Luke Fickell explains why this was an ideal time for return to the Big Ten

Luke Fickell was just fine where he was. You would be too if you were able to lead a program in Cincinnati that was, at the time, out of the Power Five into the national spotlight, even including an appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Still, for as much of a success as he was with the Bearcats, we all need new challenges, and, at Big Ten Media Days, Fickell explained his reasoning for leaving Cincy to return to the Big Ten, specifically Wisconsin. The program and the conference were two pros of their own. However, the timing with his family as well helped him to better see all the ways in which the Badgers were checking his boxes.

“It has a lot to do with Wisconsin, it has a lot to do with the Big Ten. And it had a lot to do with the timing of my family as well. If it wasn’t the right time for my family, even as great of a place as this is and as great of a job as it is, I don’t think that I would have jumped in full-heartedly,” said Fickell. “If it wasn’t the right thing for everybody, it wouldn’t have been the right thing for me too.”

“So so many things came aligned. I didn’t know a ton about Wisconsin to be honest with you. We put, kind of, parameters in place to say, ‘Hey, if we’re ever going to leave? If we’re ever going to go someplace? Like, what would you leave for?’ as opposed to saying there’s these six places I would go to,” Fickell explained. “It became more of what’s important to you as a professional to grow, to do what you want to do? And what’s important us and our family? I never thought about Wisconsin and, as this thing became a possibility, it just started checking every box.”

Fickell spent all of his time during his first runs in the Big Ten with Ohio State. First, he played for the Buckeyes back in the mid-90s. Then, around the start of the 2000s, Fickell joined the staff in Columbus and remained there until 2016.

Upon that time, he eventually left for Cincinnati with only one season, 2011, with any head coaching experience. He found that with the Bearcats, though, as he led them to a 57-18 record over six years. That includes their 13-1 run in 2021 when they made the playoff before they were eliminated by Alabama.

In the end, we all want to know that our calls are the right ones, including the ones that have to do with our jobs. That’s why, considering where he and his family were, Fickell is ready to be in Madison and get things going in his first season back in Big Ten country.