UPDATE: Wisconsin is bringing Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell back to the Big Ten. The Badgers have hired Fickell to take over their football program after his successful run with the Bearcats, the team confirmed on Sunday.
Fickell posted a 57-18 record in six seasons at Cincinnati and helped the Bearcats earn a College Football Playoff berth last year. The former Ohio State defensive lineman went 6-7 as the Buckeyes’ interim coach in 2011. The 49-year-old Fickell takes over for interim coach and former Badgers star player Jim Leonhard. Leonhard had taken over after Paul Chryst's Oct. 2 firing.
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Previous reporting: ESPN's Pete Thamel is reporting that the Wisconsin Badgers have their sights set on who they would like to see lead the football program next.
According to Thamel,Wisconsin has targeted Cincinnati's Luke Fickell to replace Paul Chryst. Chryst was fired earlier this season after the Badgers struggled to start the season.
Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard has been serving as the team's interim head coach after Chryst's firing. The Badgers are 4-3 under Leonhard's leadership after Saturday's 23-16 loss to Minnesota.
The Board of Regents for the University of Wisconsin System has scheduled a closedsession meeting for 4 p.m. on Sunday to "consider employment and additional compensation agreements for the UW-Madison head football coach."
In six seasons at Cincinnati, Fickell has turned out a 57-18 record and led the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff last season. Cincinnati became the first non-Power 5 team to reach the CFP.
Fickell has previous head coaching experience in the Big Ten as he served as the interim head coach at Ohio State in 2011. Fickell went 6-7 that season.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
