CFB Rumors: Insider Names Potential Wisconsin Badgers’ HC Target as Luke Fickell Replacement
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The Wisconsin Badgers poured more than $20 million into their football program for this season in a last-ditch effort to see if things could work out with head coach Luke Fickell. Coming off an ugly second-half performance in a nationally televised loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the first target in a potential Badgers coaching search has emerged.
According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, Wake Forest Demon Deacons head coach Jake Dickert would be “high on Wisconsin’s radar” if hey deecide to fire Fickell following the 2026 college football season.
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Wisconsin fired long-time football coach Paul Chryst midway through the 2022 season after a 2-3 start. Former Badgers All-American defensive back Jim Leonhard, now the Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator, took over in the interim and went 4-3. While the team looked better on the field, Wisconsin settled on Luke Fickell after he posted a combined 57-18 record in six seasons with the Cincinnati Bearcats with trips to the Peach Bowl (2020) and Cotton Bowl (2021).
Inheriting a Badgers roster that went 7-6 in 2022, Fickell matched that result in his first full season in Madison. However, the team took a massive step backward in 2024 with a 5-7 mark. It was the first time since 2001 that the Badgers had a losing record. Things only got worse this past season, as Fickell became the first Wisconsin head coach since Barry Alvarez (1991-92) to post a sub-.500 mark in consecutive years.
The Badgers initially showed signs of promise in the first half against Notre Dame in Lambeau Field. However, the program’s same issues from the past two years returned in the second half with the Fighting Irish outscoring the Badgers 28-3 in the final two quarters. Already 0-1, the program still has ranked road games against Penn State (Sept. 26) and Iowa (Oct. 31) along with a home draw on Oct. 24 against the USC Trojans. Losing six-plus games would likely spell the end of Fickell’s tenure in Madison.
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Quick Background on Jake Dickert
If there is a Badgers coaching search this winter, it’s reasonable to assume that Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert would be atop the list of targets. The 43-year-old is a Wisconsin native who played for Wisconsin–Stevens Point (2002-06) before beginning his coaching career the following year as a graduate assistant with his alma mater.
Dickert, a former wide receiver, has worked exclusively on the defensive side of the ball as a coach. He joined North Dakota State as a graduate assistant in 2008, learning under long-time head coach Craig Bohl. After working his way up to safeties coach (2009-10) and then special teams and defensive backs (2011), he bounced around from Southeast Missouri State (2012) to Augustana (2013), Minnesota State (2014-15), South Dakota State (2016) and Wyoming (2017-19) in a variety of roles.
“The 43-year-old Wisconsin native has coached at every level of college football and did an excellent job in his first head coaching role after getting elevated as the interim at Washington State. He was a much-needed stabilizing force and got the Cougars to 8-4 in his fourth season at a program left behind by the top of the Pac-12. Last year, he quietly did a superb job, going 9-4 at Wake Forest.”
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman n Wake Foresthead coach Jake Dickert
The Oconto native and Kohler High School alum was hired by Washington State as its defensive coordinator under Nick Rolovich in 2020. Following the head coach’s termination, Dickert stepped in as the Cougars’ interim head coach and went 3-3. After landing the full-time job, he posted two winning seasons in three years before taking over at Wake Forest.
Inheriting a program that went 4-8 in its final campaign under Dave Clawson, Dickert immediately got Wake Forest back on track with a 9-4 record. That first season included an overtime loss to No. 16 Georgia Tech (30-29) and wins over Virginia and SMU. The Demon Deacons closed out that season with a 43-29 victory over Mississippi State in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
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