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Wisconsin Badgers Football Spring Game Story-lines to Watch

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Wisconsin Badgers football head coach Luke Fickell
Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell watches defensive end Tommy Brunner go though a drill during the team's first spring practice on Saturday March 25, 2023 at the McClain Center in Madison, Wis. Uw Football Spring Practice 5 March 25 2023

Madison, Wis. – April 22nd, 2023 will be a historic day for the Wisconsin Badgers football program as Luke Fickell officially introduces himself and his team on the field.

The Wisconsin Badgers spring football game, titled “The Launch”, will be the opening of the next era for the team. The new coaching staff is eager to display their changes for the first time in a game environment. For many of the new and returning players as well, this game will be an excellent opportunity to put on a show.

Wisconsin will utilize this game as an opportunity to showcase the type of football they plan on playing moving forward. The Badgers are out to prove themselves as a team, however the players will also get a chance to do the same. Going into the exciting spring game, here are three story-lines to watch out for over the course of the game.

Wisconsin Badgers Football Story-lines: The Quarterbacks

The elephant in every college program’s room each year is the quarterback situation. Quarterbacks are pivotal to the success of a team and when a quarterback struggles, it will directly impact the team. Sometimes missed tackles or fumbles will not have much of an impact on the game down the line. However, when a quarterback makes a mistake, it can be much more costly.

Wisconsin struggled overall with production from former quarterback Graham Mertz. Mertz finished last season with a 52.9 overall quarterback rating, which ranked him 80th across college football. For a program as storied as the Badgers, the play coming from the position was hard to watch as it often directly impacted the result of the game. New offensive coordinator Phil Longo is a quarterback guru after transforming the careers of Drake Maye and Sam Howell. If anyone is prepared to change the position for Wisconsin, it is certainly Longo.

Between Tanner Mordecai, Nick Evers, and Braedyn Locke, the Wisconsin Badgers football team has three starting caliber players. Mordecai, the former SMU starter, recorded 7152 yards and 72 touchdowns in two years of play. Evers transferred to the Badgers from Oklahoma first and was considered to be the starter. Wisconsin was willing to give the position to him, which should say plenty about the coaching staff and their belief in Evers. Locke transferred in last and has consistently received praise from Phil Longo in practice.

There is plenty of talent for the Badgers at quarterback and it should be fun to watch during the spring game.

The Offense

Following along a similar path as the quarterbacks, the offense in general should be interesting to watch. Phil Longo believes in spreading out the offense to provide each player an opportunity to touch the ball. During his time at UNC, the ball was spread out among multiple players each game, which in turn expanded the offense.

Longo understands the college football offense on a different level than the average coach. The offensive coordinator had plenty of success during his time at UNC, but now all eyes will be on him in Madison. The offense for the Wisconsin Badgers football team a year ago was certainly not playing up to the fullest potential. The Badgers scored 42 touchdowns on offense last year and averaged 26.6 points per game. Longo and UNC last year averaged 34.4 points per game and scored 63 total touchdowns. UNC also managed to record 345 first downs while Wisconsin recorded 233.

If even an ounce of the magic that Longo created with the Tar Heels can be replicated in Madison, it will be an incredible sight.

The Secondary

The Wisconsin Badgers secondary has gone through the most this past off-season. Between Jay Shaw, John Torchio, and Cedrick Dort Jr graduating and the transfer changes, these will be positions to watch. Ricardo Hallman and Jason Maitre have been fantastic in practice thus far for the Badgers as they continue to challenge the offense. Given the changes and the success from the positions in practice, they can certainly provide a boost for the team this coming season.

The Badgers secondary allowed 2656 yards and 18 touchdowns through the air against their opponents last year. Defense will be the specialty for Wisconsin as they continue to develop one of the most fearsome units in college football.

Do not forget to tune in to the Wisconsin Badgers football spring game, “The Launch”, this Saturday, April 22nd.


Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Jarrett Guerrera on Twitter @JarrettGuerrera.

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Wisconsin Football: Handing Out Helmet Stickers From the Purdue Victory

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Wisconsin Football quarterback Tanner Mordecai
Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Tanner Mordecai (8) dives into the pylon for a touchdown during the NCAA football game against the Purdue Boilermakers, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind.

A win is a win! In this case, it’s the 17th straight victory for the Wisconsin football team over the Purdue Boilermakers. This victory gave the Badgers a nice start to conference play, putting them at 1-0 in the Big Ten and 3-1 overall.

It still wasn’t a perfect game, but this team is starting to look more like the team we were all hoping for this offseason.

