(11-27-2022 11:47 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  IMO it's a good time for Fickell to move and cash in with B1G money. He's probably crested at Cincy. It will only get a lot tougher to win in the nB12.

Fickell has done a terrific job at Cincinnati, but I don't think it is about the money. I agree that it will get tougher to win in the nB12. At Cincinnati, are you going to beat Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Notre Dame for the top players in the Midwest? Are you going to be able to recruit in the South? He has done a great job of recruiting and developing talent at Cincinnati, but can he sustain that at Cincinnati? Wisconsin may be a better place for his coaching talents. He is getting paid well at Cincinnati, so I don't think it would be just about the money. Which school gives you the best chance to compete and win?

From the WSJ … It is done … Fickell to Wisconsin

(11-27-2022 11:52 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:50 AM)Glenn360 Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:27 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  Or he could just wait because, despite going 45-5 at OSU, Ryan Day will enter next year on the hot seat.

That's just fans/media nonsense no is firing a coach that goes 11-1 yearly

You really believe that Day could go 110-10 over the next 10 years while going 0-10 vs. Michigan with no national championships, and they wouldn't fire him in Columbus?

I do. They'd moan about not beating That School Up North, but they wouldn't fire him. That would be insanity - has any coach in the history of college football ever gone 110-10 over ten years? That would mean being in the playoff discussion even under the current system and making it some years, and making it every year once the field expands to 12. Any school that would fire a coach with that record for consistent failure to win one rivalry game deserves to never again win that rivalry game.

(11-27-2022 12:26 PM)Maize Wrote:  From the Wall Street Journal … It is done … Fickell to Wisconsin

Big 10 looking stout

(11-27-2022 12:26 PM)Maize Wrote:  From the WSJ … It is done … Fickell to Wisconsin

Way to edit the earlier "Wall Street Journal" (as evidenced in WhoseHouse's quote reply)!!!

The twitter bio one click away flags that Tom Oates describes himself as "(Mostly) retired" from the Wisconsin State Journal.

I could have sworn I had seen something the other day saying Wisconson had decided to make interim head coach Jim Leonard their permanent head coach. Did I dream that?

(11-27-2022 11:50 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:48 AM)Maize Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:45 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:40 AM)Maize Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:36 AM)ChrisLords Wrote:  It may come down to who he has coming back next year. If he sees next year as a 9 win or less season, he might want to leave this year even though it's not ND or tOSU.

No … it going to come down to who is willing to give Fickell that bag … Mark Stoops at Kentucky and Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss are now $9 Million Men Annually … Fickell is worth more than that and that is the floor to get him … my hunch is Wisconsin is willing to go over $9 Million Annually

Meh. I mean, it's not like Fickell's agent hasn't been called on nearly every single P5 opening over the past couple/few years. And yet, Fickell still roams the sidelines at UC. Not saying he's never leaving, but money doesn't appear to be the ultimate determination.

At the end of the day …. Money always matters …

Like I say: If it was "just" about the money, there are scores of high-paying P5 jobs he could have already taken.

True, but I think this forum weirdly underrates the Wisconsin job assuming that they’re actually going to pay market rate for top coaches (which they didn’t before but now seem to want to do considering the Michael Corleone-type midseason firing of Paul Chryst earlier this year).

Wisconsin has been the most consistent program in the Big Ten outside of Ohio State over the past 15 years, has a large and super-loyal fan base, is located in one of the best college towns in America, is a top academic school that produces a disproportionately wealthy alumni base, and is only a couple of hours away from the Chicago area for recruiting purposes.

I think Wisconsin can be described as “low key” compared to some of the outwardly bombastic fan bases and athletic departments that you’ll find at Ohio State, Michigan or several of the SEC schools. Wisconsin has a low key massive athletic department (fueled by selling out every football and basketball game plus the largest hockey attendance most years) with a low key huge and loyal fan base that owns its home state (e.g. when Facebook analyzed the favorite college football team in each county in the nation, the only 2 schools that owned *every* county in its home state were the not surprising Nebraska and maybe the more surprising Wisconsin) with a low key academic powerhouse of a school (e.g. its strength across graduate departments is on par with Michigan and Northwestern without the snobbery) and low key consistently successful on-the-field football program for the past 30 years across multiple coaches.

