New report confirms that Luke Fickell is blatantly not recruiting Wisconsin well

Credit to where credit is due. Reporters have been getting some extra flak this year for not asking the tough questions, when that's a loaded issue and not easy to unpack. However, Zac Bellman of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel decided to go after an issue that's been circulating around Luke Fickell lately: Is he actually blatantly doing a terrible job of recruiting the state of Wisconsin? Yes, he is.

Bellman and the Journal Sentinel asked 13 high school coaches if Luke Fickell has made recruiting the state of Wisconsin a priority. 10 of the 13 answered that he isn't, that's astonishing, and yet confirms what has been rumored for a while.

Another piece of evidence to fire Luke Fickell is the lack of recruiting in state

Related: Wisconsin fan apathy for Luke Fickell shows through sad ticket prices vs. Washington

This is absolutely unacceptable and should be grounds for termination on its own, even though there are so many more reasons the man needs to go. However, what made Wisconsin a powerhouse under Barry Alvarez — and in the history of Wisconsin — was recruiting the state well.

Now, Minnesota is swooping into the state and taking the best recruits. Not because the Golden Gophers are a better program (though currently they are), but because they are prioritizing these players, showing them love, and convincing them Minnesota will give them a better opportunity. This is arguably worse than losing on the field.

Wisconsin has to build a wall around the state, as it's the only D1 football program in the state and the brand for the entire state. As a coach of the Badgers, you simply can't be consistently losing recruits to other universities, especially if you aren't even trying.

The Journal Sentinel article is behind a paywall, but that one poll they shared publicly is damning enough to make Luke Fickell's seat hotter than it already is. Will it matter? Hopefully.