Wisconsin Coach Luke Fickell Makes Slightly Concerning Comment During Blunt Speech: VIDEO

Luke Fickell is still trying to change the culture at Wisconsin, and that means setting a standard.

Fickell came to the Wisconsin Badgers with all the hype in the world after a great run at Cincinnati with the Bearcats.

The 2023 schedule was incredibly easy and it looked like Fickell was stepping into a great situation. The reality turned out to be much different. The Badgers went 7-6, looked weak and flat at times, lost to several teams they should have beaten and the team lacked any serious energy.

Luke Fickell gives speech about setting the standard.

Now, ahead of year two in Madison, Fickell is trying to set the tone with the season a few weeks out, but he made an interesting comment during his speech to that team. 

"I can promise you we're not going to be the most talented team every week. It's not going to happen. It is what it is. Most talented teams are not always going to win. It's the guys that have that want, that hunt mentality. And, it's not just on Saturdays. And that's what we have to make sure to remind ourselves. That's why the leadership is something that's got to be so key and critical to what we're doing. There has to be a standard that is established, and then we have to set that bar to what that standard looks like on a consistent basis," Fickell said, in part, when preaching to the team about creating and cultivating a standard that is upheld every single day.

You can watch his full speech below, and hit me with your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

Overall, a great speech and solid message, but why was the part about lacking talent to always be the top team included?

To be clear, I have no problem with Fickell telling the Badgers they're not going to always be the most talented team on the field. It's simply a statement of fact. Alabama, Oregon and Penn State all have more talent on paper. He's doing his best to channel Herb Brooks with this message, and we all know how that story ended.

However, I'm a little confused as to why the clip didn't start after the comment, seeing as how it's directed at the fans - not the players. Content like this is to get the most loyal followers of the team fired up.

Do you think those fans want to hear about a lack of talent in Madison? The answer is absolutely not, and I know that because I'm a Wisconsin man.

Will the Wisconsin Badgers improve in Luke Fickell's second year with the program? (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

It's hard to believe the season is just a month away. Fans will soon find out whether Fickell has managed to improve the Badgers after a very disappointing first season. For the sake of the program and my mental health, I hope he has. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.