Wisconsin fans appear to be very happy about Phil Longo being fired.

Badgers head coach Luke Fickell released a statement Sunday announcing that Longo had been fired as the team’s offensive coordinator following a 16-13 loss to Oregon.

“This morning, I informed Phil Longo that he will no longer serve as our offensive coordinator. After continuing to evaluate the program, I decided we are not where we need to be and believe this decision is in the best interest of the team. I appreciate Phil’s commitment to helping us build our program over the past two seasons and wish him well moving forward. This team still has a lot in front of us and I am committed to doing everything we can to close out this season with success,” Fickell said in a statement announcing his decision.

While a change at OC by itself might not have been Earth-shattering, the fact it was done before the season ended is a clear sign that Fickell is feeling pressure.

Wisconsin fans react to Phil Longo being fired.

How are fans taking the news? You’d think the team just won the national title. People are fired up and very happy with Fickell making a change.

Check out some of the reactions floating around Reddit and social media below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com:

• Wouldn’t have been surprised if this happened at the end of the year but I am shocked they did this midseason I wonder if they think they need to get to it sooner in order to try and remain stable for recruiting purposes and whatnot
• They gotta keep the donors happy too. The reality is the defense played well enough to win last night, but the offense was so inept it really never felt like the Badgers could actually pull it off. Lanning’s fake field goal call showed just how little Oregon respected the Badger offense’s ability to get back into field goal range. He wanted to go for the jugular right there and end it with a first down.
• Rip Dairy Raid: 2023-2024
• Clearly wasn’t working and likely wasn’t going to work. Best to rip the bandaid off and move on.
• I’m going to miss the 4th and 1 runs from the shotgun
• Now do Locke
• One of the 3 things I was hoping for the rest of the year… Now lets beat Nebraska and Minnesota
• Thank God
• Overdue
• Phil is no Longo with the program. … I’ll see myself out
• Once Barry started complaining about their identify (or lack there of) on the radio… that was nail in coffin
• This is overdue, but it’s not going to fix anything if they keep trotting Locke out there who can’t do even some of the most basic stuff a college starting quarterback should be able to do.
• This is the big shake up we need. I don’t think any big improvements happen with Locke taking the snaps, but the defense is pulling its weight and the offense isn’t. Last night restored some confidence in Fick that I lost after the Iowa game and I think this is the right move
• Wow. Thought it was eventually coming but it would be more of an end of season move. A change that everyone agrees is 100% necessary
• THANK F**K. Please let the door hit you on the way out. Take Locke with you while you’re at it.
• Good, dump the air raid and focus on an attainable identity. Put a focus on building the OL back to being a consistently dominant unit. It doesn’t have to be old school under center, I formation stuff but the run game needs to be the priority. They’re not getting a superstar QB and the skill positions will never out-athlete the top competition.
• Alright, a step in the right direction!
• Hate to see a guy lose his job. However, I think it was needed.
• LFG
• Good move
• Good. Better figure something out. I’m not tipping my hat because you lost even to the best team in the nation.
• Thank goodness!

Do we think Wisconsin fans are happy or do we think Wisconsin fans are happy? The answer is a clear and obvious yes.

Was Longo responsible for all of Wisconsin’s struggles? No, but there’s simply no excuse for the kind of offense fans have had to endure this season.

None at all. The defense did its job and more than enough to beat number one Oregon. The offense did nothing, collapsed in the second half and the QB play was atrocious.

Braedyn Locke has five interceptions and two passing touchdowns over the past three games. The Badgers have a 0-3 record during that span. It’s completely unacceptable.

Wisconsin’s offense is terrible. In response, head coach Luke Fickell fired OC Phil Longo. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

The Badgers now just have two games left against Nebraska and Minnesota. It will be interesting to see what the offense looks like with Longo gone, but one thing is absolutely clear. Something needs to change. Firing Longo is a step in the right direction, but there’s still a long way to go in order for Wisconsin to get where it needs to be. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday that could determine whether the swing state’s top elections official, who has been the target of disproven Republican election conspiracy theories, will remain in her post.

