Wisconsin football's Luke Fickell on roster budget, recruiting success, Shawn Eichorst
Fickell spoke with local media ahead of the start of Big Ten football media days. And he touched on quite a bit.
CHICAGO — The chats between Shawn Eichorst and Luke Fickell to this point haven’t necessarily been all about the business side of the University of Wisconsin football program.
It’s been a busy summer not just for Fickell and his staff, but the athletic department as a whole with Shawn Eichorst returning to Madison as athletic director. Fickell was in attendance at UW’s welcoming ceremony, and Eichorst said during his July 7 introductory news conference that he felt encouraged and impressed in their initial conversations.
Fickell was “a good person, high character, a lot of integrity,” according to the new AD.
That was three weeks ago. Fickell told local reporters Tuesday, before Big Ten football media days officially commenced inside the Hilton Chicago, that the discussions between them have been in person. That included spending about 90 minutes together on Eichorst’s first day on campus.
“The unique thing is we have not discussed much of anything about our program or where we are, or the rev-share world or the NIL world,” Fickell said. “It’s been all, ‘Hey, let’s get to know each other,’ and that’s where our time has been spent. We haven’t had a ton of time because he’s been at a lot of things, but all of our time has been generally, ‘Hey, let’s get to know one another.’ Let’s make sure, the people before anything else.
“It’s been really authentic, and so I’m intrigued. I know that this, even these next three or so weeks being on campus, I would imagine, will be around a lot more. But we haven’t got in depth into — I’m sure he knows and understands all that’s gone on — but I don’t know that he needs me to reiterate and explain it to him, right? I think he wants to truly start this relationship in a way that we’re moving forward, and that’s been his focus. And so it’s been good for us and for me. But I think that there’s still a lot to continue to grow with.”
Fickell spoke with reporters Tuesday morning at a table inside the Hilton Chicago for nearly 35 minutes before Big Ten football media days officially kicked off. Here’s what stood out from that chat.
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