Wisconsin Football 2022- The Jim Leonhard Show ends, the Luke Fickell era begins

[yourout]

For the immediate future of badger football this year went about as good as you could hope in that you were able to get out of the death spiral that Chryst had put them in and transition to a new coach all while winning a low-level bowl game.

Not many teams are able to do that while moving around to a new coach.

[LouisEly]

QBs are great, but he also needs to prove that he can bring in OL, RB, and defensive front seven.  The latter has been an especially weak recruit group so far, and I think that Kolodziej leaving is a big loss.  He did a lot with some unheralded DL recruits, particularly getting Hennigsen, Loudermilk, and soon to be Benton into the NFL despite a system that leverages the DL to free up the LBs and not necessarily focus on play making.

[nate82]

13 hours ago, MVP2110 said:

This is the 3rd highly sought after QB that Fickell & Longo have gotten in less than a month on the job. This is a new era of Wisconsin Football

With Evers, Wolf and LaCrue already committed to WI and if Mordecai comes I just don't see a spot for Burkett.  Burkett may want to think about transferring at some point because I don't think he will keep his scholarship and I think he is in danger of losing his spot on the team.  LaCrue will more than likely be redshirted so that leaves open one more spot for QB and I just don't see it being Burkett with Mordecai, Evers and Wolf on the team.  Maybe Wolf is the one who will transfer but that still leaves Burkett as QB3 and he is only ahead of LaCrue because of the redshirt status. 

[Brewcrew82]

1 hour ago, yourout said:

For the immediate future of badger football this year went about as good as you could hope in that you were able to get out of the death spiral that Chryst had put them in and transition to a new coach all while winning a low-level bowl game.

Not many teams are able to do that while moving around to a new coach.

Plus, the roster exodus due to the coaching change has been a lot better than expected, with Mertz and Guerendo being the biggest contributors to transfer out. And I think we'd all take the Mertz for Mordecai and Evers swap...

[LouisEly]

4 hours ago, nate82 said:

With Evers, Wolf and LaCrue already committed to WI and if Mordecai comes I just don't see a spot for Burkett.  Burkett may want to think about transferring at some point because I don't think he will keep his scholarship and I think he is in danger of losing his spot on the team.  LaCrue will more than likely be redshirted so that leaves open one more spot for QB and I just don't see it being Burkett with Mordecai, Evers and Wolf on the team.  Maybe Wolf is the one who will transfer but that still leaves Burkett as QB3 and he is only ahead of LaCrue because of the redshirt status. 

Why would Burkett lose his scholarship?  P5 conferences have been guaranteeing 4-year scholarships for over a decade now.

[Jim French Stepstool]

11 hours ago, UpandIn said:

I wasn't paying close enough attention and wondered when SMU moved to the ACC. 

 

And as someone who said there's almost no way Chryst is fired(I just did NOT believe UW would be that aggressive) and thought we couldn't get QBs because we had Mertz here, a highly rated QB, Fickell is DESTROYING that idea. 

 

It certainly is a different mindset with McIntosh in charge. I didn't think the chances of Chryst getting canned were zero, but I never would've expected it in-season. Long-term, it may be a blessing in disguise JL didn't win one or two more games as that may have been all it took for him to get the job. I love JL & believe he would've been successful here, but the pathway is looking quite different with Fikell & the folks he's surrounding himself with.

[Jim French Stepstool]

5 hours ago, LouisEly said:

QBs are great, but he also needs to prove that he can bring in OL, RB, and defensive front seven.  The latter has been an especially weak recruit group so far, and I think that Kolodziej leaving is a big loss.  He did a lot with some unheralded DL recruits, particularly getting Hennigsen, Loudermilk, and soon to be Benton into the NFL despite a system that leverages the DL to free up the LBs and not necessarily focus on play making.

I want to see (if they change to it) what the 3-3-5 looks like as far as linemen's responsibilities & what "type" of athletes they want up front to execute it. I've always been a big 3-4 guy. I suppose we'd see safeties who are psuedo-LB types who can also cover. He's certainly focused on bringing in DB-types.

I'm still pretty bullish on some of the younger O-linemen who haven't really seen the field much yet. But yeah, you'd hope he can get the midwest kids for the lines & LB like they've always been able to.

 

[Jim French Stepstool]

55 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

Why would Burkett lose his scholarship?  P5 conferences have been guaranteeing 4-year scholarships for over a decade now.

Yeah, I could see him deciding to leave due to recent developments. But it would be his decision.

[areacodes]

On 12/30/2022 at 8:23 AM, LouisEly said:

QBs are great, but he also needs to prove that he can bring in OL, RB, and defensive front seven.  The latter has been an especially weak recruit group so far, and I think that Kolodziej leaving is a big loss.  He did a lot with some unheralded DL recruits, particularly getting Hennigsen, Loudermilk, and soon to be Benton into the NFL despite a system that leverages the DL to free up the LBs and not necessarily focus on play making.

He never coached Loudermilk as the DL coach and had minimal time with both Henningsen (1 year) and Benton (2 years). Not saying he didn’t have an impact with them, but not sure it is as big as you are implying.

With that said, they need to bring in some talented players on the DL.  I was hopeful they’d get Micah Potter’s brother from Cincy or Juedy from A&M when they went in the portal. I’m sure they’ll bring somebody in to help there.

