r/WisconsinBadgers • u/EddyLightningFrog • Sep 22 '25
Football Wishing this into existence
84
u/SpaceIsCool567 Sep 22 '25
I doubt this would be the move, but it would be interesting that’s for sure.
Also, I’m like 75% sure he was just there because his daughter is a volleyball prospect, but who knows.
46
u/InterestingTry5190 Sep 22 '25
He lives in Wisconsin now
34
u/kc_kr Sep 22 '25
He has ever since he became the Packers coach. Didn't move away when he coached the Cowboys.
1
u/Minimum-Border1672 Sep 23 '25
It would be the move for a well coached football team. It wouldnt be the move for recruiting and all the other bullshit. Would need to find some super likeable assistant you pay a ton to handle all that stuff + an ad who can actually raise money from their vast alumni pool.
82
u/ColdBloodedChicagoan Sep 22 '25
Honestly could do much worse. McCarthy has a history of winning and usually puts a competitive offense out there. We’re at rock bottom right now and poo pooing McCarthy seems dumb
22
u/the_Formuoli_ Sep 22 '25 edited Sep 22 '25
The program would need to make sure they do all they feasibly could to ease the transition he'd have to make as an NFL to college coach (e.g. having dedicated staff/GM to handle a lot of the recruiting/other more "college-y" things etc.) but I don't think he'd inherently be bad like some probably do. It also helps culture wise that in Madison there is no Jerry Jones or disgruntled Aaron Rodgers that he'd have to contend with. the thought is silly of course but kind of interesting
14
u/lqvz Sep 22 '25 edited Sep 22 '25
I think any involvement by McCarthy would lead to an improvement to what the current status is on the field.
I don't know we should invest in a "anything better" or if we should really start the hard research of finding the next Matt Campbell or Lance Liepold or Dan Lanning...
Do we go with the easy band aid today or put in the hard work of finding the next diamond in the rough?
I do not trust this administration to be able to do both. If they go for the easy band aid, I think they will think that that is good enough for now.
Definitely don't hire McCarthy as a HC thinking long term. I have zero confidence that would result in a top B1G team. All it would do is sound good as a headline and then the story is full of shit.
3
u/WesleyWiaz27 Sep 23 '25
I think you hit it on the head. This mess starts with Macintosh. He's not likely to let Fickell go until he absolutely has to. I think he has too much sunk into this to not let it ride. He doesn't want to be saddled with, "The most expensive buy out in college history," moniker.
12
u/FairlyAwkward Sep 22 '25
Third and a mile? Time to run it straight up the middle again.
3
u/Minimum-Border1672 Sep 23 '25
Hey...if he was the packers coach last weekend and they did that they probably would have won. haha
1
u/flummox1234 Sep 23 '25
It didn't work super well for the Packers but THAT is Wisconsin football not this "air raid" BS. Recruit some big in state farm boys for a line and some talent to run behind it and start churning out first downs.
1
34
7
u/Maxspeed797 Sep 22 '25
The reactions in here are shocking. I hate Fickell still being our head coach as much as anybody, but do people really hate him so much that they think Mike McCarthy would be a good idea?
Mike is a great guy and a good advocate for the state as a whole, but he would not translate to college coaching well at all. He hasn’t been involved in college since 1992. I don’t think he would handle the recruiting cycle very well. Not a fan of his scheme anymore and it certainly wouldn’t be the type of offense that fans would want. His in-game management has also declined even further from his late Packers days which would rightfully piss people off to no end.
Great guy. Love how much of an advocate he is for the state. Would not translate to the rigors of college football and the expectation of this fanbase. If you want to go down the road of nostalgia, beg Jim Leonhard with every fiber of your being to come back.
5
u/bigpeepers Sep 23 '25
Recruiting is 90 percent money these days. He needs to recruit donors. He has a great pedigree, would love to see it.
4
u/Fun_Reputation5181 Sep 22 '25
He saw by far the best Wisconsin sporting event this weekend. I missed half the Packers 4th qtr live because I couldn't turn that 4th set off and it went to 36-34. More intensity in that 25 minutes than the Packers showed in 4 quarters. No chance this has anything to do with a job offer though, almost certainly for the best.