To me as an Illinois fan, a top Wisconsin program is a lot scarier to me than anyone else in the current Big Ten West because they actually have all of the assets of a place like Michigan but without the pretentious superiority complex.

Huge hire for the Badgers. With Fickell and Rhule, the Big Ten has hired two proven big-time winners at two (recently) under-performing programs.

Between these hires and the impending arrivals of USC and UCLA, the Big Ten is about to become much deeper.

Fickell to Wisconsin makes sense and it looks like it's a done deal.

The good news for Central Michigan is that I doubt Cincinnati is going to come for Jim McElwain like they did Brian Kelly and Butch Jones.

Cincy is going to get THRASHED in the B12 next year. Transfer portal will be on fire.

(11-27-2022 11:45 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:40 AM)Maize Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:36 AM)ChrisLords Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:29 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Shoot. This is definitely the biggest threat Cincinnati has faced so far. When Michigan St offered, that was still a program who had to play Michigan, Ohio St, & Penn St every year. Wisconsin will only be playing each of those teams in 50% of years, which makes it easier for Fickell.

It may come down to who he has coming back next year. If he sees next year as a 9 win or less season, he might want to leave this year even though it's not ND or tOSU.

No … it going to come down to who is willing to give Fickell that bag … Mark Stoops at Kentucky and Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss are now $9 Million Men Annually … Fickell is worth more than that and that is the floor to get him … my hunch is Wisconsin is willing to go over $9 Million Annually

Meh. I mean, it's not like Fickell's agent hasn't been called on nearly every single P5 opening over the past couple/few years. And yet, Fickell still roams the sidelines at UC. Not saying he's never leaving, but money doesn't appear to be the ultimate determination.

Again … never get it twisted … it is always bout getting that bag ….

(11-27-2022 12:49 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:50 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:48 AM)Maize Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:45 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:40 AM)Maize Wrote:  No … it going to come down to who is willing to give Fickell that bag … Mark Stoops at Kentucky and Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss are now $9 Million Men Annually … Fickell is worth more than that and that is the floor to get him … my hunch is Wisconsin is willing to go over $9 Million Annually

Meh. I mean, it's not like Fickell's agent hasn't been called on nearly every single P5 opening over the past couple/few years. And yet, Fickell still roams the sidelines at UC. Not saying he's never leaving, but money doesn't appear to be the ultimate determination.

At the end of the day …. Money always matters …

Like I say: If it was "just" about the money, there are scores of high-paying P5 jobs he could have already taken.

True, but I think this forum weirdly underrates the Wisconsin job assuming that they’re actually going to pay market rate for top coaches (which they didn’t before but now seem to want to do considering the Michael Corleone-type midseason firing of Paul Chryst earlier this year).

Wisconsin has been the most consistent program in the Big Ten outside of Ohio State over the past 15 years, has a large and super-loyal fan base, is located in one of the best college towns in America, is a top academic school that produces a disproportionately wealthy alumni base, and is only a couple of hours away from the Chicago area for recruiting purposes.

I think Wisconsin can be described as “low key” compared to some of the outwardly bombastic fan bases and athletic departments that you’ll find at Ohio State, Michigan or several of the SEC schools. Wisconsin has a low key massive athletic department (fueled by selling out every football and basketball game plus the largest hockey attendance most years) with a low key huge and loyal fan base that owns its home state (e.g. when Facebook analyzed the favorite college football team in each county in the nation, the only 2 schools that owned *every* county in its home state were the not surprising Nebraska and maybe the more surprising Wisconsin) with a low key academic powerhouse of a school (e.g. its strength across graduate departments is on par with Michigan and Northwestern without the snobbery) and low key consistently successful on-the-field football program for the past 30 years across multiple coaches.

