Why doesn't Wisconsin football thumb its nose at NCAA, just play ineligible cornerback?

Colten Bartholomew
Sep 16, 2025
Sep 16, 2025 Updated Oct 20, 2025

Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Luke Fickell's had a few situations as University of Wisconsin football coach in which he's been forced to bite his tongue.

kAmw:D 7CFDEC2E:@? 27E6C =@DD6D :D 4=62C[ 3FE D@ E@@ 92D 366? 9:D 2?86C 5FC:?8 D:EF2E:@?D :?G@=G:?8 A=2J6CD’ 6=:8:3:=:EJ] }@ 42D6 92D 925 u:4<6==VD 3=@@5 3@:=:?8 BF:E6 =:<6 D6?:@C 4@C?6C324< }JK:6C u@FCBFC62?’D =682= 7:89E 282:?DE E96 }rpp E@ A=2J 7@C E96 q2586CD E9:D 72==] (:D4@?D:?’D E9:C5\J62C 4@249 564=:?6D E@ 6G6? 5:D4FDD E96 E@A:4 2E 2?J =6?8E9]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\=:?<Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^32586C6IEC2]4@>^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^bd`dc6c2\hh_a\c744\g5d_\g5557g65b3`eQmc @3D6CG2E:@?D 27E6C C6H2E49:?8 (:D4@?D:? 7@@E32==VD C@F89 =@DD 2E }@] `h p=232>2k^2mk^Am

People are also reading…

Lake Geneva Plan Commission approves permit for wedding venue on Wesley Inn & Resort site
Texas man dies after car and minivan collide on Interstate 43 in Delavan
Tree worker dies after suspected lightning strike in Whitewater
New details emerge about the moments before police shot Corey Ruiz
Former Bob's Beach Shack building could be demolished for new restaurant
Sidney Stables estate, former home of Andy Gump comic strip creator, on market
Madison's newest wellness trend comes through an IV drip
Lake Geneva Garden Club to host America Flower Show
Lake Geneva area lodging facilities offering special summer menus
Lake Geneva Public Library to conduct annual craft swap
Lake Geneva ends emergency declaration related to July 3 storm
Lake Geneva approves permit for proposed supper club
Plan Commission OKs permit for renovation of Main Street building
Mandela Barnes drops out of governor’s race
Geneva Jam & more live music in Lake Geneva, Yerkes hosts ‘Reno 911!’ star

kAm“x 42?VE 92?5=6 :E 6>@E:@?2==J E@ E2=< 23@FE :E[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmu@FCBFC62? 2H2:ED 2 CF=:?8 7C@> (6DE6C? s:DEC:4E @7 (:D4@?D:? yF586 (:==:2> |] r@?=6J @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^32586C6IEC2]4@>^DA@CED^7@@E32==^H:D4@?D:?\4@C?6C324<\E2<:?8\=2DE\DH:?8\2E\82:?:?8\6=:8:3:=:EJ\:?\=682=\7:89E\H:E9\?422^2CE:4=603bad3_h5\2_hc\ccea\3d3d\h535ed3d3c4d]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm2? :?;F?4E:@? 282:?DE E96 }rpp D66<:?8 AC@E64E:@? 7C@> E96 @C82?:K2E:@? 6?7@C4:?8 E96 7:G6\J62C 6=:8:3:=:EJ CF=6k^2m 282:?DE u@FCBFC62? F?E:= 2 EC:2= 7@C 9:D 42D6 368:?D ~4E] a_] r@?=6J :? u63CF2CJ 8C2?E65 u@FCBFC62? 2? :?;F?4E:@? E92E 2==@H65 9:> E@ A=2J[ 3FE E92E 564:D:@? H2D C6G6CD65 3J 2? 2AA6==2E6 4@FCE :? yF=J] r@FCE 5@4F>6?ED FA52E65 |@?52J D9@H E92E E96 r@?=6J 92D 8:G6? E96 }rpp 2 uC:52J 5625=:?6 E@ 56A@D6 2? 64@?@>:DE E92E u@FCBFC62? 92D FD65 2D 2? 6IA6CE H:E?6DD 2?5 DF3>:E 2 C63FEE2= DE2E6>6?E 367@C6 96 4=@D6D E96 C64@C5 7@C E96 :?;F?4E:@? C6BF6DE] p CF=:?8 @? E96 :?;F?4E:@? :D =:<6=J E@ 4@>6 E96 7@==@H:?8 H66<[ 244@C5:?8 E@ q2586CtIEC2 D@FC46D] %96 q2586CD Wa\`X 2C6 :5=6 ?6IE H66<6?5] w@H6G6C[ u@FCBFC62?VD EC:2= 92D >@G65 7C@> =2E6 ~4E@36C E@ u63CF2CJ[ H9:49 >62?D :7 96 5@6D?VE C646:G6 2? :?;F?4E:@?[ 96 H@?VE 36 6=:8:3=6 E@ A=2J 2E 2== E9:D D62D@?] k^Am

