Being the head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers football team comes with more than just expectations — it also comes with a deeply invested fanbase.
Part of this devoted fanbase includes quite a few notable former players who helped build the foundation of the program and aren’t afraid to voice their opinions when things don’t go as planned.
During and even after Wisconsin’s 38-21 loss to USC, plenty of ex-Badgers standouts wasted no time taking to social media to express their frustrations, pinpointing specific issues like play-calling, execution, and, in some cases, the team’s overall direction under Luke Fickell.
J.J. Watt, for instance, made his feelings clear several weeks ago after the Alabama game, tweeting, “Do not line up in shotgun on 4th & 1. Ever.” Watt retweeted that post again after failing to convert it into a short-yardage situation against USC, hammering home his point. Wisconsin basketball legend Frank Kaminsky chimed in with, “I will never ever understand why you would go in the shotgun on 4th and 1.” Even former Badgers tight end Jake Ferguson is lobbying for change, tweeting, “#BringBackThePowerI.”
The discontent wasn’t limited to those three. Other prominent former Badgers like Melvin Gordon, Sam Dekker, Zak Showalter, Faion Hicks, Jack Cichy, Kendric Pryor, and Chris James all weighed in, offering a clear glimpse of how invested Wisconsin’s former stars remain in the program’s direction and future under its current leadership.
Adding to that conversation, Braelon Allen cryptically posted, “I’m gonna hold my tongue for now, but y’all gonna see me on a podcast one day explaining exactly what was going on my last season there.”
The passion of these alumni, many of whom had a hand in building the program into what it is today, is impossible to ignore.
When asked about the public airing of grievances, Fickell didn’t shy away from acknowledging them, but the Badgers coach made it clear that he doesn’t let the outside noise affect him or his approach.
“I do a very good job, I should say… I don’t pay attention to a lot of things,” Fickell said. “Unfortunately, I have children now that are of the age that they tend to, if there is something out there, they let you know… which I’ve got to do a better job making sure they understand I don’t want to hear those things… But it’s a part of the game, right? I mean it’s all things that we have to be able to deal with.”
The alumni voices, while passionate, are part of the natural landscape of a Wisconsin program steeped in rich tradition. For Fickell, his main concern is that the outside noise doesn’t discourage those in the locker room.
“It doesn’t bother me… I only worry if it bothers our guys within our program and our team.”
Despite the unrest, Fickell acknowledged the value of having an invested fanbase. In fact, Fickell sees it as part of what makes Wisconsin football great — the unwavering passion, even in times of adversity.
“If people didn’t have passion for what it is that we’re doing, we wouldn’t have sold-out crowds, we wouldn’t have an environment that we create here, and a competitive advantage when guys come into our home because of the passion that, whether it’s the fans or former players, have,” Fickell said. “That’s what makes programs great. You’ve got to be able to handle the ups and the downs; you’ve got to be able to handle the positives and the negatives whether you’re a coach or you’re a player.”
The Wisconsin Badgers (2-2, 0-1 B1G) will try to block out the outside noise as they head back to Camp Randall Stadium this Saturday, aiming to get back on track against the 1-3 Purdue Boilermakers—a team they’ve beaten 17 consecutive times. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
