Fickell... Extended???

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Per Wisconsin fans this is just how they're athletic department operates. They always extend 1 year every year to keep the coaches on the same contract. As others said I believe this will also lower the buyout so not much to read into.
 






It would not surprise me if it increased the buyout for next year in order to make the payouts for the contract nominal for the remainder. I am guessing with a terrible year in 2024, a not so great offseason, and an impossible schedule it is making it impossible to recruit. The contract is probably to enhance the appearance of commitment in order keep the program strong from a recruiting standpoint. Probably worth a few million to try and get a solid recruiting class in and if things go sideways they can still pivot.

Regardless this is not a movement of strength for WI.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
It added 1 year and likely lowered the buyout.
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Don't know what the contract extension says, but I'll bet you're right. No way Fickell gets extended unless his obscene buyout amount was simultaneously lowered. I will concede this: despite two fairly disappointing, underperforming seasons, Wisconsin just had a very good recruiting class this year--better on paper than the Gophers' fine 2025 class by a good measure (Badgers at 25, Gophers at 41 on 247). Maybe not Fickell, but the school and its recent 30 year history (and probably some fat NIL money), still carry weight in recruiting.

Anybody know how many Badgers got invited to the NFL combine this year? I've got the over-under at 3.
 
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Gophergrandpa said:
Don't know what the contract extension says, but I'll bet you're right. No way Fickell gets extended unless his obscene buyout amount was simultaneously lowered. I will concede this: despite two fairly disappointing, underperforming seasons, Wisconsin just had a very good recruiting class this year--better on paper than the Gophers' fine 2025 class by a good measure (Badgers at 25, Gophers at 41 on 247). Maybe not Fickell, but the school and its recent 30 year history (and probably some fat NIL money), still carry weight in recruiting.

Anybody know how many Badgers got invited to the NFL combine this year? I've got the over-under at 3.
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Fleck did more in the portal this year. Subsequently lower freshman class ranking but likely better players due to on field proven production.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
It added 1 year and likely lowered the buyout.
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If you are right, which I have no reason to doubt you, the actual extension is the opposite of committing to Fickell. Publicly, fans will say "why would they do that?" In truth, the extension may make it easier to fire him after the season.
 

From things I’ve read it sounds like the buyout is not increased or decreased

This is an on paper extension that doesn’t really mean anything at all, in my opinion
 


ergopher said:

Masterful gambit, Badgers.
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Kind of like Coyle extending Fleck after last year???

Throwing rocks is not the best idea when your AD is a glass house.

Some details beyond the headline:

Per CBS Sports:

"Wisconsin historically gives out one-year extensions to all its coaches at the conclusion of every season for consistency purposes. In addition to Fickell, the school announced extensions for its volleyball and soccer coaches on Wednesday. Getting an extension isn't necessarily an expression of faith. Former coach Paul Chryst received a formal extension after the 2021 season, but was fired only five games into the 2022."

As others have pointed out (and the Fleckstites champion ad nauseam), having a long contract (on paper) is important in college football today.

Wisconsin sucks, always has, always will, but to cast stones at them when they did something that's a part of Fickell's contract (His performance needs to be satisfactory, but the annual extension is a clause in his contract) and is the same thing we did last year and pretending it's somehow different, is ridiculous.

Except that even though their AD is significantly less experienced than Mark Coyle, he has a clue. Or maybe he doesn't, but Fickell's agent sucks and couldn't find some magical way to turn this extension into a raise to boot?

To me, making fun of Wisconsin because they are Wisconsin is enough. I don't need to make myself look silly by ripping them for doing the same thing we did 12 months ago - after year 7 of the program, not after year 2 of an actual rebuild.
 

gophernut1 said:
It would not surprise me if it increased the buyout for next year in order to make the payouts for the contract nominal for the remainder. I am guessing with a terrible year in 2024, a not so great offseason, and an impossible schedule it is making it impossible to recruit. The contract is probably to enhance the appearance of commitment in order keep the program strong from a recruiting standpoint. Probably worth a few million to try and get a solid recruiting class in and if things go sideways they can still pivot.

Regardless this is not a movement of strength for WI.
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Recruiting results after a miserable season for WI and what "easily" could have been at least a 10-3 record for MN in 2024 if you listen to the Flecktites

Class of 2025:
2025 Overall Rec. Rank*2025 Portal Rank*
Minnesota50/15 B1G22 Nat/7 B1G
Wisconsin27/9 B1G12 Nat/3 B1G
*24/7 sports as of 2/20/2025
**24/7 sports as of 2/13/2025
 
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caliGopher said:
Recruiting results after a miserable season for WI and what "easily" could have been at least a 10-3 record for MN in 2024 if you listen to the Flecktites

Class of 2025:
2025 Overall Rec. Rank*2025 Portal Rank*
Minnesota50/15 B1G22 Nat/7 B1G
Wisconsin27/9 B1G12 Nat/3 B1G
*24/7 sports as of 2/20/2025
**24/7 sports as of 2/13/2025
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Cool...what were Nebraska's numbers. About as relevant since they regularly get great recruits as well.
 

Dave H said:
Cool...what were Nebraska's numbers. About as relevant since they regularly get great recruits as well.
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Yeah, I mean last year WI got that Mabrey guy at QB, 4* and everything and he left after his redshirt freshman season.

Also, and I'm not gonna look it up for this particular class, but WI used to always bring in 2 or 3 highly rated offensive tackles. Now, if you're doing that every class, some of those guys are bound to not see the field, yet they still count highly towards the class ranking.
 

Clean-Shot-2024-01-01-at-15-09-58-2x.jpg
 

caliGopher said:
Recruiting results after a miserable season for WI and what "easily" could have been at least a 10-3 record for MN in 2024 if you listen to the Flecktites

Class of 2025:
2025 Overall Rec. Rank*2025 Portal Rank*
Minnesota50/15 B1G22 Nat/7 B1G
Wisconsin27/9 B1G12 Nat/3 B1G
*24/7 sports as of 2/20/2025
**24/7 sports as of 2/13/2025
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My gawd, you're a miserable prick.
 

Dave H said:
Cool...what were Nebraska's numbers. About as relevant since they regularly get great recruits as well.
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I agree that recruiting rankings are less than accurate, but to suggest that Wisconsin is struggling in recruiting seems a little off, given the data available. I hope they continue to fall apart, but I'm not going to say their recruiting sucks when it's better than ours by a generally accepted ranking of the results.

Again, I don't need to create fiction to hate Wisconsin; I hate them. I'm also not a fan of the selective use of data that drives the "legend" of PJ Fleck.

And Nebraska's numbers are irrelevant in a conversation about Wisconsin vis-a-vis Minnesota. If you are interested I encourage you to look them up.
 

caliGopher said:
Recruiting results after a miserable season for WI and what "easily" could have been at least a 10-3 record for MN in 2024 if you listen to the Flecktites

Class of 2025:
2025 Overall Rec. Rank*2025 Portal Rank*
Minnesota50/15 B1G22 Nat/7 B1G
Wisconsin27/9 B1G12 Nat/3 B1G
*24/7 sports as of 2/20/2025
**24/7 sports as of 2/13/2025
Click to expand...
Have you met the Johnson effigy crew on the bball board? You guys would get along great🤣
 


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