Republicans who control the state Senate tried to fire Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe last year, leading the commission to sue in an effort to keep Wolfe on the job.

The commission argues that the state Supreme Court should uphold a lower court’s ruling in Wolfe’s favor, which would allow her to remain in her position and not face a confirmation vote by the Senate.

But Republican lawmakers argue that the commission must appoint a commissioner, either Wolfe or someone else, so the Senate can vote on confirming that person. Wolfe can’t be allowed to remain in the position as a holdover, they contend.

Wolfe was first appointed for the nonpartisan position in 2018 and confirmed to a four-year term by the GOP-controlled state Senate in 2019. The commission is overseen by a bipartisan board that is evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, and Wolfe is head of the nonpartisan staff.

Wolfe was targeted for removal by Republican lawmakers who were unhappy with the 2020 presidential election won by President Joe Biden. President-elect Donald Trump won Wisconsin this year, just as he did in 2016. Unlike after his loss in 2020, Trump backers are not alleging widespread fraud in this year’s election.

Wolfe was the subject of conspiracy theories and targeted by threats from election skeptics who falsely claim she was part of a plot to rig the 2020 vote in favor of Biden. Biden’s win by nearly 21,000 votes in Wisconsin withstood two partial recounts, a nonpartisan audit, a conservative law firm’s review, and multiple state and federal lawsuits.

When Wolfe was up for reappointment in 2023, all six members of the commission voiced support for her. Three Republicans voted to reappoint, but the three Democrats abstained, resulting in a deadlocked vote. Had she gotten a fourth vote in support, her appointment would have been sent to the Senate, which then could have voted to fire her.

Even though her appointment was not forwarded to the Senate, Republican senators voted in September 2023 to fire Wolfe over objections from Democrats and the Legislature’s nonpartisan attorneys. They argued that the Senate didn’t have the authority to vote at that time because Wolfe was a holdover in her position and had not been reappointed.

The commission sued to challenge that Senate vote. Republican legislative leaders changed course and claimed in court filings that their vote to fire Wolfe was merely “symbolic” and had no legal effect.

Republicans asked the judge to order the elections commission to appoint an administrator for the Senate to vote on.

Dane County Circuit Court Judge Ann Peacock, in a 2023 ruling, said Wolfe is legally serving as administrator of the elections commission as a holdover given that the commission did not have a majority vote to appoint her. The Senate’s vote to remove her had no legal effect and the commission has no duty to appoint a new leader while Wolfe is serving as a holdover, Peacock ruled.

Republican leaders of the Legislature appealed and the state Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday. It will issue a decision weeks or months from now.

Wolfe was asked about the case during a news conference the day after this month’s election and whether she was committed to remaining in her position “for the long haul.” She made no promises.

“I’m completely committed to seeing through this election and making sure that this election is certified,” Wolfe said.

The state Senate is charged with voting on approving appointees such as Wolfe. However, the GOP majority starting in January will shrink from 22-11 to 18-15 as a result of this month’s election. That means Republicans can only lose one vote on their side and still have a majority.

A missing Wisconsin man died in a Chicago-area crash, it has been revealed.

Ben Oberto, 45, had vanished Wednesday night, last seen leaving a restaurant in Crystal Lake just before 9pm on Wednesday.

The wine seller had been in town for a work appointment, and he had told his wife over the phone how he would be home in time to put their son to bed.

However, that was not the case – and he never showed up. A massive interstate search ensued – one lasting more than 60 hours.

Police managed to track the man’s phone to Rosemont, where he was found Friday morning.

There, troopers from the New Berlin Police Department, with help from Illinois State Police, pulled the dad-of-two from an overturned Subaru Impreza found submerged in a local creek.

Once retrieved, the body was positively identified as Oberto.

