Big Ten football power rankings after spring portal closes: Did Nittany Lions get better?
By Josh Yourish
. . Head Coach: Luke Fickell. . . 493. . Last Year: 7-6 Reliaquest Bowl L. 9. Wisconsin
Key losses: Braelon Allen, Tanor Bortolini, Tanner Mordecai Key additions: Tyler Van Dyke, Tawee Walker
Luke Fickell needs to find a long-term solution at quarterback. After going with Tanner Mordecai in his final season of eligibility last year, Fickell is handing the starting job to Tyler Van Dyke as a one-year stop-gap. Hopping on the transfer quarterback carousel every offseason isn’t a sustainable way to build a winning program, so if Braedyn Locke doesn’t develop into the answer for 2025 and 2026, there will come a time to question Fickell’s philosophy.
Outside of quarterback, Fickell has done a solid job in Madison, bringing in a top-25 high school recruiting class in 2024 and supplementing his current roster with veteran portal additions like Van Dyke and Tawee Walker.
Long-term, Fickell will figure it out at Wisconsin, but the early returns are a bit underwhelming for a coach who took Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff.