Polzin: A 'surreal' moment for Luke Fickell in a full-circle experience

Jul 27, 2023 Updated 11 min ago
INDIANAPOLIS — The video is a bit shaky, but the view is good enough to show Luke Fickell looks young and, understandably, a little nervous. It’s late July 2011, and the 37-year-old interim coach for Ohio State is surrounded by reporters at the Big Ten football media days in Chicago.
The first two questions, oddly enough, are about the University of Wisconsin, including one about the Badgers’ new hotshot transfer quarterback, Russell Wilson. Fickell later confesses something: He’d been caught off-guard earlier in the day when he stepped to the podium for his 15-minute session in front of the cameras — a much more formal setting — and eventually learned he’d have to answer questions. He thought that portion of the event was a luncheon in which he’d get up and talk about his team and step away whenever he liked.
Nope. After Fickell finished his prepared remarks, it was the media’s turn. And, considering what a tumultuous time it was for a program that had found itself in the NCAA’s crosshairs during an investigation related to a tattoo-parlor scandal, inquiring minds had plenty of material for the man tabbed to lead the Buckeyes following Jim Tressel’s resignation two months earlier.
Twelve years later, Fickell walked into Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday morning and took a moment to soak in the scene. He’s now the coach at UW, will turn 50 in three weeks and knows the routine. He’s no longer a rookie. In fact, he admitted, it felt a little like he’s come full circle.
“Today was probably the first day when I walked in,” Fickell said, “and it became a little bit surreal.”
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That 2011 season didn’t go as planned for Fickell and the Buckeyes. They only won six games, though one of them came against the Badgers on a heave from Braxton Miller to Devin Smith. By the end of the regular season, it had become clear Fickell’s run as a head coach in Columbus would be one and done. He hadn’t even gotten to the regular-season finale against Michigan and already it had been reported Urban Meyer would be leading Ohio State the following season, though Fickell was retained at his alma mater to serve as the defensive coordinator.
Tim May, who has covered Ohio State since 1984, believes that 2011 season in Columbus taught Fickell things that helped him bounce back to become one of the most sought-after coaches in the country the past few cycles following a great run at Cincinnati.
“He learned as much what not to do as what to do,” said May, a longtime newspaper writer who now works for the Lettermen Row website. “It’s (things like) who to trust, next time you get this gig you want your guys with you. I thought it was a coin in his pocket that Urban kept him when he could have made it a clean slate.”
Ohio State lost six one-score games that season, including four in a row to end the season. Sandwiched around all of that was the awkward manner in which Fickell got the job and the awkward manner in which that run ended.
“I just liked the way he handled it,” May said. “He’s never been a ‘me’ guy, even when he was a superstar wrestler (in high school) and a superstar on the football field. What stood out to me about him was how he rolled with the punches.”
May has known Fickell since he was 17. He wasn’t trying to pat himself on the back while sharing an anecdote on how in 1996, during Fickell’s final season as a four-year starter at nose guard at Ohio State, he told Fickell he thought he’d make a good head coach someday.
It was the way Fickell explained the game and his ability to communicate. May just figured that would translate into being a good teacher of the game.
“The thing I liked about him all along was that he was approachable,” May said.
UW players have discovered that as well. Three of them — tailback Braelon Allen, quarterback Tanner Mordecai and inside linebacker Maema Njongmeta — joined Fickell on the trip to Indy. They flew down Wednesday and, over dinner that night, discussed books, movies and other topics not involving football.
“Just a normal dude,” Njongmeta said. “It was great to see him outside of his coaching element, just hanging out. I always knew his heart was in the right place, and I got to really kind of see who he was a person outside the stadium. I liked what I saw.”
Fickell stepped to the podium at 12:15 p.m. local time Thursday and, this time, knew there would be answers coming following his opening statement. He later answered 38 questions over the span of 46-plus minutes while seated at a table.
I saved this one for last: Be honest, do you like this part of your job?
Fickell smiled.
“No,” he admitted. “No. I’m not a media guy, I’m more of a ‘do’ guy. If I’m ever pausing, I’m pausing because I don’t want to say something that is about me or is going to speak for somebody else.
“Look, let our actions speak. I understand we’ve got to give things. I want our program for people to see it. I want to open it up so that our fans and our former players can get a grasp it. But I’d rather them see it than hear me talk about it.”
And, with that, Fickell got up and left, his surreal day one interview closer to being finished.