Notes: Luke Fickell on staff, Tanner Mordecai and the recruiting momentum

MILWAUKEE -- Luke Fickell sat down with local reporters for the first time since the end of the 2022 season for a session that lasted roughly 20 minutes. Wisconsin's head coach spoke on the addition of quarterback Tanner Mordecai, the staff he brought in and the buzz around the program, among other topics.

Here are a handful of key takeaways from the press conference held at the Big Red Rally hosted by the Milwaukee chapter of the Alumni Association.

Fickell recently finalized his on-field coaching staff with the additions of running backs coach Devon Spalding and outside linebackers coach Matt Mitchell. The junior day events the Badgers hosted this past two weekends marked the first time the full slate of assistants were together.

The make up of the group is one that is familiar to Fickell. All but three - Mitchell (outside linebackers), Phil Longo (offensive coordinator) and Jack Bicknell Jr. (offensive line) - have worked with him in the past.

"Only two guys really I haven’t worked with, and obviously Coach Longo and I have had a relationship for a long time," Fickell said. "But everybody else I have had a relationship with and I have worked with, so I know what kind of people they are. I know what it’s going to be like when it’s 4th and 2. I know what it’s going to be like when we have some adversity because we’ve been through it at some point in time.

"I know a lot of these guys, and to me that’s what makes me feel good."

That familiarity has allowed the recruiting and strength staff to get right to work. Brady Collins, the director of strength and conditioning, along with Max Steinecker and Pat Lambert, who guide the recruiting department, were part of the first batch of reported moves that Fickell made.

"He has incredible energy, he loves the kids. If you need something done for the kids, he’s going to do it," Fickell said of Collins. "He used to make breakfast in the locker room in our first years at Cincinnati and things like that. He has an incredible spirit about him.

"He is the best at what he does and there is no way I would have come here without him."

For as much as there is to like about the newly assembled staff, there has been a large shift from the previous coaching staff and their respective ties to the program. A few days after the team's win over Oklahoma State in the bowl game, Collin Wilder shared a picture of former Badgers who were on the staff this past season. The picture included 15 former players - four of which were position coaches on the team. Next season, Mike Caputo appears to be the lone assistant on the new staff who played at Wisconsin.

"I think the thing we have to overcome is we don’t have a great tie and roots to Wisconsin," Fickell said. "All the former players that were on the staff that aren’t with us anymore, I feel bad about that. I think that’s something we have to overcome. I think that’s something we can and will because of the people that we’ve got, but I think sometimes that takes a little more time.

"But I think that’s something I was trying to fit into the mix of what we were doing but probably didn’t get that exact mix. So I think that’s something that we have to make sure that we can overcome."

When scavenging through the list of 13 transfers Wisconsin landed in December and January, the overall talent is impressive. The most impactful of the group could likely end up being sixth-year quarterback Tanner Mordecai, who is making the move over from SMU where he clashed against Fickell and Cincinnati on a pair of occasions.

In both bouts, the Bearcats' defense got the better of Mordecai, limiting him to uncharacteristically poor outings. Mordecai combined to complete 30-of-51 passes for 171 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He was also sacked eight times.

A two-time semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, Mordecai amassed 7,152 passing yards and 72 touchdowns across two seasons with the Mustangs. He caught Fickell's attention despite the poor outings.

"It’s not just the offense, ‘oh, well they sling the ball around.' No, you respected him when you were preparing for him," Fickell said. "We were very fortunate when we played him so we’ll harass him about that a little bit, but our No. 1 thing is we didn’t feel like we wanted to let him sit back there because we knew he was really talented and very good.

"I think what we saw of him a little more this past year that made me a little more nervous was his athleticism. Not that it was created and developed this past year, but I think this past year he showed some things that make him a bit more dynamic as not a dual-threat guy but a guy that can create and extend plays different that I had seen in the past."

Wisconsin's rencent wins through the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail have created an unprecedented buzz surrounding the program. Not to mention billboards in New York City and a new offensive scheme to signal a change of the times in Madison.

"I guess we’ve heard some things and we haven’t played a ball game yet, and there’s a lot of things that we need to do. But the reception, I’ve been incredibly happy with," Fickell said. "I know we have a job to do and that’s not just to build momentum but to continue to keep this momentum. Sometimes in the offseason it’s a little bit easier. When you get to the season, it’s different and there are different ways you have to continue that momentum and it’s a lot easier to evaluate. So we enjoy it, we love the momentum, but I’m one of those guys that is saying that this is great, but my real job is to make sure we can keep this going in September and October."

That momentum has been created in part by a much larger social media presence from the coaching staff. From defensive line coach Greg Scruggs to offensive coordinator Phil Longo to strength coach Brady Collins and all the way up to Fickell, its been a much more transparent effort from the staff.

"What we want to be able to do as a program is let you guys in as much as possible, to be honest, and I think about that in a lot of different ways for our fans. And I think about that in a lot of different ways for our former players. Those guys have built this program.

"You’ll see a lot more as we continue the social media side of things. We’re not setting things up to look good on the outside. For me, I look at it as I want to let as many of our fans and former players into our program so they can get a good glimpse of what’s going on."

Games aren't won in January and February, and that hasn't been lost on Fickell.

"I think you definitely feel the momentum… My mind only thinks of you know how you build real momentum? You win football games," Fickell said. "You know how you win football games, work hard, get your butt in the weight room, but that’s the narrow-mindedness of me."

While the recruiting class was just about set when the February signing period rolled around, the staff came away with a major win on the recruiting trail when it was able to reel Illinois defensive tackle Jamel Howard back into the fold.

Fickell and the staff still see that position group as thin and in need of some depth.

"Depth-wise on the interior at the defensive line was something that was fortunate for us to get in the last day here, because I think that as we look forward here that’s an area we really have to address the depth of what we’re doing," he said.

When the staff settled down and began working through needs on the roster, addressing a concern at wide receiver, numbers-wise, was an emphasis.

"If you look just straight numbers, we knew we were a little bit shy numbers-wise at the wide receiver spot, so that was something we had to do just based on sheer scholarship numbers. I thought we did a really good job of that and we were down in our offensive line numbers as well," Fickell said.

"I think we have some really good top-end guys that have played some ball for us, but it didn’t look like numbers-wise of what we would normally carry at offensive line. Not just because it’s a critical position but in order to practice, in order to have a great spring, you have to have offensive linemen and you have to have guys that you are developing at that position."

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