Wisconsin's Luke Fickell looking to create a more refined culture in 2024 | NBC Sports

What did you learn about coaching at Wisconsin what did you learn about coaching at Wisconsin in your first year gosh I mean every year you learn so much you really do um and if you don't obviously the game's G to pass you um but I think that more than anything I think uh you learn I learned that uh you can't really figure out who you are and what you've got until you really create those adverse situations what you can't do other than games and I'm not saying I didn't know that um but I thought I had a better grasp on year one because of the experiences I had at Cincinnati going into year one at Wisconsin to say okay I can't make these mistakes I got to find out these things and then I realize again that like it's really difficult to figure out truly what's deep down inside what that locker room is really like until you really go through some of those tough times What does it take to elevate the program badgers have had uh 22 winning seasons but it's been 12 years since last big 10 Championship so what what do you think it's going to take to elevate the program back to that level I think it's first of all it's a commitment but it's also a mentality and and I say that in a way that everybody's Comm you're playing division one football you're committed but there's a different level of commitment there's a different level of of truly committed to this being plan a um of understanding like I came here yes to to get a degree and yes to do all these things but if if I'm not training and and have this mindset that I'm gon to go play at the next level and develop that way it's going to be really difficult for us to continue to grow and put ourselves in a position to to win and play for play for and win a championship and so for me that has a lot to do with recruiting but also has to do with creating the mentality of how important this game is how important this is to develop how important this is um to want and have the hunger and the passion that this is what you need and you have to have and you can't live without it the offense was a bit of a What is it going to take to get the offense better work in progress last year what is it going to take to get that side of the ball better Everybody Talks a little bit I I do think that the defense was every bit of M much of a work in progress I would say this like everybody has injuries the injuries that happened to us on the offensive side of the ball hurt us in our growth as an offense um we know more than anything offensively we've got to do a better job at recognizing these next 39 days of camp and things is where are our strengths really you know where where are the the the talent emerging and growing and then find ways to make sure we're putting those guys into the system that that we have that's what we've got to do a much better job of and that's what you learn as you go through fall Camp as you live things up but it's similar on the defens side of the ball uh we we really got to make sure we as a whole as a team see how this this group evolves see how this group works together and make sure we get our talent guys our guys with the most into the right positions um and do what it is that they do as opposed to thinking that we're going to continue to develop this schematics of things things and it's not going to override what our guys can and are willing to do you What has impressed him about new QB Tyler Van Dyke brought in quarterback Tyler van djk from Miami through the portal what has impressed you about him so far first his humility his his ability to walk in and even though he's been a three-year starter in Miami and you know had some you know obviously some incredible successes in his time there from even you know let's be honest even monetarily and the things that these guys can earn in some situations to walk into our place embrace the you know what it is that uh we have to offer in a lot of ways um understand that this is a competition and really truly humble himself in a way like look we're going to ask you to train different than you've ever trained I'm going to ask you to to kind of revert back to the way that you played as a Young quarterback as opposed to the way you played maybe the last year as a quarterback um and then hey we also want you to step out of your comfort zone and and really start to lead this team in a way that which we would expect you to lead with the confidence and things that you can't just say have but you've got to earn and gain through all the things you do with with your team what's getting harder Whats getting harder about coaching college football about coaching college football the hardest thing is is not knowing where this end line is right to me college football is about building a program I don't want to build a team I think teams are things that you look at building every year I I some ways think that NFL has always in my vision been building a team right free agency this that and the other each and every year year college football to me is always about building a program and it's really hard to have that vision of building a program when you don't know what the parameters are you don't know what the rules are you don't know what the playing field looks like in this Evolution that we're of time that we're in right now in college football so to me the most difficult thing is and leaves me laying awake at night is I want to have a plan for the future as we continue to grow but it's hard to have a plan when you don't know what the rules and the parameters are going to be as we continue to grow four new teams coming Challenges and opportunities in the Big 10 in what are the challenges what are the opportunities with that well I think challenge-wise it's just it's obvious right I mean there some great football teams some great traditions and histories walking into the to the Big 10 I call it the the the coast to coast Big 10 um but I think that the challenges are just what they are right it's it's more games it's it's greater teams it's more competitiveness um but I think the experience is far out away I think it gives our kids an opportunity um to create and generate some greater experiences broaden even you know their their whole mind of different things that they can see and different things that they can be challenged by and you add those things together I just think it makes you know college football a greater product and and the experiences that our guys have and where they're going to be in the long run so much better no divisions in the Big 10 this year so uh what what opportunities do you see see there that has obviously been a a large topic and a large question um throughout this entire process this you know these last few weeks uh look I'm one of those guys that believe let's get it let's put the best two teams um everybody's got the same opportunities you know we kind of just kind of get rid of some