It may not happen, but there has never been a better time to do the right thing. For Wisconsin, that is to relieve head coach Luke Fickell of his duties. Week after week, he continues to show he is not the right man for the job. After a 2-0 start with wins over Group of Five competition, Wisconsin has lost its last five, all to Power Four teams. Wisconsin is 0-4 in Big Ten play and may not win another game now.
To make matters even worse, the Badgers have been shutout by a combined score of 71-0 in the last two weeks. They were worthless offensively vs. Iowa, losing 37-0 at home in Heartland last weekend. While they were slightly better defensively vs. Ohio State, Julian Sayin had no issues putting together one Heisman Trophy-worthy play after another vs. the Badgers. The Buckeyes dominated them, 34-0.
Other than more perpetual buffoonery on the sidelines from Fickell, the common thread through those two horrendous losses was the starting quarterback of Fickell's choice. Hunter Simmons may be a nice guy, but the Badgers are better served forfeiting than ever having him start another game for them. Billy Edwards Jr. may be so very brittle, but Danny O'Neil can actually almost move the ball.
If Fickell wants to finish the season, he needs to start O'Neil the rest of the way for Wisconsin now.
Hunter Simmons has shown everyone that he cannot start in the Big Ten
No doubt about it. Wisconsin had a brutal schedule coming in. The Badgers had to play at Alabama way back in Week 3 to finish non-conference play. They also drew the likes of Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana and Illinois in its Big Ten allotment of games. Washington is improved. Maryland is halfway decent. Minnesota is still Minnesota, and Iowa is still Iowa. Wisconsin might be going 0-for...
So to attempt to salvage some pride and not end the season on a disastrous 0-10 skid, Fickell should be left with no choice but to start O'Neil over Simmons until Edwards is healthy. If Edwards had any say in this, he should just take his ball and go home. Why waste any eligibility playing for this sorry team? Transfer and play somewhere else. At least with O'Neil you can see some edge to this offense.
Since millions of dollars are so hard to come by, Fickell may not be out after this game. He should be, but the timing of it all suggests it should come after next week's certain defeat at the hands of Oregon. Wisconsin will be entering its second annual bye. Once it is Washington week, Mike Tressel or whomever is serving in the interim can try to get this thing back on track like Fickell never could.
If Fickell starts Simmons at Oregon next week, it is just a giant middle finger to the entire fan base.