MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin's spring football practice is complete and the Badgers still have work to do for next season, but they've learned a lot over the past five weeks.
Several individuals have created a strong springboard and put themselves in a much better position to contribute. Let's take a look at some of the Badgers whose stock is rising after spring practice.
Midway through spring practice, it was hard to read Wisconsin's quarterback battle between Van Dyke and Bradyn Lock. Neither player has put together outstanding performances to really take control, and coach Luke Fickell has said multiple times that Van Dijk, who has moved to Miami, needs to “continue to come out of his shell” as a leader. Ta. However, Van Dijk appeared to make significant strides in the second half of the spring despite not having a confirmed starter. He looked more comfortable on offense, leading three touchdown drives in the spring scrimmage and completing all 11 passes of 135 yards or more in that series. He has also shown great intelligence on when to hold the ball and run, which could be a strength for the offense next season.
“No. The key is consistency,” Fickell said after the team's final spring practice on Thursday. “I think what we're starting to see that's unique about him is his ability to make him play a little bit more and even run a little bit more because he's a big, physical kid. Actually, if you look back, he was running a lot more. And he made some plays and did some things with his feet, which naturally gets you into the flow of the game. I think he's drawn in. We did a little bit more of that later in the spring. And I think all of that goes hand in hand with his comfort level with what he's doing.”
Kekahuna was seen on the field several times this spring. He thought, “Let's get the ball to him in space and see what happens.'' That's how interesting and effective Kekahuna was in capitalizing on the opportunity. Wisconsin fans got a glimpse of his potential when he caught four passes for 64 yards in the Lilliaquest Bowl against LSU.
He certainly took it forward in the spring as well, using his speed and cutting ability to make defenders miss frequently. That included a play in the spring where he caught the ball in the left flat and then kicked two defensive backs for a big gain. Kekahuna and Will Poehling are thought to form a dynamic pairing of slot receivers that can also be used at the same time.
Towee Walker impressed in the spring and has a chance to get meaningful carries in 2024. (Denny Medley/USA Today)
With the arrival of Walker through the transfer portal from Oklahoma State in December, the Badgers now have eight running backs on scholarship for next season, but there are questions about what his role will be. occurred. Was he just insurance in case Chez Melussi got hurt? Or can he be something more? The answer is clear from the spring, as Walker has been very impressive.
Not only does he run hard, he has more speed than people would expect from a 222-pound tailback. Wisconsin still has a pair of four-star freshmen this summer in Dillin Jones and Darrion Dupree, but is optimistic about Merusi and Walker as a 1-2 duo that could carry the offense next season. There's a reason.
Quincy Burrows, WR
Burrows played more snaps towards the end of last season, finishing with four catches for 30 yards. Wisconsin has several options at the outside receiver position next season, including Vinnie Anthony and CJ Williams to complement Bryson Green. But Burroughs worked himself firmly into the mix with a series of strong exercises. He capped off the spring Thursday with a spectacular 34-yard touchdown catch from Lock, who hit the defense full body in the end zone.
“I thought I had more confidence last year,” Fickell said. “I think the connection he has with coach (Kenny) Guiton is really good, and I think that’s helped him in a lot of ways to be the best he can be and grow.”
Brunner probably should have gotten more snaps last season, but was lost in the shuffle under then-offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. His current O-line coach, AJ Blazek, said Brunner, who has played just 45 career snaps, looks like a veteran because of the way he plays. His playing is fast and basically sound.
What stands out about Brunner is his athleticism and versatility. He’s not afraid to pair it with a defense that supports the quarterback. He could also be the first option at tackle, as he did when he slid to left tackle in place of Jack Nelson during the scrimmage.
McGaughan may have gotten off to a slow start this spring, but he has emerged as a legitimate potential pass-catching weapon at the position. He had two great catches in the spring scrimmage. The first time he hit it about 30 yards down his left sideline, and the other time he reached over the middle to catch a pass thrown behind him and still caught it.
McGaughan, who transferred to LSU, was a four-star tight end coming out of high school. Offensive coordinator Phil Longo said he could see McGaughan being used in a group of three tight ends that also includes returning players Riley Nowakowski and Tucker Ashcraft.
Defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said he knew “nothing” about Loffey before spring practice began, as he missed all of last season with an ankle injury in his first year on the coaching staff. But depending on what the Badgers do with safety Austin Brown, a healthy Loffey gives Wisconsin a viable starting option in that slot. Loffey received the majority of first-team reps this spring after an injury to Kamoy Ratu moved Brown from the slot back to safety. Loffey played 126 snaps in this slot in 2022, showing his good instincts, playmaking ability and physicality.
“He's a strong guy,” Tressel said. “That was one thing I didn't know anything about until I saw it in action. He's much bigger than Jason Maitre was last year, for example, and he's shown a willingness to work on his physicality. That's definitely a question mark and , through no fault of his own, we're excited for him.”
Fickell said Forkleen is the player who has improved the most on the team since last season. Forkleen underwent surgery last May to address thoracic outlet syndrome, but was unable to lift all offseason because his ribs needed to be removed to avoid blood clots. Forkleen, who started five of the final six games last season, is much stronger and faster and will likely partner with outsider Ricardo Hallman next season.
You can't mention one of them without talking about the other two. All three players have been solid presences in the backfield this spring, so it looks like Wisconsin will be much better at applying pressure from the edge next season. Pius transferred from his FCS program, and William and Mary, Lowery arrived from Syracuse. Both players are built with speed and power and bring a vitality that was lacking last season.
Peterson, who led the team with 4 1/2 sacks last season, was outstanding during spring scrimmages, and Tressel said he's open to more competition at the position. Peterson can also be used as a defensive tackle with his hands on the ground in a package that features five linebackers. Last season, Wisconsin's outside linebackers totaled 8 1/2 sacks. I plan to take over next season.
Alliegro played a total of 53 defensive snaps last season, converting from outside linebacker to inside. Wisconsin added three inside linebacker transfers this offseason in Jaheim Thomas (Arkansas), Tackett Curtis (USC) and Sebastian Cheeks (North Carolina), so one wonders where Alligro will fit. It was natural. However, he got the majority of snaps on the first-team defense, often paired with Jake Chaney. Curtis was sidelined with an injury for most of the spring, so his return could impact the rotation. Still, Alliegro's combination of length and athleticism will be a factor on defense next season.
“The difficult thing for Christian is we know his skill set so we expect him to be a five-year veteran and an All-Big Ten type of player from day one,” Tressel said. he said. “That's the responsibility we're putting on him, and we know it's not realistic. But that's how we treat him, and that's how we treat him. It's a standard that he's trying to set and we're watching him step up. Certainly, his comfort level has increased. He didn't have to be that guy who's always down. Although he has improved in some respects, we hold him to the highest standards.”
(Top photo of Quincy Burroughs: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA Today Network)
