Luke Fickell Says There's 'No Such Thing As Shortcuts,' And That Includes Elevators

Wisconsin football coach Luke Fickell means business when it comes to not allowing shortcuts in the program.

Fickell and the Badgers open the season week one against Buffalo, and the energy around the program is insane.

For the first time in a long time, it really does feel like Wisconsin is trending up after years of mediocrity and disappointing play.

Well, one of the reasons for the turnaround before a single regular season snap is an attitude shift behind the scenes.

Luke Fickell doesn't let Wisconsin players take shortcuts. (Credit: Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Luke Fickell bans elevator use for short distances.

Luke Fickell is so serious about not allowing players to do easy things that players are banned from taking the elevator short distances.

Yes, Wisconsin players must take the stairs if they're only going a few flights. The elevator is not an option because it's a shortcut.

"There are no such things as shortcuts. There are no such things as easy routes. No, don't take that," Fickell told NBC Sports about his mindset for setting a standard and not allowing his players to do easy things.

Fickell isn't playing games when it comes to the Wisconsin Badgers.

Say whatever you want about Fickell and the Badgers, but the one thing you can't say is that there hasn't already been a huge shift within the program.

There absolutely has been, and as a Wisconsin man, it's been fascinating to see. Fickell is bluntly laying out expectations, overhauling the offense and setting the tone.

It might seem like minor stuff, but it's really not. You can do big things if you can't do the little things perfectly. Master the fundamentals and the basics, and everything else will take care of itself.

Luke Fickell is changing the way things are done with the Wisconsin Badgers. (Credit: Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK)

The main question now is how will all of it translate onto the field. That remains to be seen, but expectations are soaring. Despite Luke Fickell's best attempts to dial down the outside noise, Wisconsin fans expect the Badgers to roll in his first year. Let's just hope the players still have some energy left for the actual games after walking all those stairs.