Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh voiced his support for coach Luke Fickell and the program following Saturday's 27-10 home loss to Maryland, which featured several «Fire Fickell!» chants by the student section.
Speaking with the Wisconsin State Journal and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, McIntosh shared his «belief in the program and the people around our program, specifically Luke,» and reiterated his support for the players. Fickell fell to 15-15 in two-plus seasons as Badgers coach after consecutive losses to Alabama and Maryland. He is under contract through the 2031 season and is earning $7.7 million this fall.
Wisconsin was booed as it headed to the locker room down 20-0 to Maryland and didn't reach the end zone until 28 seconds remained in the fourth quarter.
«When you have kids that have given it all and are faced with, as a program, adversity like this, I think it's a time for our people to come together,» McIntosh told the two outlets. «I think it's a time for me to express my support.»
McIntosh, a former Wisconsin offensive lineman, fired coach Paul Chryst midway through the 2022 season and boldly hired Fickell, who had guided Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff the year before. Although Fickell had no direct ties to Wisconsin like Chryst and Jim Leonhard, the team's interim coach in 2022, his hire was largely celebrated.
The Badgers have endured several quarterback injuries during Fickell's tenure but could be in danger of missing bowl games in consecutive seasons for the first time since a stretch from 1985 to 1992. Fickell is 78-40 as an FBS coach.
McIntosh acknowledged the fans' sentiment, saying, «Apathy is worst case, and so we're far from that.» He also said he isn't concerned about his own
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