After being prepared to hand over the reins of the program to longtime assistant and former star player Jim Leonhard, Wisconsin this weekend engineered a strong about-face and has worked to secure the services of coaching star Luke Fickell, the former Ohio State player who has guided the Cincinnati Bearcats’ program to unprecedented heights for a Group of 5 program in the College Football Playoff era.
Multiple sources on Sunday told FootballScoop that the Bearcats had not only scheduled a team meeting but then advanced the timeline of that team meeting to early this afternoon.
The expectation is that Fickell is going to shortly inform the Cincinnati players that Fickell has accepted the offer to become Wisconsin’s next head coach. He would replace Paul Chryst, who was fired early-season after the Badgers stumbled to an 2-3 start with blowout-losses to rivals Illinois and Ohio State.
In Fickell, Wisconsin would get one of the sport’s most recognizable program-builders. After he earlier held together the Ohio State program on an interim basis before the Buckeyes hired Urban Meyer, Fickell then took over at Cincinnati and quickly rebuilt the Bearcats into a national power.
Cincy went to a New Year’s Six bowl in 2020 and then advanced to the CFP in 2021, where it lost to Alabama.
Sources told FootballScoop on Sunday afternoon that Cincinnati officials were moving to prepare to name an interim coach for the Bearcats, and a source with direct knowledge told FootballScoop that Cincinnati players already had begun to discuss their transfer options with Fickell’s departure from the program viewed as imminent among team members.
Additionally, sources indicated to FootballScoop that Fickell would be expected to take Brady Collins, the team's head of sports performance in its strength program, with him to Wisconsin, as well as recruiting aces Pat Lambert and Max Stienecker.
Where can the Bearcats turn for Fickell’s replacement?
On staff, Mike Tressel, Gino Guidugli and veteran Kerry Coombs all are potentially natural fits for Cincinnati. Coombs is extremely experienced, has deep history with the program and has also coached at Ohio State and in the NFL, as well as being a beloved figure among prep coaches in the Cincinnati area. Guidugli is a decorated former player who also has been well-received in the area and done a nice job as the team's play-caller.
Outside of the program, sources indicated to FootballScoop that Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline, a Canton, Ohio, native, could emerge as a top target for the Bearcats Hartline has deep ties in the state as a former Buckeyes’ standout and NFL player who’s star has rapidly ascended in the coaching ranks since Hartline retired from the NFL and joined the staff at his alma mater.
Additionally, former Cincy star Mike Mickens likewise has ascended in the coaching ranks after a brief NFL career. Mickens is currently the defensive backs coach for Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame.
Also, James Madison coach Curt Cignetti and Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter were names to watch, sources told FootballScoop.
And finally sources told FootballScoop to potentially watch for Tennessee Vols offensive coordinator Alex Golesh. Like the others, Golesh has deep roots in Ohio, broke into coaching during an early portion of his career at Ohio State and has zoomed to the top of his profession this year as the play-caller for a Tennessee offense that ranks at or near the top in myriad prominent offensive categories. Golesh also has been named a semifinalist for the prestigious Broyles Award, given annually to college football’s top assistant.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest coaching news.