As it stands, the wine representative’s car appears to be the only one involved, as Oberto’s wife issued a statement explaining what she and police who probed the man’s last moments believe had happened.

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Police managed to track the man’s phone to Rosemont in Chicago, where he was found Friday. There, troopers from the New Berlin Police Department with help from Illinois State Police pulled the dad-of-one from an overturned Subaru Impreza submerged in a local creek

‘The news I have to share is not what any of us want to hear,’ wrote 38-year-old New Berlin resident Laura Leatherberry in a post to Facebook.

‘Early this morning, we received confirmation that Ben’s car and body were found.’

She went on to recount: ‘On Wednesday, November 13th, at approximately 9:47 pm, Ben’s car left the freeway as he navigated a challenging turn towards home on a dark, rainy, and foggy night. 

‘He did not survive the accident,’ she added.

Statements from police said more of the same, with both the New Berlin Police and Illinois State Police confirming Oberto died after his vehicle veered off the ‘challenging’ stretch of freeway his wife had been referring to.

The road in question, the I-90 eastbound ramp to I-294 northbound near Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, has a pronounced curve, photos show.

The crash is currently under investigation, cops in Illinois said – with all departments involved categorizing it as a ‘single-vehicle accident.’

The car is believed to have overturned at the bottom of the embankment, before going over the median and ending up submerged in the creek below.

The dad-of-two died while making a ‘challenging’ turn on the freeway, while on his way home to his family

Cops were seen at the scene late Friday – as divers worked relentlessly to retrieve the body.

Leatherberry, in turn, wrote hours later: ‘I don’t yet have the words to truly express the deep sorrow I’m experiencing, but you deserve to know the truth and not wait in agony anymore.

‘These past 60+ hours of searching, wondering, and fighting to find my husband has been excruciating, but the overwhelming love and support from our family, friends, and community has helped me through this,’ she continued.

‘Together, we will get through this too.’

She and cops were able to piece together his final moments thanks to combination of information garnered from tolls and data from his iPhone that pinged him in Rosemont near the airport.

Officers went on to discern the traveling salesmen never got on any flights, and that his phone had gone dead.

Police proceeded to sweep the area only to find no signs of Oberto – nor his car, his phone, or any reports of his body being brought to a local morgue or hospital. 

A father of two, Oberto is now being remembered by his family and those who knew him

She and cops were able to piece together the wine rep’s final moments thanks to combination of information garnered from tolls and data from his iPhone that pinged him near O’Hare airport

Officers went on to discern the traveling wine salesmen – who worked for an importer based in New York City – never got on any flights, and that his phone had gone dead. He was found not far away, his car submerged in the creek

Eventually, more than two days into the search, cops came across the submerged Subaru. 

‘Ben was not just my husband; he was a loving father, a cherished son, a caring brother, and a true friend to so many,’ Leatherberry wrote, after being interviewed by stations such as CBS News as officers looking into her spouse’s disappearance.  

‘His vibrant spirit, loving heart, and unmatched generosity left an indelible mark on every life he touched.

‘As we mourn this profound loss, let us also celebrate the love and joy he brought into our lives.

‘Thank you from the depths of my heart for your support and kindness during this unimaginably difficult time.’

Oberto’s company, New York City-based wine importer Massanois LLC, also issued a statement in response to his passing.

‘Ben was not just my husband; he was a loving father, a cherished son, a caring brother, and a true friend to so many,’ Leatherberry said after being interviewed by CBS News during the search. ‘His vibrant spirit, loving heart, and unmatched generosity left an indelible mark’

‘It is with a heavy heart that we write to inform you that Ben Oberto, while driving home to his family, passed away in a tragic car accident on Wednesday, November 13th,’ it read. 

‘Our hearts go out to his wife, Laura; his children Collette and Augie; and his immediate family. 

‘Ben’s levity, kindness, and enthusiasm will be dearly missed by his friends and colleagues. 

‘We look forward to gathering to celebrate Ben’s life together, with both tears and laughter, as we mourn his loss.’