Wisconsin Coach Shares Shocking Comments About Program. Does He Sense Trouble?

Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell shared some very unexpected comments about the state of the program and his mistakes.

The Badgers are in a rough spot. In fact, the football program is in the worst spot that it's been in over the past several decades.

Gone are the days of consistently winning 10+ games and appearing in major bowl games. The last major bowl appearance was the Rose Bowl at the end of the 2019 season.

Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell has been off to a very disappointing start in Madison. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Luke Fickell acknowledges arrogance within Wisconsin program.

Now, it's not all Fickell's fault as he's entering year three, but his tenure has been a complete and total disappointment.

He's now admitting what many fans have come to realize over the past two years:

People involved had way too much arrogance and didn't realize the situation they were in.

Fickell told The Athletic the following during a recent interview:

"I know the arrogance I would kick myself for is coming in and thinking, ‘OK now, we’re the best in the Big Ten West.' And everybody in that locker room, because of the history of the last 15 years, would say we’re the best in the West. And the truth of the matter is we’re not. I know it’s not the Big Ten West anymore. But it’s that idea of let’s just humble ourselves and let’s go and work our way back and figure out how coach (Barry) Alvarez and them took this place to become the best in the West. And let’s get ourselves to that point and then everything else will take care of itself. It’s not the best 11, it’s the 11 best that do sh*t together that give us a chance, the same way they built it here over the last 25 years."

Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell appears to be coming to terms with the reality in Madison. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

The Badgers coach also didn't run from blame for how the situation has been handled through his first two seasons. That's good because there's certainly enough blame to go around.

He further told the outlet the following:

"I felt like I hadn’t done a good enough job as a leader of being really honest. Sometimes honesty is very difficult. And sometimes honesty can be a de-motivator for some. Through that process, that’s what I mean by I think we were delusional, and I wasn’t honest enough with us to say, ‘Look guys, we’re not better than so-and-so.’ Honesty comes with being self-reflective to say, ‘OK, where are we? Let’s embrace the idea of where we really are and don’t think we’re someplace we’re not.’ If we can’t be honest with each other, then it’s really difficult to move forward."

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell shared some refreshing comments about the state of the Badgers. (Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

As a Wisconsin man, this is exactly what I want to hear from Fickell. It's at least a signal he understands the situation he's in. It's a nightmare, and needs to be fixed.

The man is 13-13 since leaving Cincy for the Badgers. Furthermore, the team is coming off a 5-7 season that snapped the program's 22-year bowl streak.

Fans have had enough, and many are at the point of open revolt. I don't blame them one bit. Hell, I might end up leading the charge if things don't get turned around.

You can't fix situations if you can't acknowledge what the problems are. It seems like Wisconsin football forgot just how difficult the sport of college football is every single day. You can't live off reputation and ego. That's a recipe for disaster, and that disaster is what is currently consuming the Badgers.

Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell admitted the Badgers have serious problems. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images)

The good news for Fickell is that he was recently handed a contract extension that will keep him with the program through 2031. He still has time to turn the ship around and get Wisconsin back to its winning ways. If he doesn't, then it's going to be time for a very different conversation he's not going to like. What do you think about Fickell's performance in Madison? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.