MADISON, Wis. – Keeping it all business with a black suit, a cardinal red tie, a red and black pocket square, and a red motion W pin, Luke Fickell stood at the lectern and spoke for eight minutes about his passion and vision for Wisconsin football.

Game on, Badger Nation.

Fickell was named the 31st head coach at the University of Wisconsin Sunday, wildly viewed as a home-run hire by Athletic Director Chris McIntosh to bring in the consensus 2021 National Coach of the Year becomes the 31st head coach in program history.

Fickell was introduced at a welcome event in the Champions Club at Camp Randall Stadium, and here are some of the highlights from his press conference.

- Chancellor Dr. Jennifer Mnookin spoke first, extending her “deepest thanks” to Jim Leonhard for guiding the team as interim coach. "He deserves all of our gratitude and respect."

- Mnookin said the hiring of Luke Fickell is an "exciting and powerful statement about who we are and where we want to go."

- Athletic Director Chris McIntosh spoke second: It’s an exciting day. Since October 2, there’s been two priorities. Priority one has been to maximize this season for this team. It’s been an incredibly difficult season for many reasons … The second priority, I said I owed it to this program to find the best leader to position this program for long-term success.

- McIntosh also profusely thanked Leonhard for stepping in and helping lead the program over the second half of the season.

- McIntosh: When I took this job, I spoke about building something special we can all be proud of. I talked about being upon a strong foundation … one that honors our values and does it the right way, not necessarily the easy way … We need to find a person that believed in the same thing … I couldn’t be more excited about the person we found.

- McIntosh: Wisconsin is committed to being successful in a changing world.

- McIntosh: No doubt, Wisconsin is playing to win ... It's time to get after it now. It's time to embrace this opportunity.

- Fickell spoke last: "There's no way I could be here without an incredible amount of people that I have to thank." Thanks UW administrators, his wife, family, and Cincinnati players and coaches among them.

- Fickell: I'm not one to stand up here and make bold statements by any means ... I'm going to get these guys to believe in what it is we what to do.

- Fickell: We can’t get this thing rolling fast enough.

Question and Answer Portion w/ Matt Lepay

- Fickell: You get a call from somebody who’s hurting back and home. it’s part of what our job is. Everybody sees Saturday. It’s easy to evaluate the results on wins/losses, but what you don’t see is what you do with 18, 20 years old on an every day basis. That’s why we talk about developing men.

- McIntosh said he first met Fickell in October 1996 on “a down block on a power to the left side. Coach made quite an impression on me.”

- McIntosh on the hiring process: calls it a long process and thorough. I was excited about the interest in the position. It was impressive to be able to talk to such accomplished candidates. It was upon talking to Luke, not necessarily the x’s and o’s … it was what his priorities and values are.

- Fickell on why he picked Wisconsin over Cincinnati, calling it a unique opportunity: “When there's opportunities come up that you've put on the side to say if this thing ever came up this is something that we need to talk about as a family.”

- McIntosh: NIL is the newest development ... We have taken the approach to embrace it. I think it's a healthy thing ... It's something we continue to embrace and endorse … It’s not the most important part. It’s not the lede, but it’s a part of the University of Wisconsin.

- McIntosh said the McClain Center has served its purpose: It's time for us to commit to getting a proper indoor practice facility for our team ... It will help us be in a position for success for the future.

- Fickell said he doesn't know what the next three weeks will look like in terms of who will coach the bowl game, but says he'll be around and be involved with the players. (Fickell told UW prior to the press conference that he met with Leonhard Sunday, will meet with him again Wednesday, and is open to ideas moving forward).

- Fickell on his Wisconsin vision: I know there's always work to be done. I think that's what excited you to be a coach. We've got one objective and one goal and that's to play for a championship.

- Fickell said there were several things that brought him to Wisconsin. Cites the culture of the program, the changing world of college athletics, his relationship with McIntosh to move the program forward, and the timing of the job opening.

- Fickell said there weren’t too many jobs that were on his “must” list. Said there was a plan in place with him and his wife about jobs in areas where his family could thrive, live, and stay for a long time. Madison was one.

- Fickell on his conversations with his new players and winning over the locker room: It takes time. The unique thing I’ve got is I was in that position … Kids are emotional, but they are resilient. Whatever is best for them they’ll do. Building relationships is a big deal.

-McIntosh on evaluation Leonhard: Jim did an incredible job for the program … Just because of the process and the timing, I watched Jimmy on a day-to-day basis. He's part of the DNA of the program. I gave him very strong consideration.

- McIntosh: “As Luke and I spent more time together ... it became clear that we see the world in a very similar way.”

- Fickell on Jim Leonhard: I'm very open to picking his brain on a lot of things ... I don't know Jim all that well. Jim will know what's best for him, the program, and this team, and I respect that.

- Fickell said those 2023 prospects currently committed to Wisconsin will be his No.1 priority.

- Fickell said Wisconsin "has a great foundation" in terms of recruiting. "Within a 300-mile radius, that will be the core of what we do. I have a good grasp on that."

- Fickell said he does not want Wisconsin to be a transfer portal team, but he's not opposed to adding players from the portal if they fit certain criteria.

- McIntosh said the contract for Luke Fickell is for seven years, beings at $7.5 million and averages $7.8 million.

- McIntosh said he recognizes that the football program is a priority, it’s the financial engine and needs to be operating at a championship level. Said both him and Fickell will identify where the program needs to improve to increase its assets.

- Fickell on his defense, which has been a 3-3-5 at Cincinnati: We've adapted and adjusted for what we need to do ... We'll evaluate and assess. We'll definitely be a group that can go multiple. Adds he doesn't plan to come in and scrap everything.

- McIntosh: Perhaps the most difficult part of this process is the hardship it's created for (the football players). The experience the kids had this year isn't one I'd wish on anyone.

- McIntosh said he had a chance to fully evaluate the candidates last week, including meeting with Jim Leonhard last Monday, and said he realized Luke Fickell was the guy sometime after that.

- McIntosh on if he's worried UW will be able to field a competitive team for the bowl game: I'm confident that we'll have a team who is fired up about the direction of our program. I don't have those kinds of concerns.

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