Wisconsin Reportedly Makes Very Interesting Offensive Coordinator Hire

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell has reportedly found the team's new offensive coordinator.

Fickell has tapped UNC OC Phil Longo as the new OC of the Badgers, according to Bruce Feldman, and it's a sign that Wisconsin football as fans have known it for years is over.

Phil Longo is pretty much the exact opposite of what Wisconsin football is known for on the offensive side of the ball.

Ever since Barry Alvarez was hired as the program's head coach several decades ago, the Badgers have been a run and grind it out team.

That's not what UNC has done under Longo. The Tar Heels have aired it out and thrown the ball all over the place.

Luke Fickell reportedly hires Phil Longo as Wisconsin's OC. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Phil Longo represents a tectonic shift for the Wisconsin Badgers.

Over the past four seasons, UNC has never averaged fewer than 250 passing yards a game in a season, and has averaged at least 300 yards a game in two different seasons.

This past season, the Tar Heels threw for 4,124 yards as a team. That's about as anti-Wisconsin as it gets, and it proves the old ways are dead and buried.

Luke Fickell made it clear things are changing for the Badgers, and hiring Phil Longo is proof that he's committed to his vision.

Luke Fickell has a bold vision for the future of Wisconsin football. (Credit: Wisconsin Football/Twitter)

Now, how will fans react? That all depends on how things shake out on the field. If the Badgers are winning a bunch of games, nobody will care whether or not the offensive philosophy has shifted.

I can guarantee you that much. We can throw the ball 50 times a game and never run if Wisconsin is notching victories. The offense struggles and you will see fans quickly revolt. It's the nature of the beast.

Phil Longo reportedly joining Wisconsin's staff as the OC. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Now that Wisconsin has a new OC, it's time to find a new QB. Hopefully, Luke Fickell is already tracking down any and all leads.