The Biggest Coaching Decisions Luke Fickell Must Make Before Week 2 vs. Western Illinois

After opening its season against the No. 4 team in the country, Wisconsin faces an entirely different challenge in Week 2.

The Badgers host Western Illinois, an FCS program (and not a particularly good one at that). They can't just sleepwalk through this game, of course, but as nearly 40-point favorites, Wisconsin should have a little more breathing room schematically and game-plan wise.

Just because the Badgers are facing a significantly weaker opponent doesn't mean head coach Luke Fickell and his staff don't have plenty of crucial coaching decisions to make. Badgers On SI breaks it all down below:

How does Wisconsin's offense approach this game?

Wisconsin Badgers running back Abu Sama III. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the past against teams of a lower caliber, Fickell has been more than content to simply play for possession of the football, grinding the clock with the running game as he tries to get his offensive line lathered up against what should be a more penetrable defensive front.

I fully expect the Badgers to make every effort to get their running game going, especially after they only ran for 67 yards on 2.2 yards per carry against Notre Dame. Wisconsin wants to be a downhill, physical, punishing team, and there's no better opponent to impose your will on the ground against than an FCS team.

Does Fickell go all in on the ground game in Week 2, deciding he doesn't need to see all that much from quarterback Colton Joseph? Or do the Badgers go with a more balanced offensive approach? It'll be interesting to see Wisconsin's plan of attack, and what kind of offensive output it leads to.

Do the Badgers trust their cornerbacks to play more man-to-man?

Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Javan Robinson. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the Badgers don't play more man-to-man against the Leathernecks, when will they?

Wisconsin made a concerted effort to upgrade the man-to-man capabilities of its secondary this offseason. Cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples is lauded as a teacher of man-to-man technique. The cornerback room itself is longer, faster and overall more athletic. And yet, against Notre Dame, Mike Tressel's defense played almost exclusively zone to little avail: CJ Carr tossed for 239 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 66 percent of his passes.

Leathernecks' wideout Christian Anaya, with nine grabs for 166 yards through two games, is off to a good start in 2026. But no Western Illinois pass-catcher should strike fear into Wisconsin. It's also interesting to note that no Leathernecks' tight end has caught a pass yet this fall; pass defense Saturday night will be all about cornerbacks versus receivers, and to a lesser extent limiting the damage running backs do catching balls out of the backfield.

There will come another time this season when Wisconsin plays a passing offense that can pick apart its zone. The Badgers need to be able to challenge receivers man-to-man; do Fickell and Tressel see what their corners can do one-on-one Saturday night?

Does Wisconsin continue to rotate players along its offensive line?

Wisconsin offensive lineman Colin Cubberly. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Specifically, I'm looking at the right guard spot. It doesn't appear Emerson Mandell is going to be able to go Saturday night; does Wisconsin continue to roll between Blake Cherry and Stylz Blackmon?

Both players left something to be desired against the Irish. Cherry in particular gave up a sack late in the game. Fickell sounded encouraged when evaluating the play of both players Tuesday afternoon:

“It was very promising. Both of those guys rolled in there. Blake ended up with a few more snaps that Stylz, but that was just based on the drives they were in. I thought it was a good plan. They switched every series, for the most part," he said. "It wasn’t too big for him. I think that’s a really promising thing for us as we continue to grow.”

If Wisconsin was jumping into Big Ten play, it might more more sense for the Badgers to try to hammer down a full-time starter at right guard in Mandell's stead. But considering it should have more breathing room against a weak FCS team, Fickell may want to keep rolling between Blackmon and Cherry.

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