Players on both sides of the ball shined tonight.

So let’s hand out some helmet stickers for the Wisconsin football players who shined under the Friday night lights.

Wisconsin Football vs. Purdue Helmet Sticker No. 1:

Ricardo Hallman

Ricardo Hallman is quietly becoming a lockdown corner for the Wisconsin football team. Before the game, Hallman had yet to allow a touchdown reception. After the game, that statement still stands true. I’m sure he will continue to lead the country in coverage snaps without giving up a score.

On top of being a shutdown corner, he is turning into a legitimate playmaker. He logged two interceptions in the Badgers’ Friday night victory over Purdue, bringing his season total to three.

He finished the night with three tackles and two interceptions. The sophomore cornerback is having a great start to the year. We’ll see how well he continues to play once the level of competition ramps up. Hopefully, he continues to play like he is because this Wisconsin defense is going to need him to.

Wisconsin Football vs. Purdue Helmet Sticker No. 2:

Braelon Allen

Banged up? If he was, Allen didn’t show it. As usual, Wisconsin’s top back had another great game last night. He ran the ball just 16 times for 116 yards, a 7.4 yards per carry average. He also added a pair of touchdowns. A good chunk of his yardage came on a 52-yard scamper, where he blew up a defender like he was nothing and almost took it to the house.

Unfortunately, Allen had to take the bulk of the carries towards the end of the game when Chez Mellusi went down with an ankle injury. Without a whole lot of experienced depth behind Allen, he is going to be expected to carry the rushing attack for the Wisconsin football team.

Wisconsin Football vs. Purdue Helmet Sticker No. 3:

Tanner Mordecai

There’s the quarterback we were all hoping to see. He didn’t put up huge numbers through the air or even throw a touchdown pass. But he did provide the offense with some production on the ground. His ability to scramble and make plays with his legs made a difference early in the game.

At one point, Mordecai was Wisconsin’s leading passer, rusher, and receiver. When’s the last time you’ve ever seen that?

Mordecai finished the game with 174 yards passing and a pick. But he added on 44 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. Mordecai is slowly but surely turning into the playmaking quarterback Wisconsin fans have wanted in Madison for a long time.

Wisconsin Football vs. Purdue Helmet Sticker No. 4:

Darian Varner

Varner had a very heads-up play that helped nail the coffin shut in the game.

Kaden Johnson came off the edge, hitting Purdue quarterback Hudson Card as he was throwing. The refs let it play out. Purdue recovered it but held it, thinking it was a dead ball. Alertly, Varner went over, punched the ball out of his hands, and landed on it.

Three plays later, the Badgers punched it in for six, extending the lead to 38-17. We’ve all been waiting for Varner to make his presence known on this Wisconsin defense. Now we finally have. Hopefully, this is just the start for Varner this season and we see some more of this.


Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers basketball news, notes, opinions, and analysis. You can also follow Christian Borman on Twitter @christianborman.

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Wisconsin Football Fans React: Badgers Defeat Purdue Boilermakers

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Wisconsin Badgers football

Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin football team has officially opened their Big Ten football season after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers on Friday.

The Badgers entered halftime up 21-3 courtesy of two rushing touchdowns by quarterback Tanner Mordecai. Wisconsin never looked back and held onto their lead for the remainder of the game. Once again, the Wisconsin ground game proved to be too much for their opponent as the Badgers recorded four touchdowns and 195 yards rushing. Wisconsin also recorded three turnovers on the defensive side of the ball as Ricardo Hallman dominated for the Badgers with two interceptions.

While there were plenty of positives in the 38-17 win over the Boilermakers, there is still room for improvement. Fans were quick to fill social media with a variety of responses following the victory.

Wisconsin Badgers Excite Fans In Big Ten Conference Opener Against Purdue 

While the entirety of the game was not exciting, the Badgers had their moments and provided some excellent football for their fans. Including, the exceptional “Philly Special” the Badgers ran at the end of the game, as well as the intriguing rushing touchdowns. Transfer kicker Nathanial Vakos also impressed as he went 3-for-3 with his longest kick at 48-yards.

The Wisconsin Badgers Football Team Ran Wild Once Again

Against the Purdue Boilermakers, the Badgers recorded four touchdowns and 195 yards on the ground. Through the first four games of the season, Wisconsin has rushed for 807 yards and 14 touchdowns, with an average of 5.4 yards per carry. While the offense in general has struggled, the run game is certainly thriving under Head Coach Luke Fickell and Offensive Coordinator Phil Longo.

