Luke Fickell reveals what it means for Wisconsin to back him as head coach: ‘I can’t say thank you enough’

Wisconsin doubled down on coach Luke Fickell earlier this week, then promptly saw its faith rewarded with a 13-10 win over Washington that had fans storming the field at Camp Randall Stadium. It was an awesome day for the head coach.

In many ways, it felt like justification of the administration’s actions. A little glimpse at what could be.

“I guess let me just start off by saying I have an incredible appreciation and respect for Chris McIntosh and what he has had to do,” Fickell said after the game. “There’s mixed emotions on my part, to be honest with you. I don’t ever want somebody to have to fight my battles, but I understand that that’s where we are. And I can’t say thank you enough to Chris for fighting the battle that he’s fighting. For Chancellor (Jennifer) Mnookin to listen and believe.”

It wasn’t an easy win for Wisconsin. In the cold and driving rain, the team slowly mounted just enough offense to pull ahead 13-10. It then sealed the win with a key defensive stop.

Fans rushed onto the field. Luke Fickell, surely, felt some immense relief.

“Yes, there is not to say a relief, there is a spark, an energy, a hope, a vision that this week gave us,” Fickell said. “And I can’t say that I’m speaking for the guys, because even when (McIntosh) spoke to the guys and kind of told them before it came out publicly, it wasn’t like a whole emotional thing after practice I think it was Thursday. It wasn’t like there was this roar or anything like that.

“And I just reminded him that our kids, they feel everything, they know everything, they internalize everything. I’m not sure how they felt or like they were going to jump up for joy. But I know deep down inside it meant something to them.”

Wisconsin certainly played like it wanted Luke Fickell to be the head coach going forward. And while there’s still plenty of winning to be done to ensure that remains the case — after all, Fickell is only 16-19 overall right now at Wisconsin — there’s a starting point.

Fickell saw Saturday’s win as affirmation that his guys get it. They know what he expects.

“I’m not, again, I’m not speaking for them,” Fickell said. “But I know that they’re committed to what it is that we’re doing. They’re committed to each other and they’re committed to a journey that has been disappointing. I’m not here to tell you that this is the expectation, to win one game and to expect our fans to rush the field. I mean there’s a greater expectation.”

But with a vision of what that expectation could be, or at least a reminder of it, Wisconsin is ready to move forward in the Luke Fickell era. The goal is so much more than one win, though. Fickell was clear about that.

“That’s why I came here. That’s why these guys came here,” he said. “But at times you’ve got to know that people have your back. And for me and for them, I can’t say thank you enough. Obviously not just to Chris, but to Chancellor Mnookin and the board and everybody that recognizes and understands that not accepting this, but we understand that we’ve got to move forward, but this is how we want to do it. I’m happy, that’s for sure.”