Wisconsin Coach's Buyout Details Are Nightmare For Fans, Is Owed Shocking Amount

Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell will leave Madison with a massive amount of money if he's fired.

Fickell's seat is heating up at a rapid rate after finishing the regular season at 5-7, and he's 13-13 in two seasons in Madison.

To say fans are livid might be the understatement of the week. Wisconsin fans - myself included - are appalled by the state of the program.

It's not all on Luke Fickell's shoulders, but at some point, the buck stops with the head coach. That leaves some Wisconsin fans asking one simple question:

Can the Badgers afford to fire Luke Fickell?

What are Luke Fickell's buyout details?

Fickell signed a seven-year deal with Wisconsin that's total value is right around $55 million. He has five more seasons left on his deal after this atrocious season came to an end.

If the Badgers fire Fickell right now, the school would owe him a staggering $40,186,667, according to data from USA Today.

Luke Fickell will be owed more than $40 million if the Wisconsin Badgers fire him. (Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images)

That number right here is why I've long argued that it's incredibly unlikely the Badgers make a switch this year or next year.

Wisconsin paid Paul Chryst $11 million to find the exit and not come back. As a man who is aware of how the school operates, I can tell you right now there is *ZERO* chance the Badgers are paying Luke Fickell more than $40 million to not work two years after paying Paul Chryst to leave.

None. It's not going to happen.

Wisconsin has deep pockets, but dishing out more than $51 million in buyout cash in two years is simply not going to happen. 

Luke Fickell's job is safe for one simple reason: a massive buyout. (Photo by Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

I'll even take it one step further. You can chop roughly another $8 million off the buyout next year, and he's still got going to be fired with any buyout that is north of $30 million. He also shouldn't be fired.

The man has endured back-to-back seasons without a healthy QB1, and he definitely deserves time to get his players in and develop them.

The sample size, while insanely disappointing, is still very small.

Will Wisconsin fire Luke Fickell? (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

So, to all the Wisconsin fans thinking it's a guarantee that Luke Fickell is shown the door in the near future, don't bank on it happening. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.