This story was updated to correct a misspelling/typo.
The Wisconsin football program recommitted to a mission of ‘competing for championships’ when Luke Fickell was hired as head coach in 2022. That phrase was consistent through athletic director Chris McIntosh’s messaging both during and after the hire.
That initiative has not yet materialized on the field. The Badgers are 12-13 in two years under Fickell, including a 5-7 campaign in 2024 that saw the program miss its first bowl game in 23 seasons. They finished far from Big Ten title and College Football Playoff contention in both seasons.
One broader piece of the initiative, however, is spending. Luke Fickell is the 18th-highest-paid coach in the sport, making $7.725 million per year. Wisconsin paid a top-tier salary for Fickell when he was one of the rising names in the coaching profession. That commitment signals some delivery on McIntosh’s promise.
The other facet many watch is assistant coach salary spending. USA TODAY Sports recently revealed what every assistant coach in college football made in 2024. All together, Wisconsin’s assistant salary pool of $5,375,000 ranked 32nd in the sport and 11th-highest in the Big Ten. That number remains low, relative to Fickell’s salary at the helm.
As we move into 2025, that standing also requires a slight asterisk. The program fired offensive coordinator Phil Longo in November. New coordinator Jeff Grimes recently arrived on campus and was therefore not part of the…