Right now we seem to be cornering the market on QB’s and DB’s. 

Former Boston College DB, Jason Maitre, is transferring in too.

https://247sports.com/college/wisconsin/Article/Jason-Maitre-Transfers-From-Boston-College-Eagles-to-Wisconsin-Badgers-Football-Recruiting-201655101/Amp/

[GAME05]

.

[Jim French Stepstool]

On 12/31/2022 at 2:59 PM, areacodes said:

He never coached Loudermilk as the DL coach and had minimal time with both Henningsen (1 year) and Benton (2 years). Not saying he didn’t have an impact with them, but not sure it is as big as you are implying.

With that said, they need to bring in some talented players on the DL.  I was hopeful they’d get Micah Potter’s brother from Cincy or Juedy from A&M when they went in the portal. I’m sure they’ll bring somebody in to help there.

Right now we seem to be cornering the market on QB’s and DB’s. 

Former Boston College DB, Jason Maitre, is transferring in too.

https://247sports.com/college/wisconsin/Article/Jason-Maitre-Transfers-From-Boston-College-Eagles-to-Wisconsin-Badgers-Football-Recruiting-201655101/Amp/

Isaiah Mullins has recently announced he's coming back. Not necessarily a highlight-reel playmaker but he's solid. 

Benton was a real security blanket for a long time at NT. Looks like Rodas Johnson will be first up there. Hope Gio Paez & maybe Curt Neal can make a push.

[homer]

On 12/30/2022 at 8:23 AM, LouisEly said:

QBs are great, but he also needs to prove that he can bring in OL, RB, and defensive front seven.  The latter has been an especially weak recruit group so far, and I think that Kolodziej leaving is a big loss.  He did a lot with some unheralded DL recruits, particularly getting Hennigsen, Loudermilk, and soon to be Benton into the NFL despite a system that leverages the DL to free up the LBs and not necessarily focus on play making.

Well here's one DL anyway:

 

[MVP2110]

 

Started at RT last year for Cincinnati, has two years of eligibility left

Between Huber & Varner the Badgers have improved the trenches the last couple days 

[LouisEly]

Apparently Coach Longo sent out a tweet suggesting five new offensive additions this weekend. 

Huber (OT - Cincinnati, 1st Team All-AAC), Renfro (OC - Cincinnati, 1st Team All-AAC), Nathanial Vakos (K - Ohio, freshman All-American), and supposedly two WRs.

[yourout]

9 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

Apparently Coach Longo sent out a tweet suggesting five new offensive additions this weekend. 

Huber (OT - Cincinnati, 1st Team All-AAC), Renfro (OC - Cincinnati, 1st Team All-AAC), Nathanial Vakos (K - Ohio, freshman All-American), and supposedly two WRs.

Damn.... Impressive if true.

[homer]

[stoutdude04]

It really is amazing - it feels like every solid name in the portal is linked to the Badgers.

[homer]

16 hours ago, LouisEly said:

Apparently Coach Longo sent out a tweet suggesting five new offensive additions this weekend. 

Huber (OT - Cincinnati, 1st Team All-AAC), Renfro (OC - Cincinnati, 1st Team All-AAC), Nathanial Vakos (K - Ohio, freshman All-American), and supposedly two WRs.

Now he's saying it's seven new additions.

[Brewcrew82]

13 minutes ago, homer said:

Now he's saying it's seven new additions.

That includes the additions we’ve already made in the portal. Not seven new pending commitments. Still would expect multiple new commitments this week (eg. Williams, Ohio kicker). Supposedly we’re also in on a 4 star 2022 QB transfer from Miss State…

[wallus]

CJ Williams transferring to Wisconsin allegedly. 

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

College free agency is more exciting than the NFL version.

This really can't last, though. Its quickly turning into a dumpster fire. 

[igor67]

I'm with Ron, I'm momentarily enjoying what it feels like to spend like a drunken sailor in free agency but this level of chaos isn't good in the long run. Spring practice is going to be abnormally important with this much roster turn over, though a slight bonus since a chunk of those players are from his old program so there is familiarity.

[Jim French Stepstool]

4 hours ago, igor67 said:

I'm with Ron, I'm momentarily enjoying what it feels like to spend like a drunken sailor in free agency but this level of chaos isn't good in the long run. Spring practice is going to be abnormally important with this much roster turn over, though a slight bonus since a chunk of those players are from his old program so there is familiarity.

In the long run it certainly isn't. looking forward to the 1st example of some school putting together a "dream team" of sorts with splashy portal pickups, then go 7-5 or something because the chemistry just didn't jibe. From everything i've heard from him it sounds like Fickell is an advocate of building & developing in the traditional way (although it's obvious by what's currently going on that he won't ignore the portal). There are extenuating circumstances---new coach, kids he's developed a relationship with transferring from UC or flipping a commitment. I expect this type of roster-building to be the exception rather than the rule at UW in future years.

[Samurai Bucky]

4 hours ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

College free agency is more exciting than the NFL version.

This really can't last, though. Its quickly turning into a dumpster fire. 

It is more exciting when Wisconsin is a destination.

There are many people who seem to be surprised at the dumpster fire (excellent term, BTW Ron) that the Portal has turned into.  Once NIL entered the picture, then it turned into a sugar honey iced tea show.

To think, the first really big transfer was Russell Wilson from NC State to Wisconsin.

[homer]