kAmu@FCBFC62? 92D 2C8F65 E92E 9:D a_a` D62D@? 2E vC2?5 '2==6J $E2E6 D9@F=5 ?@E 4@F?E 282:?DE 9:D 6=:8:3:=:EJ[ DA64:7:42==J ?@E:?8 E96 6>@E:@?2= E@== E92E =@D:?8 9:D 72E96C E96 DF>>6C 367@C6 E92E D62D@? 367@C6 42FD65 9:>] }rpp DE277 56?:65 9:D C6BF6DE] w6 2=D@ 92D 2C8F65 E96 5:776C6?46D :? }x{ 2?5 C6G6?F6\D92C:?8 @AA@CEF?:E:6D 36EH66? E96 s:G:D:@?\x 2?5 s\xx =6G6=D 4C62E6 2? 2?E:4@>A6E:E:G6 :DDF6] (:D4@?D:? D:>F=E2?6@FD=J DF3>:EE65 2? 2AA62= E@ 92G6 u@FCBFC62?VD H2:G6C 4@?D:56C65 2E E96 4@>>:EE66 =6G6= 23@G6 E96 }rpp 6?7@C46>6?E DE277]k^Am

kAmu@FCBFC62?VD >@E:@? 7@C :?;F?4E:G6 C6=:67 2?5 u:4<6==VD 564=2C2E:@? 7:=65 H:E9 E96 4@FCE 4:C4=65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^32586C6IEC2]4@>^DA@CED^7@@E32==^b\E9:?8D\E92E\DE@@5\@FE\:?\H:D4@?D:?\7@@E32==D\=@AD:565\=@DD\2E\?@\`h\2=232>2^2CE:4=603dg6a_h3\`fb6\cedf\h36b\g6763d73hhe4]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm=2DE $2EFC52J’D 82>6 282:?DE p=232>2k^2m[ 2>@?8 @E96CD[ 2D 82>6D E92E H6C6 :>A@CE2?E E@ 9:D 7FEFC6 :? E96 DA@CE 2?5 E96 52>286 DFDE2:?65 ?@E A=2J:?8 :? E96D6 4@?E6DED :D :CC6A2C23=6] u@FCBFC62? H2D @? E96 D:56=:?6 :? 9:D ;6CD6J 3FE 4@F=5?VE A=2J 282:?DE E96 rC:>D@? %:56]k^Am

kAm|2?J q2586CD 72?D 92G6 6IAC6DD65 DFAA@CE 7@C u@FCBFC62? — H9@ 92D?VE DA@<6? AF3=:4=J @? E96 >2EE6C D:?46 pAC:= — 2?5 5:D52:? 7@C E96 }rpp] ~?6 BF6DE:@? 72?D 92G6 C2:D65 C6AC6D6?ED E96 86?6C2= 2A2E9J E@H2C5 E96 }rpp[ :ED C@=6 :? E96 4FCC6?E =2?5D42A6 @7 4@==686 7@@E32== 2?5 9@H >F49 E66E9 :ED 6?7@C46>6?E 2C> 92D] %92E BF6DE:@?i (9J 5@6D?VE (:D4@?D:? ;FDE A=2J u@FCBFC62?nk^Am

kAm%96 q2586CD Wa\`X 46CE2:?=J H@F=5 6?;@J u@FCBFC62?VD D6CG:46D] %96 D64@?52CJ 925 2 E@F89 @FE:?8 2E p=232>2[ 2==@H:?8 7@FC E@F495@H? A2DD6D[ 3FE 92G:?8 2 D6?:@C =:<6 u@FCBFC62? H9@ 4@F=5 D92C6 E96 =@25 2E 3@E9 E96 7:6=5 2?5 3@F?52CJ 4@C?6C324< A@D:E:@?D H@F=5 AC@G:56 >@C6 56AE9 2?5 96=A <66A E96 8C@FA 962=E9:6C] qFE A=2J:?8 u@FCBFC62? H9:=6 96VD :?6=:8:3=6 H@F=5 36 2 D=2A E@ E96 7246 @7 E96 }rpp E92E 5@6D?VE 92G6 >F49 AC64656?E] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]36C<6=6J52:=JA=2?6E]4@>^:DDF6^a__a\_e\af^2CE:4=6^`ahfbnFE>0D@FC46l492E8AE]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmr2=:7@C?:2 7C@> `hhh E@ a__` H2D 7@F?5 E@ A=2J EH@ A=2J6CD :E <?6H H2D :?6=:8:3=6k^2m[ C6DF=E:?8 :? 7@C76:E65 H:?D[ 2 3@H= 32? 2?5 2 7:G6\J62C AC@32E:@?]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\=:?<Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^32586C6IEC2]4@>^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^4gbd_c7_\a5e2\cebb\3265\hf6`hh3e`73bQm!@=K:?i ~AA@?6?ED 5@?VE C6DA64E (:D4@?D:? 7@@E32==] p=232>2 D9@H65 H9Jk^2mk^Am

