Pete Thamel:
CINCINNATI -- When the Keurig coffee maker behind Luke Fickell's desk finally sputtered out too many grinds this winter, he asked for a replacement. When a shiny Nespresso machine eventually appeared in its place, the upgrade immediately offended Fickell's sensibilities.
Was it too fancy? Did folks around the Bearcats football program just expect bougie things? Could shiny new toys lead to complacency in the wake of a season that ended in a historic College Football Playoff bid?
"I almost threw the thing out," Fickell said recently in his office with a laugh.
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CINCINNATI -- When the Keurig coffee maker behind Luke Fickell's desk finally sputtered out too many grinds this winter, he asked for a replacement. When a shiny Nespresso machine eventually appeared in its place, the upgrade immediately offended Fickell's sensibilities.
Was it too fancy? Did folks around the Bearcats football program just expect bougie things? Could shiny new toys lead to complacency in the wake of a season that ended in a historic College Football Playoff bid?
"I almost threw the thing out," Fickell said recently in his office with a laugh.
'How can we be better?': Inside Cincinnati's quest for an encore after historic season
Last season, Cincinnati became the first Group of 5 team to make the College Football Playoff -- then saw a record exodus to the NFL draft. With a move to the Big 12 looming, how does coach Luke Fickell keep the Bearcats moving forward?
