McIntosh's Departure: Fickell's Pressure Mounts

0:00On April 16th, Wisconsin's athletic director Chris McIntosh just stepped down after three years on the job, heading to a new role as the Big Tens, deputy commissioner for strategy. He leaves behind Coach Luke Fickle, who's facing real pressure to rack up more wins after going 17-21 overall, including four, eight last season, and five-and-seven the year before. McIntosh brought Fickle over from Cincinnati at the end of the 2022 season, right after firing the previous coach. Fickle had a stellar run there, 53 wins and 10 losses over five years, even taking the bearcast to the college football playoff. But things haven't clicked yet in Madison, snapping Wisconsin's long streak of winning seasons. Fickle kept their real after practice, saying the team knows they got a win, no excuses. He admitted losing a backer like McIntosh stings a bit, but life's full of changes and the focus stays on the field. McIntosh stuck by him through tough losses, even promising more cash for the program and

1:01helping land 34 transfers this off season. Now Marcus Sedbury, the deputy AD and chief operating officer, steps in his interim until they name a permanent replacement. He's got experience from Baylor, Arkansas, Central Florida, and even the Philadelphia Eagles. Expectations haven't shifted for Fickle. It's big time college ball, and success on the field builds every relationship. The badges are pushing forward, betting on those new pieces to turn things around, come fall.