IMO, NO
Fickell favors a DT QB; Mertz NOT a runner.
"...
MADISON – Luke Fickell’s hiring likely will affect Wisconsin’s quarterbacks more than any other position group on the team.
Fickell, Cincinnati’s head coach for the last six seasons, prefers to recruit and develop dual-threat quarterbacks.
Desmond Ridder started 48 games in four seasons at Cincinnati from 2018-21. He passed for 10,239 yards and 87 touchdowns but also rushed for 2,180 yards and 28 touchdowns."
Wisconsin (under Mertz) struggled to find a rhythm offensively this season, particularly through the air. The Badgers ranked 76th in scoring offense (26.3 points per game) in the FBS and 115th in passing yards per game (183.8).
Mordecai, who also began his college career at Oklahoma, has spent the last two seasons with the Mustangs. Over 24 games, he’s thrown for 7,152 yards and 72 touchdown passes. He was a second-team All-AAC selection in 2021, and was named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award this season.
In three seasons, Mertz has 5,405 passing yards with 38 touchdowns and 26 interceptions, going 19-13 as Wisconsin's starting quarterback.
The Badgers are expected to land SMU transfer Tanner Mordecai,
according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. Once enrolled, Mordecai would be the second quarterback to transfer to Wisconsin, following Oklahoma’s Nick Evers.
It’s official. SMU Mustangs transfer quarterback Tanner Mordecai is transferring to the
Wisconsin Badgers, adding to an already deep quarterback room for 2023 that just fielded Oklahoma transfer Nick Evers recently.
With Mordecai, the Badgers now have five scholarship quarterbacks for 2023: Mordecai, Evers, Myles Burkett, Chase Wolf, and Cole LaCrue.
https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/20...-smu-transfer-qb-tanner-mordecai-luke-fickell
The Badgers have officially landed Oklahoma transfer quarterback Nick Evers. The Flower Mound, Texas native was a consensus four-star recruit in the 2022 class and the No. 9 quarterback overall according to 247Sports.
Evers originally committed to Florida before deciding to flip to Oklahoma.
https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/lists/breaking-wisconsin-lands-former-four-star-qb-nick-evers/
"...I think you need to look at Wiscy’s QB situation without Mertz. I know about it but I will let you do a little homework and see if you can find some info on it. Fickell certainly wanted to keep him around." - Paco
Most likely scenario - Conversations between Wisconsin & Fickell were ongoing for weeks before his hiring was announced - contracts like this take time to negotiate.
Fickell was already talking to potential QB transfers before he was announced as Wisconsin HFC.
May not have been as classless as Deion Sanders at Colorado,
BUT
Say what you want, Fickell didn't want Mertz & made no effort to keep him - already had two QBs inbound vis Xfer Portal.
Dates are for announcements; not when agreements were reached.
Nov 19th Mertz announces Xfer on social media.
Nov 27, 2022 Fickell announced as new Wisconsin HFC.
DEC 4, 2022 Mertz enters Xfer Porta
Dec 17, 2022 Evers announces transfer to Wisconsin
Dec 30, 2022 Mordecai announces transfer to Wisconsin