Wisconsin is heading into Big Ten play with a fresh dose of momentum, and Luke Fickell spent Monday morning laying out where his team stands before the Penn State matchup.
The Badgers just turned in what Fickell called their best and most complete performance of the season in a 54-10 home win over Eastern Michigan, and now the focus shifts to a Penn State team that, in his view, is only starting to reveal itself.
“Obviously, we've watched a lot. I've seen him play a lot of ball.
You know, not just for the first three games this year, but in particular, you know, in that system-wise. And, you have seen a growth.”
Fickell said the early-season version of Penn State hasn’t shown everything yet.
“I think that that's the thing that in the first three weeks of the season, maybe you haven't seen a ton of who they are and what they want to be able to do, because, you know, I'm not saying they've held back, but you know, they have been in really good positions for most of those games.”
At quarterback, he pointed to Rocco as the player who makes that offense go.
“But Rocco is a guy that's obviously very experienced, whether it's in this league or another league. He gives them a lot of options and a lot of different things. You know, he's a dual threat guy that hasn't had to use his feet a ton.”
Fickell added that the growth shows up in more than just the throwing game.
“I think that's because of the development that he's had that not just as a passer, but also as a manager of the game. So, it is a definite challenge. And one that, you know, I think obviously week one we saw a really good quarterback, but he brings some things that are different from what we saw in week one.”
Wisconsin also got an update on running back Abu Sama, who is trending toward a return after being close to playing last week.
“Yeah, I would hope. He was a guy that was cleared to be able to play last week, a little bit more of a game-time decision on where he was and what we thought. But he warmed up with every intention of playing.”
Fickell said the staff ultimately decided Sama still wasn’t quite where he needed to be.
“I think we just kind of felt like, hey, I'm not sure he was quite ready to be where he needed to be. Hopefully he's a lot further along this week.
Without playing last week, without taking some shots. But we won't know just, right away, we'll figure that thing out hopefully here soon.”
He also had plenty to say about the veteran wideouts in the room, framing their rise as a sign of the kind of development college football is built on.
“It reminds you, what you've always done in college football and seeing a developmental piece that you, you've always prided yourself on, and really, what you love about college football in general for me. To see those guys, you know, where they are right now and what they've been doing, and maybe where they were two years ago, even where they were a little bit last year.”
Those receivers, he said, have done more than produce on Saturdays.
“And so there's still a great growth. I think those guys have been great leaders inside that room, but they've been great leaders for us, as we've grown, through some tougher times, but, you know, to me, that's what it's all about, and seeing how those guys will continue to progress, gives me a lot of hope in what it is that we do and how we do it, and I'm not saying that you don't love to see some of the other guys.”
He pointed to the contrast between veteran growth and the splash plays from younger players.
“Week one, Malachi had a big week, we have had guys show up there, first year guys that we talked about already, but there's something about seeing those guys that have been within your program, those guys that, you know, that you've watched kind of, go through some of the ups and downs and for them to have more success and see the success, you know, it does mean a little something different.”
Fickell also addressed Colton Joseph’s recent play, saying the staff is still sorting out the right balance with his running.
“I think that we're still trying to find what that balance looks like. The thing that we would continue to challenge him for is when you run, you gotta run to score. You run to win, not just run, but find some space or get some yards.”
He made it clear the goal is not to turn that into the offense’s identity.
“And so there's a balance there. It's not something that we want to think that this is who we are, this is what we're doing on a consistent basis. It's also not going to make my heart drop anymore.”
Fickell said Joseph’s physical tools stand out, and the quarterback is still learning when to attack and when to protect himself.
“Colton's a physical guy with a lot of ability, and you know, and he's learning, I think, through week one, two to three, that when he can take his opportunities, when he can be more aggressive, when he has to be smart. I think we're going to need that as we move into Big Ten play.”
He also liked what Joseph did with his arm last week.
“But I think the best thing we did a little bit, that he did in particular last week too, is start to become more confident in his arm, and the things that we can do to be well-rounded.”
The quarterback’s health remains something Wisconsin will manage carefully, especially with the turf toe issue.
“I don't know exactly where he is. I think each and every week, it's kind of like, you know, some of those guys with turf toe... I don't know that it's ever going to go away.”
For Fickell, the key is weekly management and making sure Joseph is at his best on Saturday.
“It’s something that you have to be able to manage, but you got to be able to be at your best on Saturday. So, you know, a younger guy like him, figuring out what that looks like on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. I think it's what's real important.”
He said Joseph has been moving in the right direction.
“And so far, I think each week he's felt better. I mean, it's only been three, but each Monday or Tuesday, he's felt a little bit better since, you know he's had it, so that, you know, kind of gives us an idea to look, we're moving in the right direction. We're getting more comfortable with what he's doing.”
The reduced workload last week may have helped, too.
“He's getting more comfortable. Obviously, he didn't play as many reps this past week, which also can be a good thing for him too.
But I think that's all I just trying to figure out how it's going to go. And just remind, it's not going to go away.
It's gonna be there for 12 more weeks or whatever it is, and it's gonna be something we got to figure out how we've got to best manage, how he's gonna best manage it. So he ultimately plays best on Saturday.”
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