What’s next for the Badgers after hiring Luke Fickell?

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin stirred up the college football landscape when they hired Luke Fickell on Sunday.

The Badgers’ choice surprised many who believed that interim head coach Jim Leonhard was next in line for the job. That includes ESPN Madison’s Jim Rutledge, who joined News 3 Now This Morning to discuss Fickell’s hiring.

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The work is just beginning for Fickell, who will have to win over the locker room after replacing a man who was well-liked among the players. Leonhard helped guide Wisconsin through a turbulent season, including the deaths of a coach and a former teammate and the firing of Paul Chryst.

Fickell brings a lot to the table for Wisconsin, including Big Ten experience and top-notch recruiting. Rutledge said the hiring signals a new direction for Badger football moving forward.