3 Wisconsin football storylines to follow ahead of 2024 season

2. Coaching

Luke Fickell and Phil Lungo were brought in last year to maximize the talents of Braelon Allen, and with the addition of Tanner Mordecai, the Badger faithful were expecting fireworks. Instead, fans got a few sparks here and there.

Now that Allen is off to the NFL, what can we expect from the offense?

For starters, less expectations, because the offense in fact didn't get better with the loss of Allen and Mordecai. Longo is known for his explosive and record-breaking offenses, but he's used to having game-changers on offense. At Ole Miss, he had three first-round picks to work with and at North Carolina, he had top-five pick Drake Maye leading the offense. Now in his second year with the Badgers, he only has a former ACC freshman of the year, Tyler Van Dyke, who won the award in 2021.

The best thing that could happen for the Badgers is coming into the season unranked after an abysmal 2023 campaign. The only bright spot for the Badgers has been defense, and that has been a staple of the program over the past five seasons.

This upcoming year could be one that puts Fickell on the hot seat if it's a repeat of last season's team.