Wisconsin Football 2025

[Jim French Stepstool]

17 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

A former player who played for both Chryst/Leonhard and Fickell hopped on Reddit for an Ask Me Anything.  According to people close to the program, what he says aligns with what they have seen and heard.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WisconsinBadgers/comments/1q4rgco/i_played_football_for_the_last_three_badger/?share_id=h-_rN46FmomKpqsoXtozL&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1

 

Here's what I found really interesting:

 

 There are people who didn't believe he was actually a former player. I read through pretty much the whole thing & IMO he's 100% legit.

I think Leonhard would've carried some risk for sure. And once Fickell became available, going in that direction was a no-brainer. But I'll maintain Leonhards' eventual success or failure would've largely hinged on what kind of staff he could've put together. I agree Leonhard the HC wouldn't have had as good a DC as Leonhard the DC was.

You can't get much more of an insider perspective than a former player but man, I find it hard to believe JL would've been as anti-NIL as Chryst was.

[Jim French Stepstool]

2 hours ago, Joseph Zarr said:

 

Look at you------Mr CFB Transfer Portal!!!! 

Does this mean we won't hear anything more about Brewer prospects unless they can run a sub-4.4 forty or bench press over forty reps?🤔😄

[Joseph Zarr]

3 hours ago, LouisEly said:

Rumor floating around that Eugene Hilton likes the new QB and is coming back...

Can confirm, Sir!

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Didn't see this One coming:

(Let's be honest: I didn't see any of these coming. Just sharing these updates. 😅)

[Jim French Stepstool]

Some strong portal-driven momentum going on, and Hilton changing his mind adds some extra legitimacy to it. Great news.

[Joseph Zarr]

Hold up. Hold up.

 

[nate82]

17 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Hold up. Hold up.

 

Stop teasing! 

[LouisEly]

This is why they are bringing in several RBs:

---

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2026/01/08/wisconsins-luke-fickell-shares-updates-on-gideon-ituka-danny-oneil/88089571007/

They are still unsure if Ituka can play again.  They just signed another RB today, TCU transfer Nate Palmer.

On the bright side, Danny O'Neill could be ready by fall camp.  But that would be the earliest, thus the search for another QB.

[Joseph Zarr]

It would appear they got their Danny O'Neil insurance plan in place?

 

[nate82]

2 hours ago, Joseph Zarr said:

It would appear they got their Danny O'Neil insurance plan in place?

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Hold Up. Part deux:

 

[Joseph Zarr]

 

[nate82]

I wonder if UW said F it if everyone else is going to bend the rules then we will to.  

[LouisEly]

20 hours ago, LouisEly said:

They are still unsure if Ituka can play again.  They just signed another RB today, TCU transfer Nate Palmer.

Apparently, Dilin Jones didn't actually enter into the portal until yesterday, some time around when they signed Palmer.  Jones' agent told UW back on 12/23 he was going to enter the portal, and proceeded to shop around but not actually enter the portal.

Meanwhile, UW needed bodies and filled the position.  Jones told UW he was willing to come back, but UW had either already spent his $$ or offered very little because the position was already filled.  

Grass isn't always greener on the other side.

[homer]

I haven't followed recruiting in a long time (I quit when I got legit mad at an 18-year-old for flipping to MSU and decided I had issues), but is it possible you can play a moneyball game with NIL? So don't spend much on recruiting high school kids but use it for proven commodities or highly ranked recruits that maybe didn't pan our their first year or two?

[LouisEly]

Got another DL, Jake Anderson from Illinois State.  6'5", 295, 3-year starter and All Conference the last two years.  

[Samurai Bucky]

1 hour ago, homer said:

I haven't followed recruiting in a long time (I quit when I got legit mad at an 18-year-old for flipping to MSU and decided I had issues), but is it possible you can play a moneyball game with NIL? So don't spend much on recruiting high school kids but use it for proven commodities or highly ranked recruits that maybe didn't pan our their first year or two?

I think the moneyball reference is a great one.

I think Wisconsin's new philosophy is:

• Wisconsin doesn't have much talent, so I'll use the "300-mile radius" plan to recruit players
• If there are some Wisconsin kids that have pride in their school, that is great, but that won't be our primary focus
• Money talks and that is what will bring in quality players.

I am still skeptical.  You still need to have a coach that is going to connect with these players.  From what the reddit thread said, Fickell needs to work on that.  Also, not every player is perfect so how is the coaching staff going to help the players improve?

I was a little surprised that Hilton decided to come back.  Maybe that is a sign.  I certainly hope that they turn things around.  I have scars from my days in the band from '87 - '90.  Some of those scars were ripped open this year. 

It would be cool if Fickell said, "I know a lot of people have not renewed their season tickets.  If I were you, I would get them now because we are turning this ship around."  This would mimic Alvarez's quote.  I hope it works.

[Joseph Zarr]

DL Charles Perkins is staying:

 

[Jim French Stepstool]

8 hours ago, Samurai Bucky said:

 You still need to have a coach that is going to connect with these players.  From what the reddit thread said, Fickell needs to work on that.  Also, not every player is perfect so how is the coaching staff going to help the players improve?

 

Those two things, and have or develop a knack for picking portal guys that are going to mesh with returning players & other portal candidates. Be the proverbial 'good fit'. That can't be easy. Gard seemed to have a knack for it with guys like Klesmit, Tonje & McGee.

[Joseph Zarr]

They add an Edge:

They add a 4-Star TE (2027 Class):

 

[RedStickBrew]

47 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

They add an Edge:

They add a 4-Star TE (2027 Class):

 

They had a couple more experienced/expensive Edge players in previous to this guy I was hoping they could close on.
 

I really like Loftin as a high ceiling player, but he is a redshirt freshman with no college experience at a position they have no proven guys at

[Joseph Zarr]

 

[Joseph Zarr]

 

[wallus]

Breaking should never be used for any long snapper.... ever

[Joseph Zarr]