Fickell took UC about as far as they’re ever likely to go. He got a $5 MM salary package out of the deal and, obviously Wisky had to top that which, according to reports, they did.
Plus, he moves to a nicer town and fan base than Clifton. I watched the end of the UC-Tulane game and the UC fan reaction (booing Fickel) gave him his “fuck you” final reason to exit.
The BIG10 west is prime ground for Wisky to reach the top in short order so there’s that too and, proving he can win big and consistently in Madison puts him one step closer to his next move (both geographically and strategically).
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“UC kick the tires on Chuck Martin”:
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Here’s a question for an at length discussion after the bowl season:
Was the move to a national championship game 20 or so years ago by the BCS, the shift to a four team CFB playoff land the upcoming expansion to a 12 team playoff the catalyst to complete disruption and possible eventual ruination of major college football? Is the sole objective of the media and about 40 programs the money they can make by qualifying for a 12 team playoff?
Would moves made by Brian Kelly, Jimbo Fisher, Lincoln Riley and yesterday by Luke Fickell have taken place if it weren’t for the jockeying for CFP spots? Would Texas and Oklahoma and USC and UCLA have bolted from geographically appropriate conferences in which they were traditional heavyweights if the national championship was still decided by the votes of sportswriters?
Will any more than 50 of the current 131 FBS programs even survive as major college football programs after several years of being shut out of the national championship competitive process? Can fan interest be sustained if 81 fan bases - like ours - no longer have an interest in or can’t feasibly participate in the process?
Lots of topics for conversation post season…
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How you going to define a “major college program?”
How long till you think the “Big 50” jump and form their own little club and keep all the loot? They become sort of a whole different “thing” from the rest of us in college sports. The semi-pros…
I think we’re almost at that stage now but that will formalize it and be a turn off to a lot of casual fans.
Might not be all bad for the rest of us. A bit more equal footing maybe? The left overs will wind up with a college landscape more like “the good ole’ days” where schools and conferences are regionally aligned and more similar to sizes and administration’s priorities for a formerly out of control athletic department.
It can maybe/hopefully create a more competitive climate between conferences and teams that make for an attractive landscape for more fans to watch. Now their team actually has a chance with the new alignment.
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good points ND…i wonder why college athletics has solved for a 64 team tourney in bball, but struggle with a football tourney 1/5 to 1/4 of that size…as always…it will come down to cash
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If Sean McVay leaves LA, it’s to retire to broadcasting. More money. Less work. He’s got his superbowl ring and he’s already said he’s done coaching after LA.
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Yep…cash is king….I predict Major college football will follow along with MLB and become largely irrelevant to the country.
He’s going from a Cheesy place to the Cheeseheads place.
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Looking like Fickell might not keep Combs on his staff. I’m not sure if that says more about Leonard or Combs…
Maybe he doesn’t want to move. He’s been in Ohio and the Cincy area a long time.
Now reporting 7 yrs @ $7.9MM avg.
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The Enquirer has quoted UC’s AD as saying that Coombs is actively under consideration for the head coach job. Even if that consideration isn’t particularly serious, he can hardly be going to Wisconsin at the same time.
Now that amount would get his blood pumping.
Believe that makes him the second highest paid in the Big Ten.
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Deion Sanders talking to Cincinnati?
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I loved him when he was a Red. Still feel like Colorado is a better fit for him as odd as that sounds.
So I get to see Primetime on the sidelines and Messi @ TQL…things are shaping up around here, Trav has Miami pointed in right direction it seems…Chuck you are on the clock…time for 9 wins, 
What they passed was for 6 automatic bids to the top 6 rated conference champions. You only listed 5. Probably the Clemson-N.Carolina winner. If it were this year, remember that if there are upsets in the championship games you could get LSU or Purdue or Utah or Kansas State winning their conference championship and getting automatic bids. It will place great value on winning the conference championship game. Some automatic bids would have low seeds. Really, the championship games would become playoff games. If Kansas State would upset TCU, under these rules likely TCU would get one of the at large bids.