Latest news with #Fickell
San Francisco Chronicle
8 hours ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Penn State blocking out noise of big-game losses, has focus on another run to playoff
LAS VEGAS (AP) — New year, new slate, no outside noise. That's the mantra in Happy Valley, despite James Franklin being saddled with a 4-20 mark as coach at Penn State against teams ranked in the AP Top 10. 'Coming to Penn State, I came here to win Big Ten championships and win a national championship,' Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley said Wednesday, the second of three Big Ten media days. 'The beginning of every year, that's expectations. Whatever happens, happens. But that's how I go into the season every year. 'Coach Franklin does a great job of making sure we're laser focused on the task at hand.' Right now, the task is to open camp with a fresh mindset and zero in on the season opener against Nevada on Aug. 30. Forget his collective 101-42 mark at the helm or the two College Football Playoff victories before falling to Notre Dame in last year's national semifinal. As Franklin enters his 12th season leading the Lions, with 10 trips to the postseason in 11 years, the 53-year-old never seems to escape the narrative of losing big games. Nittany Lions fans might be happy to know Franklin feels he has the best combined personnel he's ever had at Penn State, from players and staff, to depth, to talent and experience. 'We're very excited about that,' Franklin said. 'There's a ton of conversations that are happening nationally. We embrace that. We've earned that based on what we've been able to do and what we've got coming back. 'We were a game away from playing for the National Championship, and you could actually make the argument a drive away from playing for the National Championship, but it didn't feel that way, right? Because the expectations at Penn State are really high. We embrace that.' Wheatley, a fifth-year senior, agreed, saying it's the best atmosphere he's been around since landing on campus. 'The amount of film work and amount of extra work being put in, the energy around the building right now is electric,' said Wheatley, whose 16 tackles in the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame tied for the third-most recorded by a Penn State player in a postseason game. 'With the amount of veteran guys we got coming back and leadership we got going on, it kind of flows from freshmen to seniors. Everyone feels good right now.' Fighter pilot Fickell Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell wasn't sure what could be tougher: the Badgers' upcoming schedule or the ride-along in an F-16 fighter jet at Nellis Air Force Base he's scheduled to take Thursday. 'The immediacy of the now, the ride-along is going to put more pressure on my body,' Fickell said, laughing. 'But in the long run, the schedule is going to take more years off my life.' In a friend-of-a-friend situation involving a former player, Fickell's butterflies were aflutter as he talked about taking to the skies over southern Nevada with a fighter pilot. 'I know what my body's going to feel like when I'm all said and done,' Fickell said. Among those on Wisconsin's schedule this year are Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon. 'There's nothing harder than what's in front of us," he said. "We understand that, but we're not going to shy away from it, either.' Locksley's locker room Maryland coach Michael Locksley displayed a bit of vulnerability, revealing he lost his locker room after the Terrapins finished 4-8 in his sixth full season with the program. It marked Locksley's first losing record since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He had navigated Maryland to three straight bowl appearances while winning at least seven games each of those season. He said the new world in which players get paid created divisions in the locker room. 'We had 'haves' and 'have-nots' for the first time in our locker room," Locksley said. 'The landscape of college football taught me a valuable lesson: Continue to educate players on the importance of what playing for something bigger than yourself is all about.' The Terrapins open their season at home on Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic. Lakefront vibes As Northwestern awaits the renovation of Ryan Field, being upgraded to a state-of-the-art venue in time for the 2026 campaign, the Wildcats return to the 12,000-seat Martin Athletic Facility for a second straight season. 'Who else gets to play on a lake in college football?' asked incoming quarterback Preston Stone, who transferred in from SMU. 'It's unbelievable, it's an incredible opportunity for us to get to play in a unique environment.' Ticket prices on the school's website range from $94 to $413 for the home opener against Western Illinois on Sept. 5. One week later, against Big Ten foe Oregon and with Fox Sports' Big Noon Kickoff in town, ticket prices trickle upward in the range of $156 to $670. 'I think where we landed was the perfect solution and perfect bridge,' Northwestern coach David Braun said. 'It's unique, it's intimate. It allows our guys to have a level of consistency in terms of where they're playing for all their home games. Allows for our students to engage. And then you bring the element of, I mean, you are on one of the most prime pieces of real estate in the entire country, right on Lake Michigan. Beautiful fall day, Big Ten football, it's pretty special.'
Winnipeg Free Press
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Penn State blocking out noise of big-game losses, has focus on another run to playoff
LAS VEGAS (AP) — New year, new slate, no outside noise. That's the mantra in Happy Valley, despite James Franklin being saddled with a 4-20 mark as coach at Penn State against teams ranked in the AP Top 10. 'Coming to Penn State, I came here to win Big Ten championships and win a national championship,' Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley said Wednesday, the second of three Big Ten media days. 'The beginning of every year, that's expectations. Whatever happens, happens. But that's how I go into the season every year. 'Coach Franklin does a great job of making sure we're laser focused on the task at hand.' Right now, the task is to open camp with a fresh mindset and zero in on the season opener against Nevada on Aug. 30. Forget his collective 101-42 mark at the helm or the two College Football Playoff victories before falling to Notre Dame in last year's national semifinal. As Franklin enters his 12th season leading the Lions, with 10 trips to the postseason in 11 years, the 53-year-old never seems to escape the narrative of losing big games. Nittany Lions fans might be happy to know Franklin feels he has the best combined personnel he's ever had at Penn State, from players and staff, to depth, to talent and experience. 'We're very excited about that,' Franklin said. 'There's a ton of conversations that are happening nationally. We embrace that. We've earned that based on what we've been able to do and what we've got coming back. 'We were a game away from playing for the National Championship, and you could actually make the argument a drive away from playing for the National Championship, but it didn't feel that way, right? Because the expectations at Penn State are really high. We embrace that.' Wheatley, a fifth-year senior, agreed, saying it's the best atmosphere he's been around since landing on campus. 'The amount of film work and amount of extra work being put in, the energy around the building right now is electric,' said Wheatley, whose 16 tackles in the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame tied for the third-most recorded by a Penn State player in a postseason game. 'With the amount of veteran guys we got coming back and leadership we got going on, it kind of flows from freshmen to seniors. Everyone feels good right now.' Fighter pilot Fickell Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell wasn't sure what could be tougher: the Badgers' upcoming schedule or the ride-along in an F-16 fighter jet at Nellis Air Force Base he's scheduled to take Thursday. 'The immediacy of the now, the ride-along is going to put more pressure on my body,' Fickell said, laughing. 'But in the long run, the schedule is going to take more years off my life.' In a friend-of-a-friend situation involving a former player, Fickell's butterflies were aflutter as he talked about taking to the skies over southern Nevada with a fighter pilot. 'I know what my body's going to feel like when I'm all said and done,' Fickell said. Among those on Wisconsin's schedule this year are Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon. 'There's nothing harder than what's in front of us,' he said. 'We understand that, but we're not going to shy away from it, either.' Locksley's locker room Maryland coach Michael Locksley displayed a bit of vulnerability, revealing he lost his locker room after the Terrapins finished 4-8 in his sixth full season with the program. It marked Locksley's first losing record since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He had navigated Maryland to three straight bowl appearances while winning at least seven games each of those season. He said the new world in which players get paid created divisions in the locker room. 'We had 'haves' and 'have-nots' for the first time in our locker room,' Locksley said. 'The landscape of college football taught me a valuable lesson: Continue to educate players on the importance of what playing for something bigger than yourself is all about.' The Terrapins open their season at home on Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic. Lakefront vibes As Northwestern awaits the renovation of Ryan Field, being upgraded to a state-of-the-art venue in time for the 2026 campaign, the Wildcats return to the 12,000-seat Martin Athletic Facility for a second straight season. 'Who else gets to play on a lake in college football?' asked incoming quarterback Preston Stone, who transferred in from SMU. 'It's unbelievable, it's an incredible opportunity for us to get to play in a unique environment.' Ticket prices on the school's website range from $94 to $413 for the home opener against Western Illinois on Sept. 5. One week later, against Big Ten foe Oregon and with Fox Sports' Big Noon Kickoff in town, ticket prices trickle upward in the range of $156 to $670. 'I think where we landed was the perfect solution and perfect bridge,' Northwestern coach David Braun said. 'It's unique, it's intimate. It allows our guys to have a level of consistency in terms of where they're playing for all their home games. Allows for our students to engage. And then you bring the element of, I mean, you are on one of the most prime pieces of real estate in the entire country, right on Lake Michigan. Beautiful fall day, Big Ten football, it's pretty special.' ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and
Fox Sports
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Penn State blocking out noise of big-game losses, has focus on another run to playoff
Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — New year, new slate, no outside noise. That's the mantra in Happy Valley, despite James Franklin being saddled with a 4-20 mark as coach at Penn State against teams ranked in the AP Top 10. 'Coming to Penn State, I came here to win Big Ten championships and win a national championship,' Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley said Wednesday, the second of three Big Ten media days. 'The beginning of every year, that's expectations. Whatever happens, happens. But that's how I go into the season every year. 'Coach Franklin does a great job of making sure we're laser focused on the task at hand.' Right now, the task is to open camp with a fresh mindset and zero in on the season opener against Nevada on Aug. 30. Forget his collective 101-42 mark at the helm or the two College Football Playoff victories before falling to Notre Dame in last year's national semifinal. As Franklin enters his 12th season leading the Lions, with 10 trips to the postseason in 11 years, the 53-year-old never seems to escape the narrative of losing big games. Nittany Lions fans might be happy to know Franklin feels he has the best combined personnel he's ever had at Penn State, from players and staff, to depth, to talent and experience. 'We're very excited about that,' Franklin said. 'There's a ton of conversations that are happening nationally. We embrace that. We've earned that based on what we've been able to do and what we've got coming back. 'We were a game away from playing for the National Championship, and you could actually make the argument a drive away from playing for the National Championship, but it didn't feel that way, right? Because the expectations at Penn State are really high. We embrace that.' Wheatley, a fifth-year senior, agreed, saying it's the best atmosphere he's been around since landing on campus. 'The amount of film work and amount of extra work being put in, the energy around the building right now is electric,' said Wheatley, whose 16 tackles in the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame tied for the third-most recorded by a Penn State player in a postseason game. 'With the amount of veteran guys we got coming back and leadership we got going on, it kind of flows from freshmen to seniors. Everyone feels good right now.' Fighter pilot Fickell Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell wasn't sure what could be tougher: the Badgers' upcoming schedule or the ride-along in an F-16 fighter jet at Nellis Air Force Base he's scheduled to take Thursday. 'The immediacy of the now, the ride-along is going to put more pressure on my body,' Fickell said, laughing. 'But in the long run, the schedule is going to take more years off my life.' In a friend-of-a-friend situation involving a former player, Fickell's butterflies were aflutter as he talked about taking to the skies over southern Nevada with a fighter pilot. 'I know what my body's going to feel like when I'm all said and done,' Fickell said. Among those on Wisconsin's schedule this year are Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon. 'There's nothing harder than what's in front of us," he said. "We understand that, but we're not going to shy away from it, either.' Locksley's locker room Maryland coach Michael Locksley displayed a bit of vulnerability, revealing he lost his locker room after the Terrapins finished 4-8 in his sixth full season with the program. It marked Locksley's first losing record since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He had navigated Maryland to three straight bowl appearances while winning at least seven games each of those season. He said the new world in which players get paid created divisions in the locker room. 'We had 'haves' and 'have-nots' for the first time in our locker room," Locksley said. 'The landscape of college football taught me a valuable lesson: Continue to educate players on the importance of what playing for something bigger than yourself is all about.' The Terrapins open their season at home on Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic. Lakefront vibes As Northwestern awaits the renovation of Ryan Field, being upgraded to a state-of-the-art venue in time for the 2026 campaign, the Wildcats return to the 12,000-seat Martin Athletic Facility for a second straight season. 'Who else gets to play on a lake in college football?' asked incoming quarterback Preston Stone, who transferred in from SMU. 'It's unbelievable, it's an incredible opportunity for us to get to play in a unique environment.' Ticket prices on the school's website range from $94 to $413 for the home opener against Western Illinois on Sept. 5. One week later, against Big Ten foe Oregon and with Fox Sports' Big Noon Kickoff in town, ticket prices trickle upward in the range of $156 to $670. 'I think where we landed was the perfect solution and perfect bridge,' Northwestern coach David Braun said. 'It's unique, it's intimate. It allows our guys to have a level of consistency in terms of where they're playing for all their home games. Allows for our students to engage. And then you bring the element of, I mean, you are on one of the most prime pieces of real estate in the entire country, right on Lake Michigan. Beautiful fall day, Big Ten football, it's pretty special.' ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and recommended Item 1 of 3
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Pundit credits Notre Dame success to former Cincinnati assistants
The Fighting Irish can thank Cincinnati for their recent success Is Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell's success due to a bunch of former Bearcat assistants who now work in South Bend for Notre Dame? One pundit thinks so. The College Football Watcher account on X, formerly known as Twitter, suggests that Fickell has had success because Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman was once the defensive coordinator there. He then lists Gino Guidugli, the current Fighting Irish quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator, who was the QB coach in Cincy; wide receivers coach Mike Brown, who had that same title with the Bearcats; defensive backs coach Mike Mickens, who was the DB coach in Cincinnati and has that title plus defensive pass-game coordinator with Notre Dame; and former Fighting Irish special teams coordinator Brian Mason. Mason was the special teams coordinator at Cincinnati and is now doing the same job with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. Whether or not Fickell can have success without these assistants working for him, it's clear that just about any successful head coach will develop successful assistants. At the very least, when teams win, assistants get plucked for other jobs. So it's maybe a coincidence that all these assistants worked for Notre Dame, but it's probably not a coincidence that they are good at their jobs. Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions. Follow Tim on X: @tehealey
USA Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
What to expect from the Wisconsin Badgers in 2025
The Wisconsin Badgers will always be a hard team to figure out in the Big Ten. Are they close enough to ever turn things around? Or are they just in stasis, remaining a middling group with no desire to either push forward and improve or just enough talent so that they don't slip up? In 2024, it was more of the latter with little signs of maturity and development. With an overwhelmingly young squad, the second year of the Luke Fickell era did not gain any momentum at all. Nevertheless, 2025 at the very least looks slightly more hopeful. Maryland QB transfer Billy Edwards Jr. brings experience and key players on both sides of the ball are one year older. With a slightly more manageable schedule, it should be bowl eligibility or bust for the Badgers this season. 2024 in Review After only just barely reaching bowl eligibility in Luke Fickell's first season, the Badgers followed it up with a stinker of a 2024. Only winning three conference games was a major embarrassment. Against perhaps the three easiest opponents in the entire conference (Rutgers, Purdue, and Northwestern) to boot does not ease the sting any further for Badgers fans. Even their best loss, a 16-13 decision against Oregon, was not promising as former QB Braedyn Locke could not manage to make a play downfield big enough to hurt the Ducks late. Losing your final game of the season to one of their biggest rivals in Minnesota, to try and extend their 23-year bowl streak compounded their misery. The sobering reality for Fickell and Co. is starting to settle in. 2025 must deliver more promise and especially more commitment from the players. The Badgers have potential breakout candidates up and down the roster, especially offensively. Billy Edwards Jr. must be competent from the get-go, and all of Wisconsin's top offensive talent must produce for him as well. This operation is too close to flying off the handle early in the Luke Fickell era. Head Coach Profile There is almost certainly no doubt in people's minds that Luke Fickell should be capable of leading a Power 4 team. He was one of the most important head coaches in Group of 5 history after all. After leading the Cincinnati Bearcats to the CFP, the first time any G5 coach had ever done so, his star began to rise. So when Wisconsin came calling a couple of years later, Fickell willingly accepted the job. He actually took over during Wisconsin's bowl game in 2022, replacing Paul Chryst wth a nice bowl win over Oklahoma State. His 2023 season was a success, extending Wisconsin's bowl streak to 23 years, no matter the bowl loss to LSU. It was last year when all hell broke loose. Wisconsin started off 5-2, but off-field issues, especially amongst Fickell's staff, created a sense of turmoil. Jack Del Rio, his advisor, personally removed himself from the staff after a bizarre off-field incident. 