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Luke Fickell explains questionable label for Tanner Mordecai during Week 10
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Luke Fickell and Wisconsin came out of Week 10 on the wrong side of a defensive showdown. With the Badgers struggling to generate offense, Indiana beat Wisconsin 20-14 in Bloomington.
Backup quarterback Braedyn Locke started his third straight game in place of Tanner Mordecai this weekend, but Mordecai’s injury designation raised some eyebrows. Prior to kickoff, Wisconsin listed Mordecai as questionable on the B1G-mandated availability report.
At his Monday press conference, Fickell confirmed that Mordecai did warm up though the QB was never expected to play. Fickell admitted he did not expect Mordecai to see the field but had to list him as questionable with the status report deadline quickly approaching on Saturday but expressed it was never a desire to “hide anything” with the label.
“He warmed up last Saturday. It was ‘Hey he’s a possibility, he’s an emergency maybe.’ They’re asking you that before the game because 2 hours before, you’ve gotta report,” said Fickell. “I’m like look, I don’t think he’s gonna play — same with Braelon (Allen) — but we put him on there as questionable only because situational stuff. But not trying to hide anything, so it’s similar. When they can warm up it’s a start, but does that mean they can actually take you out there and put you in the best spot to win a football game?”
Allen and WR Chimere Dike were similarly listed as questionable and wound up not playing against Indiana. Asked for an update, Fickell said both he doesn’t feel great about a Week 11 status yet, but it’s hard to get a feel for that outlook based on Sunday’s practice.
“Chim ran around. He warmed up last Saturday as well. That doesn’t always mean a whole lot. It means their minds are in the right place, it means their heads are in the right place,” Fickell explained. “It means they’re doing everything — they want to be out there.
“Still don’t feel great… but it’s hard to tell at the pace which you are on a Sunday, what does that translate to on a Tuesday/Wednesday, even pushing through to a Saturday? Wish I knew more.”
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.