Wisconsin Football 2024

[Playing Catch]

10 hours ago, nate82 said:

I don’t think Wohler was the best player on the team let alone on defense.  He was probably the most complete player on the defensive side of the team.  Overall he was far from the best player.  Trech and Ashcraft are far better players.  I would put both of them as the best players on the team over Wohler.

I'll respectfully disagree, but even if those two are better, it's pretty close. I'd be willing to bet neither of them get drafted higher than wherever Wohler ends up being picked.

[nate82]

11 minutes ago, Playing Catch said:

I'd be willing to bet neither of them get drafted higher than wherever Wohler ends up being picked.

You are really discounting Trech's talent.  He is a very good WR who just happened to be mismanaged by the Badgers.  He has the talent of someone like D.J. Moore who went 24th in the 2018 draft.  Trech will definitely be picked higher than Wohler even if he doesn't pan out.  A WR with the skill set that Trech has will get drafted and at a higher spot than someone like Wohler who isn't really all that gifted athletically.  Ashcraft is probably the closest to Wohler in terms of draft stock.  But I think Ashcraft being a TE will be picked in the 5th or 6th round while I don't believe Wohler will be picked at all.  Wohler grades out to be a 6th or 7th round pick while Trech is probably a 4th round pick right now with Ashcraft being a 5th or 6th round pick grade.  Both Trech and Ashcraft have at least two more years and possibly three to showcase what they have. 

[LouisEly]

On 12/18/2024 at 9:35 AM, LouisEly said:

Mendoza (Cal), Murphy (Duke), and Salter (Liberty).  Mateer had not officially entered the portal yet (and it's likely he's following his OC to Oklahoma).

As expected, Mateer to Oklahoma.  Salter to Colorado to play for Sanders.  Mendoza hasn't decided yet. 

Edwards was likely the best available they could get who has any type of in-game experience.

[LouisEly]

Top true FR CB Xavier Lucas apparently got poached by Miami for a big bag.  Don't even have to be in the portal; NIL collectives are calling agents/family/friends and tampering behind the scenes. 

Would have been nice to know that before the other younger CBs transferred out looking for playing time.

[Jim French Stepstool]

On 12/18/2024 at 10:50 AM, nate82 said:

I don’t think Wohler was the best player on the team let alone on defense.  He was probably the most complete player on the defensive side of the team.  Overall he was far from the best player.  Trech and Ashcraft are far better players.  I would put both of them as the best players on the team over Wohler.

I don't think Kekahuna is a 'far better' player than Wohler, but the argument could be made that he's better (it could also be made that Wohler is better, IMO).

Ashcraft? I've seen nothing in two years to put him in that lofty a position. And I believe that blocking from the TE spot is going to take on a more important role moving forward. There is little to no evidence Ashcraft can be effective in that role, or if that was even considered when he was first offered. He'll be given ample opportunity w/Nowakowski gone so we'll see.

Understand, I probably put a lot more emphasis on how productive someone is for his team when assigning value, than what round he might be projected to go in. Wohler is an example of that. But I hope your feelings toward Ashcraft come to fruition.

[Jim French Stepstool]

5 hours ago, LouisEly said:

Top true FR CB Xavier Lucas apparently got poached by Miami for a big bag.  Don't even have to be in the portal; NIL collectives are calling agents/family/friends and tampering behind the scenes. 

Would have been nice to know that before the other younger CBs transferred out looking for playing time.

Actually, it would be nice if coaches had ANY ability to plan a roster ahead of time.

It's one thing to have to rely on players' whims year-to-year. Throw in that we're talking about 18-22 year olds..........

[Jim French Stepstool]

On 12/16/2024 at 10:01 AM, igor67 said:

I'm kind of curious to here from any professors these days how classes are going with this amount of transferring.

English classes are probably going great guns, particularly student-athletes being drilled in the art of starting a sentence with a preposition.

"With that being said............."

[Jim French Stepstool]

On 12/18/2024 at 12:20 PM, Samurai Bucky said:

 What I do know is Mrs. Samurai and I would often say, "Yup -- there is Ashcraft with another penalty."

Lucky you. I usually get "Do you have an idea when that will be over?" (She's a hoops fan though, so you take the good with the bad)😁.

[Playing Catch]

8 hours ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

English classes are probably going great guns, particularly student-athletes being drilled in the art of starting a sentence with a preposition.

"With that being said............."

I do that all the time.😶

[Underachiever]

14 hours ago, LouisEly said:

Top true FR CB Xavier Lucas apparently got poached by Miami for a big bag.  Don't even have to be in the portal; NIL collectives are calling agents/family/friends and tampering behind the scenes. 

Would have been nice to know that before the other younger CBs transferred out looking for playing time.

As Kekahuna showed, you can often come back to the team from the portal. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

5 hours ago, Underachiever said:

As Kekahuna showed, you can often come back to the team from the portal. 

DBs that can make plays are at a premium in todays' game, and Lucas has shown flashes of being able to do that. I think he's looking for a payday & I can't imagine someone--Miami or whoever--giving it to him & us beating it. 

I think he's gone. Hope I'm wrong.