of those um ideas that hey we got to have one from the east or one from the west or one from the leaders and one from the Legends and all the different you know things that we've had in this league um and say hey let's just figure out who the two best are now we you know that's not always the easiest right I mean if if we get two undefeated teams it's pretty simple if not there's other ways that we're going to have to you know figure this thing out but the addition of the 12 team playoff at least doesn't eliminate guys based on some of those things um but I think in the long run it it gives us an opportunity to make sure that we're going to be represented with by the best now you mentioned the 12 Playoff expectations team playoff there Camp Randle putting the heaters under the field in preparation of potentially hosting playoff games uh how does that change your preparation expectation for this season it doesn't I mean um to be honest like we've always kind of said this um nobody's going to Define what success looks like for us outside of our program and that's hard I mean today's day and age everybody defines success right uh every social media every different thing but really deep down inside it's not going to be like hey let's don't let somebody else Define what this success looks like do we have a goal do we have a an objective yes uh it doesn't have to change even though we added a 12 team playoff our goal and objective is obviously to play our best football in November and to put oursel in a position to play for a championship in November and I really do believe that if you put yourself in that position everything else takes care of itself you have a chance to be in a championship you have a chance to win a league you have a chance to for sure be in a 12 team playoff which ultimately gives you those opportunities that you always want um so it's to say it changes you know well we're going to change our goal from win the Big 10 or win an title to to just make a playoff no we don't have to change it still play our best ball at the end of the year put oursel in a position to play for a championship in November who is Hunter warer as a Leadership style leader Hunter is uh the guy that really has helped push a change in the leadership style you know um he is a lot of what it is that I believe leadership looks like and be and it's not just the way you play the game but it's it's your will your ability to create a standard and wanting to create a standard ability to set a standard which is different meaning like okay now we figured out the things that are important to us now how do we set this standard and then he's got the greatest ability to uphold the standard a because he's a great player B because he does everything right and he's willing to have some of those tougher harder conversations that I think within our own program we've got to be able to do does your preparation for the season change at all no knowing that you've got a a big non-con match up with a team like B so yes and no I think yes it does a little bit but I think also what is the league has turned to with these 18 teams and what the schedule looks like has been every bit as much to say okay we need to change a little bit in the way that which we prepare and what we do um having Alabama on on the schedule on game three and then obviously opening the Big 10 week four with USC really kind of makes sure that we understand like you're the game game one and two are always important but we got to be in a better place that we're much further along I truly believe in game one so that that jump from one to two is significant and that jump from one to from two to three is even more significant so we can find out where we really are and there's nothing greater than playing a game like Alabama in week three to truly find out where you are as a team and as a program what are the Program objectives program objectives in year two it hasn't changed it's it's to play your best ball T year to have an opportunity put yourself in a position to play for a championship the objectives every week is more so about how do we do this thing together and that's where I think that we struggled last year with some new leadership and some new ways of doing it um not that everybody didn't believe and buy in but when adversity hit we weren't we didn't have the strength to stay together and I don't mean that just as the players I meant that you know from the leadership from the top down and and what we do as a staff to be the example to what we do as a team um and so really the objective is in in ways that how do we find this connection that no matter what the situation no matter what the adversity you know the strength is still within what is your favorite part about Favorite part of being head coach being the head coach of Wisconsin I I really do think it's it's it's the pressures I think it's it's understand that you have an obligation every single day that's motivating to me right I wake up every day saying you deserve nothing you go earn everything and if you weren't in one of these positions that you're evaluated so often every single day and in public I think you can get a little bit comfortable in in the route at which you go and some of the things that you do and for me I think that's the most motivating thing is is to be in this position that every single day um there's so many people that are counting on you and and you need to be and set and create and withhold that standard more than anybody else identity wise year one to year two Program identity and Beyond what do you want the program identity to be so that that's to me the the idea even in all of our recruiting we're talking about being a traditional team and team is something that's built over over time that program is built over time that team is that one year thing and for us again it's not something we put on a wall it's not something that uh we say this is who we are it's it's obiously what we promote what we permit what we put on film but no matter what our system is offensively no matter what our system is defensively uh we know we want to continue to create the toughness the nastiness but also combined with the discipline it takes to play at the highest level and at the most critical moments and you think those things are easily said and and you know in some ways developed but I think it starts with really the type of kid that you can bring in but then also the environment each and every one of those rooms that you can create you know but ultimately what you can uphold and you can't do it by yourself I you know not me not one guy not even the three leaders that we have here it's got to really continue to grow in the with within the entire program from every coach within the program um to those guys that are that are coming not everybody's going to be the same but they got to be willing to understand this is something that they have to embrace if they want to be a part of it