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Wisconsin targeting new name in head coaching vacancy, per report

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

Wisconsin has been long expected to give interim head coach Jim Leonhard the full-time job after the conclusion of the regular season. However, a new target has emerged for the Badgers’ vacancy as of Sunday.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell is now the target for the Wisconsin job. Fickell has been the head coach of the Bearcats since 2017 and led the program to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance last season.

Thamel reports no deal has been signed but Wisconsin is making a push to get something in place over the next 48 hours:

Wisconsin has targeted Luke Fickell to be the school’s next head coach, sources told ESPN. No deal is signed, but there’s a strong push by the Badgers to try and land Fickell in the next 48 hours.

Fickell would not necessarily be a bad hire with a 57-18 overall record and a trio of double-digit win seasons at Cincinnati. It would, however, put a big question mark on Leonhard’s status in Madison.

Leonhard has been rumored to be up for multiple head coaching jobs and NFL DC jobs in the past, and it is fair to wonder if he would want to return to Wisconsin as the DC after having a shot at the full-time job.

Paul Harvey

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.