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Ricardo Hallman’s ‘Consistency’ is Impressing the Wisconsin Football Coaching Staff

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Wisconsin football cornerbacks Ricardo Hallman and Max Lofy
Sep 10, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Ricardo Hallman (2) celebrates with cornerback Max Lofy (12) following an interception during the first quarter against the Washington State Cougars at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Madison, Wis. — Spring practice offered a clean slate for all Wisconsin football players held over from the previous regime. For one redshirt sophomore cornerback on the Badgers, his consistent approach to the game has caught the attention of his new head coach Luke Fickell. 

“If you asked me, in particular, one guy that’s been as consistent as anybody, I’d say Ricardo [Hallman],” Fickell told reporters after practice. “Each and every day, we try to strive to not be that occasionally great but the consistently good, which then turns you into consistently really good, which in the long run makes you great. If I were to pick one, I’d say Ricardo; every single day has been consistently good, and you’ve seen him grow and get better.”

Despite being relatively inexperienced, the Florida native has reportedly been making plays and demonstrating a solid understanding of the team’s new defensive scheme under Mike Tressel. His consistent performance in practice has led to him receiving reps with the first-team defense as the boundary corner opposite Alexander Smith and nickel Jason Maitre. The trio has been the top grouping for Wisconsin football all spring. 

Wisconsin Football Will Be Young, Inexperienced at CB in 2023

The Wisconsin football program currently features a young cornerback room, where six of the 10 players are either freshmen or sophomores. 

With the graduation of several key defensive backs from last season, the Badgers will rely on younger players like Hallman to step up and fill those important roles in the secondary. 

This past season, the 5-foot-10 defensive back appeared in nine games, starting eight, played 341 total snaps, and registered 9.0 tackles, 3.0 pass deflections, and one interception while playing on the boundary.

Hallman, a former three-star recruit, only allowed a 41.4 REC% — giving up 12 catches on 29 targets, per PFF. Unfortunately, his one tough outing against Michigan State, where he was targeted eight times and allowed 3TDs, seems to overshadow an otherwise impressive redshirt freshman season.

Wisconsin football may add another defensive back because they want more experience, which would eat into Hallman’s playing time, but the reports out of spring practice have been highly encouraging. 

It sounds like Hallman’s up to the challenge of becoming a starting cornerback and has the potential to become a key contributor for the Badgers and make an impact in the upcoming season. 


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Dillon Graff is a Substack newsletter best-selling author, publisher of AllBadgers, and the owner of BadgerNotes.com, your go-to source for in-depth coverage of the Wisconsin Badgers. His work has been featured in top media publications like USA Today's BadgersWire, Athlon Sports, Bleacher Report, Verbal Commits, Bucky's 5th Quarter, and FanSided.

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