‘There’s not a bigger fan from the outside’: Luke Fickell praises Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz

New Wisconsin head football coach Luke Fickell has Iowa fans in an uncomfortable place: Hawkeye fans might actually like the guy.

At Big Ten media days, Fickell was asked about longtime Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz. Hawkeye Headquarters‘ Blake Hornstein shared the quote from the Badgers’ new head football coach on social media.

“Have studied Iowa for a long time, and from the way when I was a defensive guy, the way that they play defense, to the longevity that coach has had to the way that he’s done things with the type of kids and the people that he’s had there. There’s not a bigger fan from the outside of all the things that he’s done than me,” Fickell said of Ferentz.

Everybody around the Big Ten and familiar with Iowa’s program understands why Fickell has the type of respect he does for Ferentz.

Entering his 25th season, Ferentz has been the model of consistency with Iowa. Ferentz has racked up a program record 186 wins and led the Hawkeyes to 20 bowl invitations during the course of his career at the helm of Iowa.

Fickell continued with his origin story of his affinity for the state of Iowa and for the history of Hawkeye athletics.

“It kind of goes back to maybe as a young kid growing up as a little bit of an Iowa guy meaning that my idol was Dan Gable and being a wrestling guy that always kind of held that in a different esteem. So, I’ve always watched and studied from afar on all things that they’ve done.

“So, it’s unique to now be thrown into a situation where that is a rivalry game and all the things that I studied and worked on in the past are still a part of, that’s a part of me. People ask about knowing the Big Ten. I think that has a lot to do with it. When you know where a team’s come from and where they are, hopefully you’ve got a better grasp of who they are,” Fickell said of Iowa.

If the object was to rope-a-dope Iowa fans into an appreciation, then consider it mission accomplished for Fickell.

Fickell arrives in Wisconsin after compiling a 57-18 (35-11 American Athletic Conference) mark over the course of six seasons leading Cincinnati. It included three double-digit win seasons and the first trip to the College Football Playoff for a then-Group of Five program.

As you’ll see below, Iowa fans had fun with the exchange on social media. In all seriousness, while Iowa-Wisconsin will always be a fierce rivalry, there’s nothing wrong with having some respect for the man leading the other side.