Wisconsin football players turn attention to Nebraska in wake of Phil Longo’s firing

MADISON – Perhaps no player on the Wisconsin football team will feel the absence of former offensive coordinator Phil Longo more than Braedyn Locke.

The opportunity to play in Longo’s Air Raid offense played a large role in the redshirt sophomore’s decision to transfer two UW from Mississippi State two years ago. And when Locke was in high school, Longo, then the offensive coordinator at North Carolina, was among the coaches in pursuit of the Texas high school star.

The two go way back – Longo also recruited Locke’s younger brother Landyn to Wisconsin’s 2025 class – so when Badgers head coach Luke Fickell fired Longo as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Sunday, Locke admitted the news hit hard.

“Yeah,” he said. “We have a great relationship, but that relationship will never fade. I feel strongly about that and take comfort in that.”

That said, Locke also knows this isn’t the time for emotions to get in the way. He, center Jake Renfro and receiver C.J. Williams spoke with reporters about Longo’s dismissal and a couple of themes came from the interviews.

1. While each shared his appreciation/respect for Longo, they also expressed the need to focus on Nebraska. The Badgers play the Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

2. No one wanted to put a finger on what went wrong, or if they had some idea they weren’t sharing their thoughts with the media.

“I feel like everyone went through their own sort of shock when we found out, but you’ve got to move on,” Renfro said. “We’ve got a game to prepare for. That’s in the past, so whatever is in front of us we’ve got to attack, and that was this week Coach Longo moving on. But it is what it is. We’ve got a game to prepare for and we’re ready to for that challenge.”

‘We have so much to play for’. Trophy games close the season

Life without Longo begins with the Badgers at crossroads. With a 5-5 record, the team still needs one win assure bowl eligibilty for the 23rd straight year. UW also has a run of 22 straight winning seasons to preserve.

Nebraska is equally desperate. The Cornhuskers (5-5, 2-5) are trying to reach a bowl for the first time since 2017 as well as snap a four-game losing streak.

UW closes the season against Minnesota at home in the battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe.

“We have so much to play for,” Locke said. “We have two trophy games left on our schedule that are very important to our players and our coaches and fan base and our state. Two great opportunities, games that will require a full 60 minutes to win.

“It means a lot for us to do this the right way for our seniors and to finish well. We don’t take that lightly, the players or coaches. That is where our hearts and minds are right now.”

The Badgers’ offense produced a season-low 226 yards in the loss to Oregon on Saturday, went 1 for 12 on third downs and failed to get a first down on its final two possessions, drives that could have netted a go-ahead touchdown or game-tying field goal.

The game completed a three-game run when the Badgers didn’t gain more than 300 yards. Williams said the offense’s struggles created frustration.

“The defense performed at a very, very, very high level like they have multiple times this year and we put it on our shoulders to perform better at times as receivers, as quarterbacks, as an offense, the tight end group. Offensive line,”  Williams said. “I truly feel in my heart when I walk off that field and we don’t put up points for the defense it hurts me.”

Cutting ties with Longo forces staff, players to adjust

Life without Longo will require some adjustments. There will be a new play caller, though Fickell would not identify that person.

A key change will be how the quarterback position is coached. That unit along with the receivers will now be coached together by receivers coach Kenny Guiton, who played quarterback at Ohio State and served as the interim offensive coordinator at Arkansas last season.

Williams and Locke like the early returns on that portion of the change.

“It’s been a good mesh,” Locke said. “Coach Guiton played the position, understands that perspective and how to manage that position so I’ve enjoyed working with him.

“But we’ve worked closely with the receivers all year, so I think that’s been good. We had a good day of practice today and will clean up things tomorrow and put another good one together and we’ll go in there Saturday ready to play.”

This marks the second straight year Fickell has relieved a coach of his duties. Last year offensive line coach Jack Bicknell was not retained. Two other coaches left for other jobs: receivers coach Mike Brown took the same position at Notre Dame and safeties coach Colin Hitschler moved on to Alabama.

“If anyone is listening or reading this, this is the new day and age of college football,” Renfro said. “Coaches leave. Players leave. This and that. It’s so much. It’s really turning into the NFL and you just have to trust the process, trust your work ethic, trust everyone around you because it’s all going to work out.

“You might not see it right then and there, but now I’m a fifth-year and I’ve looked back at all the work I’ve put in and all the stuff I’ve gone through and it’s made me better.”