Luke Fickell sends clear message to Wisconsin players bailing on the program

The spring transfer portal opens today, and Luke Fickell is already displeased with the players jumping in from Wisconsin football. He sounded off after the spring practice the other day about how some players can't handle the pressure, intensity, and grittiness that he requires. He isn't going to placate. If it doesn't work for them and they can't play "a grown man's game," then they can leave.

Luke Fickell sounds off on players jumping in the portal to leave Wisconsin

Luke Fickell was clearly displeased after practice, and Wisconsin posted his availability on YouTube. He started by saying the emotion and energy were far less than he wanted. He then got into how it's a league, the Big Ten, that demands a lot of you, and they will demand a lot from their players. The quote that was clipped above came from a question about guys going into the portal from Wisconsin.

Here's a longer version on this quote:

"We aren't going to talk about that right now. I'm sure you can ask specific names. This isn't for everybody, right? This is a grown-ass man's league, and this is a grown man's game. And if guys don't understand that and this isn't the right thing for them, it is what it is. I think that's what's a little bit harder on some. Sometimes having options isn't always the best thing for guys to grow, but it might be the best thing for them...We are going to continue to develop the guys that are within here and the guys that understand what it takes to climb this mountain and play in this league. "

Luke Fickell

It's very clear he's talking about specific players he has deemed soft and unwilling to work to his standards. Wisconsin fans have mixed feelings about this, but most seem to actually take Fickell's side. They are okay with him running off the players who can't crack it in the Big Ten.

It does sound like Fickell is expecting players to jump in the portal and today and the next few days could be a bit hectic. However, it could even be about the three that have already left, two of them being double-transfers in Tanner Koziol and Mark Hamper.