Report: Cincinnati Signs Luke Fickell To Contract Extension

On Feb 14, 2022

As first reported by The Athletic’s Justin Williams, Cincinnati and Luke Fickell have agreed to a contract extension that will pay the former Ohio State defensive tackle, assistant and interim head coach $5 million per year through the 2028 season.

The 48-year-old Fickell just finished his fifth season with the Bearcats, helping the program become the first Group of Five team to make the College Football Playoff this past season. He is 48-15 overall, which includes back-to-back American Athletic Conference championships in 2020-21.

Fickell’s has been connected to numerous openings over the last two years, including LSU, Notre Dame and USC this offseason. But this deal, which is pending approval from the university’s board of trustees on Feb. 22, only reinforces his commitment to the Cincinnati.

The contract also reportedly includes an increase in staff salary pool, from $3.85 million to $5.2 million per year, as well assurances on a new permanent indoor practice facility, which will help the Bearcats as they navigate a move to the Big XII no later than the 2024 season.

“These guys deserve it, this program deserves it, this university deserves it,” Fickell told Williams.

Fickell, who played defensive for the Buckeyes from 1993-96, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1999. After a two-year stint as the defensive line coach at Akron, he retuned to Columbus as the special teams coordinator under former head coach Jim Tressel.

Fickell became the Buckeyes’ linebackers coach in 2004, then added the title of co-defensive coordinator to his responsibilities the following season, a position he held until he was named the interim head coach when Tressel was suspended – and later resigned – for his role in the tattoo-for-memorabilia scandal.

Without quarterback Terrelle Pryor, running back Daniel “Boom” Herron, wide receiver DeVier Posey, offensive tackle Mike Adams and defensive end Solomon Thomas, Ohio State went 6-7 in Fickell’s lone season, which ended with a disappointing loss to Florida in the 2012 Gator Bowl.

When the Buckeyes hired Urban Meyer as head coach, Fickell returned to his post as co-defensive coordinator, where he remained until he was hired by Cincinnati ahead of the 2017 season. During his time at Ohio State, he helped the program to a pair of national championships (2002 and 2014) and was named the 2010 AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year.

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