To me as an Illinois fan, a top Wisconsin program is a lot scarier to me than anyone else in the current Big Ten West because they actually have all of the assets of a place like Michigan but without the pretentious superiority complex.

Regardless of what role it plays in conference moves, I have a very hard time imagining that any coach takes a job because of the academic prestige of the school or the wealth of the school's alumni. (Except to the extent that schools with wealthier alumni should theoretically have more wealthy boosters to pay a massive salary.)

(11-27-2022 01:30 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:45 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:40 AM)Maize Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:36 AM)ChrisLords Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:29 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Shoot. This is definitely the biggest threat Cincinnati has faced so far. When Michigan St offered, that was still a program who had to play Michigan, Ohio St, & Penn St every year. Wisconsin will only be playing each of those teams in 50% of years, which makes it easier for Fickell.

It may come down to who he has coming back next year. If he sees next year as a 9 win or less season, he might want to leave this year even though it's not ND or tOSU.

No … it going to come down to who is willing to give Fickell that bag … Mark Stoops at Kentucky and Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss are now $9 Million Men Annually … Fickell is worth more than that and that is the floor to get him … my hunch is Wisconsin is willing to go over $9 Million Annually

Meh. I mean, it's not like Fickell's agent hasn't been called on nearly every single P5 opening over the past couple/few years. And yet, Fickell still roams the sidelines at UC. Not saying he's never leaving, but money doesn't appear to be the ultimate determination.

Again … never get it twisted … it is always bout getting that bag ….

You already quoted that post once and I rebutted it. Fickell's name was bandied about for Notre Dame, LSU, Penn St, USC, Michigan State, etc. If it was "just" about the money--he could have already had that.

(11-27-2022 01:35 PM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 01:30 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:45 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:40 AM)Maize Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:36 AM)ChrisLords Wrote:  It may come down to who he has coming back next year. If he sees next year as a 9 win or less season, he might want to leave this year even though it's not ND or tOSU.

No … it going to come down to who is willing to give Fickell that bag … Mark Stoops at Kentucky and Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss are now $9 Million Men Annually … Fickell is worth more than that and that is the floor to get him … my hunch is Wisconsin is willing to go over $9 Million Annually

Meh. I mean, it's not like Fickell's agent hasn't been called on nearly every single P5 opening over the past couple/few years. And yet, Fickell still roams the sidelines at UC. Not saying he's never leaving, but money doesn't appear to be the ultimate determination.

Again … never get it twisted … it is always bout getting that bag ….

You already quoted that post once and I rebutted it. Fickell's name was bandied about for Notre Dame, LSU, Penn St, USC, Michigan State, etc. If it was "just" about the money--he could have already had that.

That Big Ten Media Deal changed the game … $100 Million a year annually … that wasn’t the case before and everyone at the end of the day has a price …. Coaches for the most part are mercenaries …

(11-27-2022 01:36 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 01:35 PM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 01:30 PM)Maize Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:45 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:40 AM)Maize Wrote:  No … it going to come down to who is willing to give Fickell that bag … Mark Stoops at Kentucky and Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss are now $9 Million Men Annually … Fickell is worth more than that and that is the floor to get him … my hunch is Wisconsin is willing to go over $9 Million Annually

Meh. I mean, it's not like Fickell's agent hasn't been called on nearly every single P5 opening over the past couple/few years. And yet, Fickell still roams the sidelines at UC. Not saying he's never leaving, but money doesn't appear to be the ultimate determination.

Again … never get it twisted … it is always bout getting that bag ….

You already quoted that post once and I rebutted it. Fickell's name was bandied about for Notre Dame, LSU, Penn St, USC, Michigan State, etc. If it was "just" about the money--he could have already had that.