Some fans enjoyed the success of the Wisconsin football team, but seemed eager for the elusive running back Braelon Allen to touch the football more.

For Some Fans, The Struggles for Wisconsin Proved to be too much, But Many Keep Optimism

Despite the victory for the Wisconsin football team, the Badgers struggled at times to play fundamental football. In particular, the defense struggled at times and allowed more total yards than the Wisconsin offense gained. The Badgers still walked away with the victory but may have done so without fixing their issues at hand.


Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Jarrett Guerrera on Twitter @JarrettGuerrera.

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Wisconsin Football Report Card From 38-17 Win Over Purdue

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Wisconsin Badgers football
Sep 22, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Ricardo Hallman (2) tackles Purdue Boilermakers running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (3) during the first half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

The Wisconsin football program kicked off conference play with a bang, earning a 38-17 victory on the road against Purdue. It wasn’t a pretty or complete game by the Badgers, but UW did enough to come away with a win and head into the bye week at 3-1.

Here are my grades for Wisconsin’s offense, defense, and special teams in the Big Ten opener. 

Wisconsin Football Offense Grade: B

The offense was easily one of the biggest bright spots for Wisconsin in the win over Purdue, but I thought the way UW utilized Tanner Mordecai was one of the main reasons why. 

Mordecai isn’t your prototypical dual-threat quarterback, but he still possesses the ability to get out of the pocket and use his legs well. The sixth-year senior was able to run his way into the endzone twice while rushing for 58 yards. On top of that, Mordecai went 17-for-27 with 174 yards through the air. We’ve finally seen some glimpses of what Mordecai will be, and if he’s able to put the puzzle pieces together during the bye week, the Big Ten should look out. 

Of course, the biggest storyline coming out of this game was Chez Mellusi’s injury. He had to get an air cast put on, and the replay did not look good in the slightest. You just have to feel absolutely gutted for Mellusi, who has had his fair share of injury problems since coming to Madison. Though his time was cut short, the fifth-year senior put on a show alongside Braelon Allen, combining for 155 yards on the ground. Allen would also rush for two touchdowns. This game seemed to be a return to form for Allen after seemingly playing a step slow — and banged up — through the first few weeks of the season. 

Wisconsin also got some nice contributions from CJ Williams and Chimere Dike in the receiving game, but the drops by Skyler Bell and Will Pauling were a bit discouraging. Would like to see those cut down after the bye week. 

There was plenty to be happy about with Wisconsin’s performance, but it wasn’t a spectacular showing from the offense. Going forward, UW will need to cut down on the penalties (looking at you, Jack Nelson) and will need to put together a complete four quarters of offense. 

Wisconsin Football Defense Grade: C+

I’m not crazy about how Wisconsin’s defense performed against Purdue, but there were some bright spots. 

Ricardo Hallman and James Thompson Jr. were undoubtedly the stars on Wisconsin’s defense tonight. Hallman secured two interceptions on the night while also logging three tackles and two passes defended. Meanwhile, Thompson finished the night with six tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and one pass defended. At two key positions, Wisconsin was able to get some crucial contributions from some key contributors.

It wasn’t all great, though. I’m going to be frank for a second here: I’m getting a little tired of seeing these big chunk plays given up by Wisconsin. It’s been a consistent problem for the past few weeks, and while there may have been some improvement tonight, there were still far too many big plays given up for my liking. 

There are still plenty of kinks to work out in Wisconsin’s defense, but this game seemed like a very small step in the right direction. Hopefully, Mike Tressel can have this group ready as they venture further into conference play. 

Wisconsin Football Special Teams Grade: A-

Wisconsin found themselves a good one in Ohio transfer Nathanial Vakos. The sophomore knocked through all three of his field goal attempts to remain perfect on the season. With his three on Friday night, he’s now 7-of-7 on three-point tries. 

Four games in, I have to say I’m very impressed with what Atticus Bertrams has brought to this team. He’s been a mark of consistency, and he had some damn good punts on Friday night. 

It was also great to see Chimere Dike run a couple of kicks back. The senior receiver had two returns for 34 yards and 39 yards, respectively. He’s shown that he can be a threat, and you’d love to see him break off a return for six at some point this year.

The only thing bringing this grade down was Jack Van Dyke’s kick out of bounds. This has now become a consistent issue for the kickoff specialist, as he’s sent three balls sailing out of bounds through four games. 

The Wisconsin football program is now off to a 3-1 start in the Luke Fickell era. The Badgers will head into the bye week before facing Rutgers on October 7th.


Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here. Also, like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers football news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Jake Maier on Twitter @JakeJMaier.

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