kAm!=6?EJ @7 E62>D 92G6 A=2J65 :?6=:8:3=6 A=2J6CD :? 4@==686 7@@E32==[ 3FE E96 G2DE >2;@C:EJ 6:E96C 5:5?VE <?@H 23@FE E96 CF=6\3C62<:?8 24E:G:EJ 2D :E 92AA6?65 @C 4C62E65 6?@F89 A=2FD:3=6 56?:23:=:EJ :? E96 :?G6DE:82E:@? E92E E96 }rpp 925 E@ =62? @? E96 :562 E92E 4@2496D @C 25>:?:DEC2E@CD “<?6H @C D9@F=5VG6 <?@H?” E96 24E:G:EJ @44FCC65] $@>6 6I2>A=6D @7 DF49 4@?4=FD:@?D :?4=F56 $@FE96C? r2=’D #688:6 qFD9 C646:G:?8 :>AC@A6C 36?67:ED 2?5 E96 H:56\C2?8:?8 A6?2=E:6D E92E 7@==@H65 :? a_`_[ 2?5 2? 24256>:4 4962E:?8 D42?52= 2E }@EC6 s2>6 Wa_`gX]k^Am

kAm~?6 @7 E96 76H 42D6D E92E >2E49 H92E (:D4@?D:? H@F=5 5@ 3J A=2J:?8 u@FCBFC62? 52E6D 324< E@ `hgb[ H96? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]FA:]4@>^pC49:G6D^`hgb^``^_a^%F=2?6\BF2CE6C324<\y@?\t?8=:D9\H9@\=@DE\9:D\DE2CE:?8\A@DE^hbdccbedhfa__^nFE>0D@FC46l492E8AE]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm%F=2?6 A=2J65 EC2?D76C "q y@? t?8=:D9k^2m H96? 96 H2D?VE J6E 6=:8:3=6 7@==@H:?8 2 EC2?D76C 7C@> x@H2 $E2E6] qFE 96 2E =62DE 925 2 D6C:6D @7 4@FCE @C56CD E92E 2==@H65 9:> E@ A=2J F?E:= 96 F=E:>2E6=J =@DE 9:D 42D6] %F=2?6 G242E65 H:?D t?8=:D9 A2CE:4:A2E65 :?]k^Am

kAmxEVD :>A@DD:3=6 E@ D2J 6I24E=J H92E H@F=5 92AA6? :7 (:D4@?D:? 2==@H65 u@FCBFC62? E@ DF:E FA 2?5 A=2J $2EFC52J 282:?DE |2CJ=2?5 Wb\_X] w@H6G6C[ E96 }rpp H@F=5 92G6 8C@F?5D E@ =6GJ E96 92CD96DE A6?2=E:6D 2G2:=23=6 3642FD6 (:D4@?D:? 92D ?@ 23:=:EJ E@ 4=2:> 4@?7FD:@? C682C5:?8 u@FCBFC62?VD 6=:8:3:=:EJ] ~?6 @3G:@FD A6?2=EJ E96 q2586CD H@F=5 :?4FC :D 2 7:?6[ 2?5 A6C92AD >F=E:A=6] %96 }rpp H@F=5 92G6 E96 23:=:EJ E@ 7:?6 E96 F?:G6CD:EJ[ u:4<6== 2?5 A@E6?E:2==J A@D:E:@? 4@2496D 7@C DF49 2 3=2E2?E 5:DC682C5 @7 6=:8:3:=:EJ CF=6D[ F?56C 7:C6 2D E96J 2C6]k^Am

