Wisconsin football is getting hit with some tough news in the transfer portal. Despite his recent contract extension, head coach Luke Fickell's tenure in Madison has not gotten off to an ideal start. For the first time since 2001, the Badgers did not make a bowl game in 2024. This program, therefore, is in need of a bounce-back season and must rebuild through recruiting and the transfer portal.

Unfortunately, Fickell and company received some bad news on Wednesday. According to National college football reporter for CBS Sports, Matt Zenitz, tight end Tanner Koziol is putting his name in the portal. What makes this news so unfortunate is that Koziol transferred to Wisconsin football this offseason from Ball State. The 6'7, 237-pound tight end had 94 catches for 839 yards and eight touchdowns and was named 2024 Second-team All-MAC in 2024.

Wisconsin football needs to start showing progress amidst a crowded Big Ten Conference

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell watches quarterback Carter Smith (3) during spring football practice Thursday, April 3, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin.
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It's not going to get any easier for the Badgers in 2025 if significant improvements are not made. Luke Fickell's team is set to visit Alabama, Indiana, Michigan, and Oregon this coming season while also playing host to Ohio State and Illinois. That slate will be among the most difficult in the country, giving this upcoming group the opportunity to rack up the losses or build an impressive resume.

The quarterback position has been one of the biggest question marks this offseason. Fickell has struggled to find stability under center during his two years in Madison. For this upcoming season, the Wisconsin football team will look toward a transfer quarterback, Billy Edwards Jr., to fill this void. The former Maryland QB threw three for 15 touchdown passes and nine interceptions over the past season.

Overall, there's definitely a good amount of pressure on Luke Fickell to show results in his third year. The twelve-team College Football Playoff was built for a program like Wisconsin football that perennially finishes inside the top 20. Fickell had phenomenal success leading Cincinnati in his previous stint to the four-team playoff in 2021. With more resources now and in a better conference, there's no reason why he cannot have more success with the Badgers than he did with the Bearcats.