The defense sent Leonhard off with a mostly strong performance Tuesday. He won at least nine games in five of his six seasons and made two New Year’s Six Bowl appearances. But he ultimately made the splashiest hire of the coaching cycle in Fickell, the more experienced option who spent the last six seasons as Cincinnati’s head coach.įickell went 57-18 overall with the Bearcats, including a 13-1 record last season when Cincinnati became the first Group of Five team to reach the College Football Playoff. UW athletic director Chris McIntosh had discussions with Leonhard about the job and admired how he led the team through a turbulent season. His units consistently ranked among the nation's best, making him a popular name for other big-time jobs around the country. He returned to UW as defensive backs coach in 2016 and became defensive coordinator a year later. One of the program's legendary figures, Leonhard played for the Badgers from 2001-04 and went from a walk-on to a three-time All-American safety before a 10-year NFL career. Players publicly campaigned for him over the final weeks of a 6-6 regular season, with his loyalty to the program being the biggest reason for the widespread support. Leonhard, who took over as interim head coach when UW fired Paul Chryst in October, went 4-3 over seven games in charge of the program. I thought it was important for him to be recognized." "Three and a half weeks, I don't know that that's enough time to stand up there. “I think he (Leonhard) should have been up there from the get-go, to be honest with you," Fickell said.
Recognizing the significance of the moment, Fickell made sure to make it more about Leonhard and the other departing assistants than the excitement of a new era. Once strongly supported and considered for the head coaching job, the 40-year-old had the option to stay on staff under Fickell but announced recently that he would move on after the season. Tuesday night at Chase Field marked Leonhard's final game at his alma mater, at least for the foreseeable future. Summoned onto a stage by Fickell, Leonhard, who had already been doused in Gatorade, hoisted the trophy and shared a brief message to the delight of the crowd. The win may have gone on his record, but new University of Wisconsin head football coach Luke Fickell made it abundantly clear that it didn't really belong to him in the end.Īfter the Badgers' 24-17 triumph over Oklahoma State in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona, Fickell didn't let the on-field celebration end without Jim Leonhard getting his chance in the spotlight.
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