10 games into the year, Fickell fired OC Phil Longo and was surly in response to media questions about the firing. This resulted in an epic collapse that saw the Badgers fall from the brink of bowl eligibility to 5-7. They even lost all their Big Ten rivalry trophies as well. The bottom line is that Fickell must control the chaos behind the scenes, or things could boil over quickly and affect the play of his squad. If he doesn't find that balance, he will surely be getting the hook this year. Top Offensive Player While Billy Edwards Jr. certainly brings a Big Ten pedigree to the Badgers that they may desperately need, Vinny Anthony has been a paragon of consistency and the primary beacon of hope for the Wisconsin offense. Any positive production from the wide receiver position stems from him, and Billy Edwards must understand that very quickly. Anthony led the Badgers in receiving yards last season with 672, which is all you need to know about the state of the Badgers' receiver room. It was how he produced those yards that was most impressive. He averaged over 17 yards per catch, which hadn't been done by a Badgers receiver in over 50 yards in almost 20 years. He was also fourth in the Big Ten as a result in that category. His most impressive game last season was perhaps against Penn State, when he had a career-high seven receptions. While it was only for 68 yards, it showed his reliability and loyalty to this team. He will almost certainly be the end-all, be-all for this offense in his final season in Madison. Top Defensive Player A revamped defense could certainly see major development from all levels of the Badger defense. Yet it is one of their veterans who will be established as the overall leader of the pack. Preston Zachman, the redshirt senior who decided to come back for his extra COVID year of eligibility, is an indispensable athlete who Fickell will be glad decided on a return to Madison. His career-high 58 tackles, three of which were tackles for loss, are an elite number for the safety position. His team-leading two interceptions, while a disappointing figure, are still a sign of his leadership and coverage abilities. His four pass breakups show his ranginess and length at an integral position for the Badgers. Most impressively, his eight tackles in consecutive weeks against Penn State and Iowa show he doesn't shy away from physicality. Fickell will be saddened when he leaves because he truly embodies the type of player Wisconsin is looking for: physical, dedicated, and most importantly, loyal. Not many players will come along throughout this journey for the Badgers. Fans, coaches, and teammates alike must cherish him while he lasts. 2025 Schedule Preview There are tough opponents on Wisconsin's schedule, with some even saying that it's one of the toughest schedules any team in the Big Ten could face. On the other hand, this steadily improving team feels like they can at the very least disrupt the status quo if not themselves make some noise in the conference. Bowl eligibility will be a big ask with this slate, but not out of the question. After two cupcakes, Wisconsin gets one of the toughest non-conference opponents in the Big Ten this year as they go down to Tuscaloosa to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. While the Tide will be breaking in a replacement for quarterback Jalen Milroe, it's certainly not an easy task. Their toughest portion of the schedule comes midseason, starting in Week 5 when they welcome Bryce Underwood and Michigan and ending in Week 9 when they take on Dan Lanning's Ducks in Eugene. Sandwiched in between are what should be a much more daunting Iowa team, especially offensively, and reigning champions Ohio State. This slate of games will make or break this season in Madison. Another intriguing three-game slate for the Badgers is their end to the season. Indiana and Illinois will be CFP hopefuls yet again and will be looking to roll through the final weeks of their campaigns. Minnesota at the end of the season is simply more for pride and gaining back the Paul Bunyan Axe trophy. Overall , 7-5 is there for the taking should players on the precipice of stardom for the Badgers have breakout years and the rest of this young squad grows up fast. But it is never easy in the Big Ten, and Fickell and Co. are finding that out equally as quickly. Should the Badgers continue to come up short in conference play, it won't be looking pretty for the Fickell regime in Madison.
