Walter

Going to be a skeleton crew coaching staff for UC and I'm sure both teams will have opt outs that have decided to transfer or are draft eligible. Seeing what both rosters are going to look like will give me a better idea of what to expect.

Gino has been the lead on a lot of the high level offensive commits they've landed and the reason Jeroma Ford transferred from Bama to UC. They would be fine with him as HC. Hiring Gino as HC would also help keep the roster and majority of the recruiting class together as he would likely add Mike Brown to his staff as OC from the group Fick took with him to Wisconsin. Brown was probably the 2nd or 3rd best recruiter on UC's staff these past few years. My biggest fear is John Cunningham values HC experience and hires Sean Lewis from Kent State. Considering UC just spent $10 mil this past season between Fick's salary and assistant pool, that would be a major disappointment.

I agree he isn't coming because UC won't hire him and there's a fraction of the fanbase that refuse to face reality, but him not coming to UC will have nothing to do with "bigger opportunities." He wants full control of all football ops and NIL and a few of his personal deals (UA + Barstool) are also preventing some schools from pursuing him more seriously. Auburn would have been a great fit and they didn't show interest. That tells me all I need to know about opportunities and interest in him. FWIW, I think he is a great coach but an even better motivator and leader. Also able to surround himself with a high level staff. He would be a great fit pretty much anywhere but I just don't see high level programs giving him everything he is wanting and asking for.

Coombs, Walt Stewart (DL) , Mike Cummings (OL) , Nate Letton (TE), Darren Paige (RB) , James Ross (LB)... And potentially Gino if he gets the position.

A lot of support out there for Gino right now with current and former Bearcats. With Hartline out, I'll be extremely surprised if Gino isn't announced as next HC. Several players have announced they have no intentions of leaving and then there's this tweet below:

Mike Tressel (DC) , Colin Hitchler (Co-DC-Safeties), Mike Brown (WRs), and his two recruiting coordinators Pat Lambert/Max Steinecker. Gino Guidugli (OC) also probably follows if he doesn't get the HC position at UC.

USF reportedly offered 5 yrs $25 mil.

With Fick taking all of his assistants with him, I'll be surprised if UC has 5 commits left for 2023 at this point next week. Really hope this doesn't end up a total rebuild for the next coach.

Fick is basically taking everyone except Walt Stewart and Kerry Coombs with him. If Gino doesn't get the HC job, he's expected to head to Wisconsin as well.

My top choice as well. I have questions about who he would add to his staff but him, Golesh from Tennessee, or Sherrone Moore from Michigan would all be great hires if Cunningham decides to take the assistant route.

Was getting $5 mil per year at UC.

Rick's son... spent some time at UC as a GA. I believe Rick is currently at Michigan as an advisor.

We read it the same way. I think seeing Freeman get that job was the eye opener that nobody was going to wait for him. Wisconsin was getting ready to name their interim new head coach 2 days ago. I think the loss Friday sped up his process and decision and that's why things moved so quickly today.

Gonna see a lot of this until a new coach is announced. Wisconsin has lost several commits with the Fick news and just had a 4* OL flip to ND. I'll wait to see how everything plays out with the current roster and commits once a new coach is named before I worry.

I don't think Prime is a realistically option ( personal UA deal and UC is moving to Nike/Jordan next season) but even if he was, the amount of money of the deal would be irrelevant. He's currently worth $40 mil and coaching Jackson St for $300k per year...and donating half of it back to Jackson St to fund facility upgrades. I think you're underestimating the amount of money UC has available now as well with the transition to the B12 and other donor commitments/sponsors. They were paying Fick $5 mil per year and are getting ready to break ground on a $100 mil indoor practice facility. The assistant salary pool that Fick had this past season ($5.2 mil) was on par with pretty much every program in the ACC and Pac 12.... Cunningham was ready to increase both figures if that's what it was going to take to keep Fickell. They aren't paying $5 mil for the next coach but for the right one, I'm not ruling it out.

From Justin Williams and The Athletic: The sense among numerous sources close to Fickell is that the experience with Notre Dame last year, along with other previous coaching opportunities, had an impact on his decision to be more proactive as the carousel ramped up this year and led to his taking the Wisconsin job. Fickell, who has been hesitant to embrace NIL as a recruiting tool, has been frustrated by numerous decommitments and lost recruiting battles due to NIL in recent months, sources told The Athletic. Article also mentioned that Amy Fickell was in Madison either last week or the week prior to look in to the situation. Disappointing considering UC was still in contention for the AAC CCG. I'm extremely thankful for every thing Fick has done for UC but that article read as if he has had his mind made up for a while that this would be his last year in Clifton. Cunningham mentioned in his presser that there have been multiple conversations throughout the season to let Fick know what UC was willing to commit to in order to keep him happy but at the end of the day it was always going to be a "family decision."