[Underachiever]

1 hour ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

DBs that can make plays are at a premium in todays' game, and Lucas has shown flashes of being able to do that. I think he's looking for a payday & I can't imagine someone--Miami or whoever--giving it to him & us beating it. 

I think he's gone. Hope I'm wrong.

I was referring to this part of the quote: Would have been nice to know that before the other younger CBs transferred out looking for playing time.

I don't expect Lucas to come back, but perhaps one of the other DBs who left could reconsider.

[Jim French Stepstool]

7 hours ago, Underachiever said:

I was referring to this part of the quote: Would have been nice to know that before the other younger CBs transferred out looking for playing time.

I don't expect Lucas to come back, but perhaps one of the other DBs who left could reconsider.

It's possible. So much of this is about timing---timing that's totally out of the FB programs' control. Had Lucas announced two days after the Minnesota game that he's leaving, maybe a couple of them never decide to portal in the first place. It has to be incredibly frustrating for coaches trying to build a roster.

[HarryDoyle]

On 12/16/2024 at 8:39 AM, Samurai Bucky said:

Scholarships?  With NIL, I didn't know they existed anymore.  😉

They do. They're just called one year contracts now.

[nate82]

Mettauer will enter the transfer portal now.  Not really a surprise here with the two incoming transfers plus the hyped freshman coming in.  Also may mean another transfer is coming in.
 

https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2024/12/21/24326919/breaking-wisconsin-badgers-2024-four-star-freshman-qb-mabrey-mettauer-to-enter-the-transfer-portal

[homer]

latest on Xavier Lucas is that he signed some kind of contract with UW agreeing to come back next year and then he entered the portal. He won't be playing for UW but I can now see why Fickell is blocking this. 

[nate82]

Hallman will be returning for a 5th season.  Defensively this team is looking better now.  Just need one or two more DB’s.

[Jim French Stepstool]

53 minutes ago, nate82 said:

 Defensively this team is looking better now.  

On paper, I agree 100%. That being said, will everyone mesh & will the defensive philosophy fit the talent? It's hard to say when every year a large amount of the experienced talent is in essence lining up on the playground, and the captains (college programs) pick up sides.

Reading what's between the ears & in the hearts of these kids, as well as their ability to fit a role in a system, is so vital now. Greg Gard has done a pretty good job of it. Hopefully this staff can do the same.

[Jim French Stepstool]

It sounds like Xavier Lucas took an NIL deal requiring him to stay at UW, and he's now trying to leave & (I assume) not pay back the money (Not sure how that last part would even figure into it, if true). UW doesn't want to give him his release & Lucas has hired an attorney. Don't think the college sports world isn't keeping very close tabs on this.

 

[yourout]

12 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

It sounds like Xavier Lucas took an NIL deal requiring him to stay at UW, and he's now trying to leave & (I assume) not pay back the money (Not sure how that last part would even figure into it, if true). UW doesn't want to give him his release & Lucas has hired an attorney. Don't think the college sports world isn't keeping very close tabs on this.

 

If that is the case the kid deserves to lose a year.

[LouisEly]

3 hours ago, nate82 said:

Hallman will be returning for a 5th season.  Defensively this team is looking better now.  Just need one or two more DB’s.

So are OLB/DE Aaron Witt and DT Ben Barten.  The last of the COVID 6th year guys; they got 2020 as a COVID year and 2021 as a redshirt.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Apparently Xavier Lucas signed a two-year NIL deal with UW, and Lucas transferred to Miami w/o entering the portal (Wisconsin refused to release him). It's hard to predict what would happen if legal action were taken since there's no precedent, but it looks like going to court is a real possibility.

A good ass-covering verdict would be to let Lucas transfer but have to pay back the money. But I suspect the Lamborghinis are already in the garage.

[jay87shot]

26 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

Apparently Xavier Lucas signed a two-year NIL deal with UW, and Lucas transferred to Miami w/o entering the portal (Wisconsin refused to release him). It's hard to predict what would happen if legal action were taken since there's no precedent, but it looks like going to court is a real possibility.

A good ass-covering verdict would be to let Lucas transfer but have to pay back the money. But I suspect the Lamborghinis are already in the garage.

Hopefully the Badgers win, not just because it is us but to stop some (a little) of this this free agent craziness. How can you sign a 2 year contract and then a week later want to transfer and there isn't tampering.

Honestly the ncaa is ridiculous, because the idea of a portal doesn't really exist. A player can unenroll at any point, enroll in another school, and pretty muchly be eligible the idea of a portal opening and closing isn't accurate at all. Now the idea that he signed a contract and then Miami improperly offered him more money is total conceivable and probably likely (Badgers said they have proof of improper contact).

Not really Lucas' fault in my opinion, NCAA having ambiguous rules and corrupt teams doing whatever they want and there isn't a strong enough entity (ncaa) to do anything. You can't blame a 19/20 year old OF taking a couple 100 grand to move closer to home (like 30 miles I think I read).

[LouisEly]

Oh boy...

 

 

[LouisEly]

And within 20 minutes of UW releasing their statement, the Big Ten releases a statement in strong support of UW and also alleging tampering by Miami.  In writing: