Fickell's Tough Spring: Badgers' Up-and-Down Practice

0:00On April 16th, Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickle wasn't holding back after Tuesday spring practice. Their eighth won this session. He called it a rough day overall, especially on offense, where the energy just wasn't there during teen drills. They ditched the shoulder pads for helmets only, which Fickle says can make things tougher since some players ease up without the full gear. Defense brought more fire and dominated, but that's the up and down nature of spring ball he expects. Little stressed the knee for that competitive back and forth spirit between sides, no excuses to build real toughness. He's pushing players to stay consistent, no matter the setup. Their plan ramps it up smartly. Lighter Tuesdays like this, upper pads on Thursdays, then live ball reps every Saturday, around 60 plays last time. It lets them test pros versus rookies and body management for the season grind. Fickle knows the game's change from the full pad marathons of the 70s and 80s. This approach keeps guys healthy while evaluating who can flip the switch when it counts.