Virginia. He posted on social media today to "respect his decision."

Maddox Cochrane is now the third Wisconsin commit to reopen recruitment

Related: Wisconsin football adds obvious commitment that shows Chris McIntosh's true feelings

Cochrane had been committed to the Badgers since April and has previously shared about his excitement to be a Badger, stating that he knew Wisconsin was the right choice after visiting so many. But, ultimately, he decided it was best for his future to look into other opportunities.

It's hard to know where he is thinking of going and what those scholarship opportunities are, according to 24/7 Sports. His last offer came in September, and most of the schools trying to lure him seem to be more low-level FBS schools.

The worry for Luke Fickell is that more will follow Cochrane out the door. The year on the field has been less than desirable, and like sharks in the water, other programs have been courting Wisconsin's best prospects.

While Fickell was able to flip his own running back target, Qwantavius Wiggins, from Florida International University, it made fans speculate if this was a sign that 4-star recruit Amari Latimer was on his way to one of the many places trying to convince him to flip away from Wisconsin.

Fickell needs to do his best to hold this class together, add a few more, and even upgrade in the transfer portal or next year will look similar to this one, even with an easier schedule.