Badger Football penalized by NCAA for recruiting violations

The National Collegiate Athletic Association penalized the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s football program last week, citing recruiting violations from spring of 2023.

Along with a $25,000 fine, Wisconsin has been placed on one-year probation, where the program will be required to regularly report to the NCAA. As individuals, head coach Luke Fickell and outside linebackers coach Matt Mitchell have been banned from contacting recruits from June 15 until June 21, according to a report from The Wisconsin State Journal. 

In September 2023, Wisconsin’s own compliance monitoring systems identified and reported illegal contact between the school’s coaching staff and various football recruits from spring of that year. While the NCAA investigation was ongoing, the school self-imposed restrictions during the 2023-24 season, including a temporary ban on all recruiting communication. 

The NCAA announced its sanctions against the program last Thursday. 

Former Defensive Line Coach Greg Scruggs, who is now with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, and former Player Personnel Director Max Steinecker, now at USC, both face year-long show-cause penalties. Scruggs has also been suspended from one regular-season game, though his transition to the NFL makes it unlikely this will play out in a substantial way.   

“Wisconsin Athletics is deeply committed to maintaining the highest level of integrity and holding ourselves accountable. We believe in doing things the right way, no matter the consequences,” UW Athletics said in a statement. “The issue at hand occurred two years ago under a rule that was actively being changed and no longer exists. We identified the mistake and were proactive in self-reporting and investigating and resolving the issue.”

Exactly what rules were broken?

In the Spring of 2023, nine members of Wisconsin’s coaching staff made recruiting phone calls to players outside of the allotted legal window of time to do so. In total, 139 illicit calls were made to 48 different recruits. The rules regarding contacting recruits have since been altered, with changes going into place in August of 2023, something the NCAA Infractions Committee acknowledged in its report on the situation. A majority of the calls would be legitimate under current regulations. 

Nonetheless, the school’s actions were ruled Level II violations, defined as “providing or intending to provide more than a minimal but less than a substantial or extensive recruiting, competitive or other advantage.” 

Fickell’s program will now be under strict reporting regulations and the close watch of the NCAA during the 2025-26 season.  Wisconsin football faces a daunting schedule this fall, drawing several top-ranked opponents, in what is sure to be a defining season in Fickell’s tenure with the Badgers.