The Wisconsin legend didn’t hold back in defense of Luke Fickell and the Badgers’ young roster.
When chants of “Fire Fickell!” echoed through Camp Randall Stadium during Wisconsin’s stunning 27-10 home loss to Maryland, one of the program’s most respected figures wasn’t impressed. Barry Alvarez, the former Badgers head coach and athletic director, called the reaction “embarrassing” and labeled fans who joined in as “spoiled rotten.”
On his ESPN Madison radio show, Alvarez made it clear that booing a coach this early in the season sends the wrong message. He pointed to the Badgers’ youth, which has three redshirt freshmen starting on the offensive line and several underclassmen stepping into big roles. “They’re going to have a chance to get better, and you flip on them,” Alvarez said. “How do you think that makes the players feel?”
The frustration from fans comes after Wisconsin’s struggles under Fickell. Since taking over in 2022, he’s 15-15 overall, including 8-11 in Big Ten play. His tenure has already included four unranked home losses, and he’s still searching for his first win against a ranked opponent.
Still, Alvarez defended Fickell as the right leader for the program. To him, true support means standing by the coach and players during the tough moments, not abandoning them. “If a person sitting next to me is booing, I’d tell them, ‘Get your ass out of here,’” Alvarez said.
Wisconsin football has long prided itself on loyalty and grit. Alvarez’s message is simple: that tradition should extend to the stands.
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