New coaches usually spend their first a number of months dwelling on the necessity to instill a distinct tradition into their packages.

Think about Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell an exception.

Fickell says the Badgers have already got what he calls a “actually good footprint,” one thing backed up by Wisconsin’s 21 consecutive bowl appearances. He simply needs to search out methods to spice up it as the previous Cincinnati coach prepares to start out his first spring apply at Wisconsin on March 25.

“Generally the most important mistake you are able to do is you go into a spot pondering you’re simply going to utterly change the tradition,” Fickell instructed The Related Press in an interview. “You may improve and do issues the way in which you need to do them, however I believe by nature a variety of locations have distinctive cultures, particularly right here, which have been form of bred for a very long time.”

Fickell believes the shortage of rampant roster turnover following a tumultuous teaching transition gives testomony to that tradition.

Wisconsin fired Paul Chryst on Oct. 2, a day after a 34-10 dwelling loss to Illinois. Athletic director Chris McIntosh employed Fickell after many gamers had known as for common defensive coordinator and interim head coach Jim Leonhard to get the job.

But the Badgers didn’t lose many main contributors to the switch portal apart from three-year beginning quarterback Graham Mertz, now at Florida. Offensive lineman Michael Furtney and vast receiver Markus Allen entered the switch portal however then determined to remain.

Most notably, Wisconsin managed to hold on to two-time 1,200-yard rusher Braelon Allen. Fickell stated he reached out to Wisconsin’s present gamers by reminding them why they signed there within the first place.

“I form of bought it as simply because I’m new, simply since you don’t know me, belief and consider that the issues that introduced you right here and the issues which have stored you right here to this point are the identical issues which can be going to be what you like whenever you end up right here,” Fickell stated.

However there can be notable variations underneath Fickell, who went 57-18 at Cincinnati and led the Bearcats to a School Soccer Playoff look in 2021.

These modifications ought to be most obvious on offense.

New offensive coordinator Phil Longo ran a variation of an Air Raid assault throughout his 4 seasons in the identical place at North Carolina and intends to carry a few of that to Wisconsin. Though Longo has stated operating the ball will stay a precedence, his arrival represents a dramatic shift for a program recognized for its ball-control offenses.

“It is going to be a distinct tempo and tempo to what they’ve seen perhaps offensively right here for some time,” Fickell stated. “However whenever you actually go to check it, it’s nonetheless going to be about being bodily. It’s nonetheless going to be about having the ability to run the soccer and management the road of scrimmage.”

There are also loads of new faces.

Since Fickell’s arrival, Wisconsin has added 15 transfers, together with two walk-ons. Tanner Mordecai, who threw a school-record 72 profession landing passes at SMU, is one in all three quarterback transfers on Wisconsin’s roster.

Fickell says he would favor to take not more than three or 4 transfers per yr shifting ahead. He famous that the majority of his incoming transfers have at the very least three extra years of eligibility, giving the brand new workers extra of an opportunity to develop them.

“I’d not need to be within the switch quarterback world,” Fickell stated. “I simply don’t suppose that’s the way in which you proceed to maintain and construct a program. Clearly we took three of them this yr. We had low numbers in that room, so we needed to do it.”

Wisconsin reached the Rose Bowl as not too long ago because the 2019 season however hasn’t gained a Massive Ten title since 2012 and has gone 20-13 during the last three seasons, together with a 7-6 mark final yr. That’s a step again for a program that performed in six of the primary 9 Massive Ten championship video games and gained the primary two.

Maybe a brand new strategy can show helpful.

“The footprint’s there, nevertheless it simply will get a bit of bit light at occasions,” Fickell stated. “Generally that’s when change isn’t dangerous. I instructed my very own son (Cincinnati offensive lineman Landon Fickell) that as I left Cincinnati. I stated: ‘The tradition is embedded right here. Somebody’s going to come back in and adapt and regulate issues a bit of bit. In some methods, that may give you an opportunity to be larger.’

“I really feel the identical method right here. Acknowledge the issues which can be actually, actually good after which just remember to can improve the issues that are vital for what you need to do and the way you need to do them.”

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