A non-football sport serves as widespread floor for the head coaches competing in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
Newly employed Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell didn’t know Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy earlier than the week. They had by no means spoke. But they share a standard enjoyment of wrestling.
“I kid but I think there was a little bit of a connection…I follow anybody that has a wrestling background to see how they do things so from afar I’ve been a fan and kind of watched and studied his programs,” Fickell mentioned.
Gundy wrestled in grade college. Fickell was a three-time undefeated state wrestling champion for DeSales and was the Division II Ohio state champion. The coaches nearly had extra widespread floor. Fickell, who had teaching success at Cincinnati earlier than taking the Wisconsin job, was set to turn into a Big 12 convention foe.
“I’ve known a bit about Oklahoma State,” Fickell mentioned. “Obviously being at Cincinnati and going into the Big 12, you know. Not that we’d studied people but we had started to look at things and be aware of what the top tier of the Big 12 looked like. They were a team that we had been watching and studying.”
Fickell mentioned he’s excited to play towards the Cowboys. Here is what the remainder of the Badgers mentioned about OSU:
John Torchino, senior security: “They’re really fast on the outside. I feel the need for speed, honestly. I’ve got to pick up the speed this week for sure. But they like to throw the ball.
“A new quarterback is a little bit different. Or their quarterbacks transferred, or left, whatever he did. So it’s going to be a different quarterback. So that’s going to be different. They like to get the ball in their athletes’ hands. So it should be a good game.”
Maema Njongmeta, junior linebacker: Well, so far as I do know, they are not altering coordinators, and it is laborious to show an previous canine new tips. So I’m nonetheless learning the sport movie, nonetheless learning the plan. But then at the finish of the day, you’ll be able to put together all you need, you simply must know your roles. Because whenever you see one thing you have not ready for, it is your guidelines you’ll be able to fall again on.”
Chimere Dike, junior receiver: The one factor that caught out about them, they are actually huge and actually quick and actually athletic. So they’ve loads of huge our bodies on the market, they usually could make performs. And they may positively have the sport plan prepared for us and we now have to be on our A sport and be ready. I do know we are going to.”
More from O’Colly Sports from the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bowl:
From earlier than the sport to after it, The O’Colly Sports traveled to the Phoenix metro to write down …
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