New Mexico HC linked to Wisconsin football amidst new AD search

As it has been for quite some time, Luke Fickell’s name is on the hot seat entering the 2026 season.

The Wisconsin Badgers football program has reached an all-time low, one that will be closely monitored this season.

A new athletic director in town means changes will be coming; it’s just a matter of how soon before they try to leave their mark on UW.

For now, Fickell is set to be Wisconsin’s head coach for the foreseeable future. That said, there’s an incredibly intriguing candidate out there, one who is a Wisconsin native and has ties to the program.

In a massive college football article from ESPN, Adam Rittenberg suggested New Mexico’s Jason Eck is one of five coaches due for a Power 4 head coaching job after this season.

Eck played under Barry Alvarez from 1995-98 as an offensive lineman for the Badgers. The La Crosse native is just 48-years old and has found a ton of success at Idaho and now New Mexico.

Rittenberg says Eck, “has the right mix of coaching chops and personality that will entice Power 4 athletic directors.”

While he notably tabs him as a “natural fit in the Big 12”, it’s impossible not to ignore Eck’s ties and just how perfect a fit he may be with the Badgers.

Overall, Eck is 35-17 as a head coach with a .673 winning percentage. He was named the 2025 MW Coach of the Year after going 9-4 in his first season with the Lobos.

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