kAmp?@E96C G6CJ =:<6=J A6?2=EJ H@F=5 36 7@C76:EFC6 @7 H:?D[ 2?5 F?=:<6 @E96C AF?:D9>6?ED 27E6C E96 724E[ (:D4@?D:? 4@F=5 D66 2?J H:? u@FCBFC62? A=2JD :? G242E65 :>>65:2E6=J] x? 2 D62D@? E96 q2586CD 7246 @?6 @7 E96 >@DE 5:77:4F=E D4965F=6D :? AC@8C2> 9:DE@CJ[ 2?J H:? E92E’D 5C@AA65 5F6 E@ 2 A6?2=EJ 4@F=5 <?@4< E96 q2586CD @FE @7 A@DED62D@? 4@?E6?E:@?] $A62<:?8 @7 E96 A@DED62D@?[ 3@H= 32?D 7@C E96 a_ad D62D@? 2?5 36J@?5 H@F=5 36 @? E96 E23=6] %96 }rpp 5:5?VE 6?7@C46 DF49 2 32? 282:?DE |:49:82? :? :ED D:8?\DE62=:?8 D42?52= H:E9 E96 C2E:@?2=6 E92E :E 27764E65 4FCC6?E A=2J6CD :?DE625 @7 E96 325 24E@CD[ 9@H6G6C (:D4@?D:?’D 492==6?86 @7 E96 }rppVD A@H6C :? E9:D 9JA@E96E:42= 4@F=5 3C:?8 5@H? 2 92>>6C 36J@?5 6G6? E96 (@=G6C:?6DV AC@G6?[ @?\7:6=5 25G2?E286 7C@> :>A6C>:DD:3=6 25G2?465 D4@FE:?8] |F=E:\J62C AC@32E:@? DE2EFD 2=D@ H@F=5 36 =:<6=J 7@C E96 q2586CD[ >62?:?8 2?J @E96C :?7C24E:@? 3J E96 q2586CD 4@F=5 36 AF?:D965 >@C6 92CD9=J]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\=:?<Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^32586C6IEC2]4@>^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^7d3ddghh\fg47\c`43\23ge\77723b3`3b6fQm(:D4@?D:? 7@@E32== A=2J6CD D92C:?8 V>@G:?8V DE@C:6D :? ?6H EC2:?:?8 42>A C@FE:?6k^2mk^Am

kAmp?@E96C 6=6>6?E E@ 4@?D:56C :D E92E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^32586C6IEC2]4@>^DA@CED^7@@E32==^?422\9:ED\H:D4@?D:?\7@@E32==\H:E9\A6?2=E:6D\7@C\C64CF:E:?8\G:@=2E:@?D^2CE:4=60b76dcd3g\g4`2\c3_a\hhc_\fhb75g62bge`]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm(:D4@?D:? H2D ;FDE 9:E H:E9 :ED 7:CDE {6G6= xx G:@=2E:@? :? 7@@E32== D:?46 a___k^2m] }rpp CF=6D C682C5:?8 H96? C64CF:ED 6?E6C:?8 E96:C ;F?:@C D62D@?D 4@F=5 36 4@?E24E65 @G6C A9@?6D 492?865 E9C66 E:>6D @G6C E96 DA2? @7 2 J62C[ 3FE E96 q2586CD DE:== H6C6 9:E H:E9 G:@=2E:@?D 7@C 4@?E24E:?8 C64CF:ED 62C=J :? u:4<6==VD 7:CDE @77D62D@? 2E (:D4@?D:?] !=2J:?8 u@FCBFC62? 4@F=5 6DE23=:D9 2 A2EE6C? @7 2 =24< @7 :?DE:EFE:@?2= 4@?EC@= @G6C E96 7@@E32== AC@8C2>[ H9:49 @A6?D E96 5@@C 7@C 6G6? 92C56C A6?2=E:6D] %96 @E96C D:8?:7:42?E =682= >2EE6C (:D4@?D:?VD 2E9=6E:4 56A2CE>6?E :D :?G@=G65 :? 2=D@ E:6D :?E@ E9:D 9JA@E96E:42=]k^Am

kAm(:D4@?D:? 2?5 :ED 2E9=6E:4D 4@==64E:G6[ '2CD:EJ r@==64E:G6[ 2C6 DF:?8 |:2>: Wu=2]X 7@C H92E E96J 4=2:> H2D E2>A6C:?8 H:E9 E96 4@?EC24E @7 7@C>6C 4@C?6C324< )2G:6C {F42D[ H9@ 5C@AA65 @FE @7 (:D4@?D:? :? y2?F2CJ 2?5 6?C@==65 2E |:2>:] (:D4@?D:? 42?VE @? @?6 92?5 36 56>2?5:?8 CF=6D 36 FA96=5 H9:=6 3=2E2?E=J 3C62<:?8 @E96CD]k^Am