That Big Ten Media Deal changed the game … $100 Million a year annually … that wasn’t the case before and everyone at the end of the day has a price …. Coaches for the most part are mercenaries …

I guess it's changing now, but the Big Ten's high media deals never really translated into higher coaching salaries until recently. About three or four years ago, it was found that the Big 10 usually paid lower salaries than the Big 12.

(11-27-2022 01:34 PM)Poster Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 12:49 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:50 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:48 AM)Maize Wrote:  

(11-27-2022 11:45 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  Meh. I mean, it's not like Fickell's agent hasn't been called on nearly every single P5 opening over the past couple/few years. And yet, Fickell still roams the sidelines at UC. Not saying he's never leaving, but money doesn't appear to be the ultimate determination.

At the end of the day …. Money always matters …

Like I say: If it was "just" about the money, there are scores of high-paying P5 jobs he could have already taken.

True, but I think this forum weirdly underrates the Wisconsin job assuming that they’re actually going to pay market rate for top coaches (which they didn’t before but now seem to want to do considering the Michael Corleone-type midseason firing of Paul Chryst earlier this year).

Wisconsin has been the most consistent program in the Big Ten outside of Ohio State over the past 15 years, has a large and super-loyal fan base, is located in one of the best college towns in America, is a top academic school that produces a disproportionately wealthy alumni base, and is only a couple of hours away from the Chicago area for recruiting purposes.

I think Wisconsin can be described as “low key” compared to some of the outwardly bombastic fan bases and athletic departments that you’ll find at Ohio State, Michigan or several of the SEC schools. Wisconsin has a low key massive athletic department (fueled by selling out every football and basketball game plus the largest hockey attendance most years) with a low key huge and loyal fan base that owns its home state (e.g. when Facebook analyzed the favorite college football team in each county in the nation, the only 2 schools that owned *every* county in its home state were the not surprising Nebraska and maybe the more surprising Wisconsin) with a low key academic powerhouse of a school (e.g. its strength across graduate departments is on par with Michigan and Northwestern without the snobbery) and low key consistently successful on-the-field football program for the past 30 years across multiple coaches.

To me as an Illinois fan, a top Wisconsin program is a lot scarier to me than anyone else in the current Big Ten West because they actually have all of the assets of a place like Michigan but without the pretentious superiority complex.

Regardless of what role it plays in conference moves, I have a very hard time imagining that any coach takes a job because of the academic prestige of the school or the wealth of the school's alumni. (Except to the extent that schools with wealthier alumni should theoretically have more wealthy boosters to pay a massive salary.)

I agree, but my point is that the impression that I’m seeing from many people is “Why Wisconsin when this guy turned down Notre Dame last year?” when it has a TON of assets with its fan base, money, and history. For whatever reason, many people haven’t internalized that they’ve been the best Big Ten program besides Ohio State for essentially the past 30 years.

(11-27-2022 11:27 AM)djsuperfly Wrote:  Or he could just wait because, despite going 45-5 at OSU, Ryan Day will enter next year on the hot seat.

Ryan Day is a coin flip from making the playoff this year. He's not going anywhere.

(11-27-2022 11:29 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Shoot. This is definitely the biggest threat Cincinnati has faced so far. When Michigan St offered, that was still a program who had to play Michigan, Ohio St, & Penn St every year. Wisconsin will only be playing each of those teams in 50% of years, which makes it easier for Fickell.

Normally, I'd say that there are a lot of teams I'd rather coach in the B1G than Wisconsin b/c they have very high expectations but don't have great recruiting nearby and don't spend as much as other, similarly well-financed Athletic departments. However, Fickell was going to face a very tough big 12 slate starting next year, a few years of 7-5, 6-6, 5-7 and he would never have the option of jumping to a school like Wisconsin in the future. However, if he goes to Wisconsin and things don't work out, he could quickly snag a P5 job that is comparable to Cincy. This is a big win for him, and potentially a big win for Wisconsin, too.