MADISON, Wis. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell says he never expected to make a major staff change with the season still going on.
Fickell didnt go into details about why he changed course and fired Phil Longo as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Fickell also remained circumspect regarding the plan for the rest of the season.
Ill just tell you the basic gist of what I told the team, Fickell said. Its not about play calls. Its not about points scored. Its not about touchdowns. Its moving forward with leadership. Thats to me what we have to do and why were doing it right now.
Fickell didnt specify who would call plays at Nebraska (5-5, 2-5 Big Ten) beyond indicating it would be a collaborative process. Wisconsin (5-5, 3-4) is trying to snap a three-game skid and clinch a 23rd consecutive season of bowl eligibility.
Why does it matter? Fickell said. An offense will be run and those guys will do a lot of things collaboratively together, and I dont think it really is important as to whos calling it. I guess it gives you the ability to point a finger at somebody, if thats the case. Its not one of those things I think is that important.
Fickell did say that wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton would now work with the quarterbacks as well.
Asked whether Braedyn Locke would remain Wisconsins starting quarterback, Fickell replied, Never a doubt.
Locke has completed 55.1% of his passes for 1,514 yards with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions since taking over for Tyler Van Dyke, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the opening series of a Sept. 14 loss to Alabama.
Braedyns had a lot on his plate, Fickell said. Hes got to continue to grow and get better, and he knows that.
Wisconsin is ranked 91st among all Football Bowl Subdivision teams in yards per game (363.1) and is tied for 97th in points per game (23.9). In the Badgers first season with Fickell as head coach and Longo as offensive coordinator last year, Wisconsin went 7-6 and scored 23.5 points per game for its lowest scoring average since 2004.
This is never something I ever, ever envisioned doing or wanted to do especially doing it when theres still games be played in a season, Fickell said. But I felt like for all involved, and most importantly for our program and the kids in that locker room, what we needed to do right now was to move forward.
Longo didnt get to work with his intended starting quarterback for a full season in either of his two years at Wisconsin. Last year, Tanner Mordecai missed 3½ games with a broken hand.
The coordinator change came one day after Wisconsin fell 16-13 to top-ranked Oregon, which outscored the Badgers 10-0 in the fourth quarter.
I had an idea that we were going in another direction, Fickell said. How soon and how fast we were going to do it, that was not a decision that I had completely made up my mind on, on Sunday just yet. But I felt like after visiting with Phil and things like that, that this is what we needed to do now.
Longos arrival at Wisconsin garnered plenty of attention because he had an Air Raid background and figured to bring more balance to a program that traditionally has relied on running the ball.
The Badgers passed on 50.8% of their snaps last year, the first time they had attempted more passes than runs since at least 1946, which is as far back as Wisconsins records on the subject go. Wisconsin has run the ball 55.2% of the time this season.
Fickell was asked what he had learned in his two years at Wisconsin about what type of offense might work best here.
I dont think theres anything in particular where youd say, Youve got to do this at Wisconsin. Youve got to do this at Nebraska. You do this if youre at UCLA or USC, Fickell said. I think we do understand and recognize where the strength of our program is, and thats on the offensive line. Weve got to continue to build upon what that is moving forward. That wont change, shouldnt change. Wherever Ive been, I wouldnt want it to change.