Just nine months after Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell brought in Ethan Russo to lead the Badgers' player personnel department, Russo is on the move again-this time joining Eric Morris at Oklahoma State as the Cowboys’ new executive director of player personnel.
The timing? Less than ideal for Wisconsin.
Russo, who built his reputation under Morris at North Texas, was seen as a savvy hire when he arrived in Madison. His blend of NFL experience and college recruiting acumen made him a strong fit for a program looking to modernize its roster-building approach. But with Morris now taking the reins in Stillwater, it didn’t take long for him to circle back for one of his most trusted off-field assets.
For Fickell and the Badgers, Russo’s departure couldn’t come at a more complicated moment. The transfer portal is wide open, and this is the exact window when programs are hustling to reshape their rosters.
The director of player personnel plays a critical role in that process-scouting portal entries, evaluating fit, managing communication, and helping coaches prioritize targets. Losing that voice in December, when every hour counts, puts Wisconsin in a tough spot.
They’ll need to move quickly to find a replacement, and even then, there’s no guarantee the transition won’t cause some turbulence in their portal strategy.
As for Russo, his rise through the football operations world has been nothing short of meteoric. He got his start at TCU as a student manager, then jumped to the NFL with the Cleveland Browns in a game charter role-a behind-the-scenes position focused on breaking down film and prepping for the draft. That experience gave him a sharp eye for talent, something that’s become a calling card in his career.
From there, he landed with the Colts in a slightly elevated role before heading back to the college ranks with stops at Rice, Utah, and UNLV. Each move brought more responsibility, and by 2023, he was working under Morris at North Texas, helping build out their recruiting infrastructure.
When Fickell hired him at Wisconsin earlier this year, it looked like a long-term fit. But the coaching carousel had other plans.
Now, Russo reunites with Morris at Oklahoma State, taking on a bigger title and a bigger challenge in the Big 12. For Wisconsin, the focus shifts to damage control-finding a new personnel leader fast and keeping their transfer portal plans on track.
It’s a tough break for the Badgers, but in today’s college football landscape, this kind of staff movement is the new normal. The key is how quickly a program can adapt-and how well it can keep its recruiting engine running, even when key cogs suddenly shift elsewhere.