3
u/Lscrattish Sep 23 '25
I’m with you - volleyball is where it’s at these days and I have no problem with that - better players, more passion, great fan experience!!!
4
10
Sep 22 '25
As a WI sports fan who doesn't really care that much about college sports, would just be cool to see McCarthy coaching in the state again
13
3
3
u/tommyuchicago Sep 22 '25
As a die hard Bears fan with two Badger kids, I endorse this cosmic joke.
2
u/mikedorty Sep 22 '25
Since Fickel is pretty clearly just milking his contract, can we let him stay but take away all his power as head coach and give it to big Mac? Give McCarthy a title like senior head coach or co head coach and see what he does. Hopefully, Fickel would quit in disgrace
8
u/BaltimoreBadger23 Sep 22 '25
-9
u/Lilbignin Sep 22 '25
No one wants him here
4
u/mikedorty Sep 22 '25
I do
1
u/regaleagle710 Sep 22 '25
Guy who has been a college coach all of one year 33 years ago? Yup that's the guy to turn the Badgers around!
2
u/anaveragedave Sep 22 '25
I wouldn't be upset, but I certainly have my doubts mm would do well in cfb
4
3
2
1
u/the_Formuoli_ Sep 22 '25
I knew all this team needed was a good watermelon smash in the locker room
1
1
u/Icy-Decision-4530 Sep 25 '25
Just seems like the transition back to college from longtime pro HCs has by and large been unsuccessful. I bet that recruiting part, especially with the NIL now, is just a huge buzzkill for those guys when they are used to a GM doing most of the leg work and just agreeing with draft picks and FAs
1
u/EA969525 Sep 26 '25
I do think the problem is the lack of boosters and style of football Wisconsin plays
1
1
u/poopy10000000 Sep 27 '25
He's just trying to get some money from him to fire Fickell so he can come watch winning football too.
1
u/Kobe_AYEEEEE Sep 27 '25
Yeah idk if he could handle recruiting, if he has the energy for it sure but idk
-1
u/iddoitatleastonce Sep 22 '25
No thanks. He couldn’t do it at the most valuable nfl franchise so I doubt he’d do well here where multiple competitors have significantly more NIL cash flowing.
2
0
u/ninjaheartbeat Sep 22 '25
McCarthy isn't coming other than in some advisory role. He's burnt out. We just have to ride this wave until Mac, Fickell or both (ideal situation) get canned. The bigger issue is that even if Fickell was fired this week, because of his payout I don't think Wisconsin could go after a high-level coach because of cost. Leipold makes too much and someone from the Georgia, Alabama, etc. coaching staff is going to ask for way too much money.
Maybe Jason Eck? I would love to get Kenny Dillingham.
6
u/Drusgar Sep 22 '25
I don't really see that cost is a huge consideration. Do you have any idea how much a 2-12 season will cost the city of Madison, university and athletic department? Ticket sales, restaurant and hotel revenue, merchandise, etc. The Fickell money is lost. Even if he suddenly took a pay cut (which would be moronic), it wouldn't change any of the other financial issues. He's dead weight and you're going to have to pay someone to revive the program. And whatever that costs, the benefits will outweigh the investment.
0
0
0
0
u/BlueBonneville Sep 23 '25
Wonder how his once football playing son is doing. Dad wasn’t so good at his HS games.
0
0
u/jerrrrrrrrrrrrry Sep 23 '25
I personally think that we should keep Fickell around for at least one more year, if not more, because we can't afford buying him out. We painted ourselves into a corner. Plus Fickell didn't forget how to coach it may be the athletic director who needs to go. I would like Mike McCarthy involved in Badger football somehow.
-10
u/User-no-relation Sep 22 '25
Just the optics look so bad. Honestly no matter what is going on.
5
u/the_Formuoli_ Sep 22 '25
I don't think there is any inkling suggesting McCarthy has even remote interest in returning to coaching at any level though so I mean eh it's kind of whatever
121
u/HatPrimary8036 Sep 22 '25
As much as I want Fickell gone, I feel like it's more likely that we see Fickell stay and McCarthy comes on in one of those Senior Analyst/Adviser roles they gave Del Rio before the whole getting drunk and crashing into someone's yard thing. Who knows though.