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Wisconsin Football News: Badgers Land WRs in Portal, New Kicker, More

Published

5 months ago

January 12, 2023

It’s been a busy couple of days for the Wisconsin football program, ladies and gents, but fear not because BadgerNotes can help get you back up to speed with a roundup of some important news you may have missed.

Side note: Luke Fickell and Phil Longo have been madmen on the recruiting trail as of late. So we, as fans, should consider starting a go fund me to help fuel the copious amounts of caffeine they must be consuming.

Wisconsin Football Lands Transfer Wideout From Cincinnati

The first domino to fall among the wide receiver visitors UW had on campus was Will Pauling, a redshirt freshman from Cincinnati who decided to follow coach Fickell’s staff and join the Wisconsin football program.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound WR appeared in nine games this past season, saw 23 targets, and caught 12 passes for 122 yards (9.8 Y/REC) with a 13.7 ADOT.

According to PFF, Pauling, who comes to UW with three years of eligibility remaining, has played 84 of his 92 career snaps out of the slot.

Phil Longo likes to play a myriad of wideouts so he can keep guys fresh, so don’t be surprised if Paulig works his way into the mix quickly and pushes for a spot in the two-deep during spring practice. His familiarity with coach Fickell’s language should help tremendously.

New Beginnings!! #OnWisconsin 🦡 pic.twitter.com/I7xyfq8UEi

— Will Pauling⚡️ (@Will_Paul6) January 11, 2023

Wisconsin Football Adds Freshman All-American Kicker via Transfer Portal

Wisconsin football isn’t exactly known for its special team units. In my opinion, UW has lacked a high-end kicker since Rafael Gaglianone exhausted his eligibility.

That’s not a knock on Nate Van Zelst, who put together a nice season for the Badgers in 2022, but an upgrade was definitely worth exploring.

Earlier this week, UW’s coaching staff secured a commitment from Ohio’s freshman All-American placekicker Nathianal Vakos.

Nothing quite like Madison… COMMITTED #OnWisconsin @CoachFick @CoachHitsch @_maximus347 pic.twitter.com/edUFhacUBI

— Nathanial Vakos (@nathanial_vakos) January 10, 2023

This past season, Vakos connected on 22-of-27 field goal attempts (81.5%) and put home 98% of his PATs. He finished with a PFF grade of 80.7 as a field goal kicker, which for reference, was higher than both Van Zelst (74.8) and Vito Calvaruso (59.7).

It’s also worth noting that Vakos hit the third-longest field goal in the nation last season with a 56-yard make. There will undoubtedly be a competition in spring and fall camp, but it goes without saying that he’s the overwhelming favorite to be the Badgers’ starting kicker next season.

Vakos joins the Wisconsin football program with three years of eligibility remaining.

One More Cincinnati WR Just For Good Measure

Wisconsin football coaches mentioned wanting up to 12 scholarship pass-catchers in its WR room – that’s why UW’s been so aggressive in hosting transfer portal targets on official visits.

Yesterday, Luke Fickell got the Badgers one step closer to that goal when they secured a commitment from Cincinnati WR Quincy Burroughs, who announced his intentions to transfer to Wisconsin on social media.

He makes no mistake!☝🏾Romans 8:28 pic.twitter.com/fVb5S9o7qv

— Quincy Burroughs ³ (@IamQB3) January 11, 2023

Burroughs, a former three-star recruit, was recruited by Mike Brown + Gino Guidugli, both of which are now on staff at UW.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound WR who redshirted this past season fits the mold of a bigger-bodied pass-catcher UW needs and has four years of eligibility to boot.

In talking to a person who covered the Bearcats, rumor has it Burroughs showed some serious flashes of potential in practice during his redshirt season and is someone the Wisconsin football coaches are really high on.

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FootBall

Former Wisconsin Football RB Named to CFB Hall of Fame Ballot

Published

6 hours ago

June 7, 2023

Jake Maier

Sep 15, 2012; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball (28) during the game against the Utah State Aggies at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin defeated Utah State 16-14. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Madison, Wis. –The 2024 College Football Hall of Fame ballot has been released, and a Wisconsin football legend is among the names on the list.

Montee Ball, who was with Wisconsin from 2010-2012, was among 78 players and nine coaches selected for the ballot.

Ball is among the most decorated players in Wisconsin history. The Badger legend received two first-team All-American nominations, along with winning the Doak Walker Award. He also received Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2011.

Ball placed himself in the NCAA record books when he tied with Barry Sanders for the most single-season TDs in NCAA history with 39 during the 2011 season and secured the NCAA record for most single-season points with 236. The Badger legend is also the only player in history to rush for 100 yards in three straight Rose Bowl games.

Ball amassed 5,255 yards and 79 touchdowns throughout his three years at UW. His best statistical season came in 2011 when the Wisconsin legend rushed for 1,923 yards and 33 touchdowns. On top of that, Ball hauled in 24 receptions for 306 yards and six touchdowns in the same season.

Denver would select the former Badger in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, where he spent two years as a Bronco.

Other Wisconsin Football HOF Representatives

The Wisconsin football program currently has four players and one coach in the CFB Hall of Fame. Barry Alvarez was the first Badger to enter the HOF when he was selected in 2010. Ron Dayne (2013), Tim Krumrie (2016), Joe Thomas (2019), and Troy Vincent (2023) round out the rest of the list.

Ball stands out in the 2024 class due to the sheer volume of his accolades. When voting wraps up, I expect the Wisconsin legend to be among those inducted.

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 Jake Maier on Twitter @JakeJMaier.

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FB Recruiting

Wisconsin Football Lands 2024 Three-Star Interior Offensive Lineman

Published

17 hours ago

June 6, 2023

Jake Maier

Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin football program has picked up its fourth commit in the last three days, with three-star offensive lineman Ryan Cory coming on board.

The news comes just an hour after four-star OT Kevin Heywood announced his commitment to Wisconsin.

Cory took to Twitter to announce his commitment.

Committed. @CoachFick @CoachBicknell @CoachPhilLongo @CaseyRabach_61 @RivalsFriedman @adamgorney @BrianDohn247 @outerlim @210ths @Coach_LeDonne #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/iEuQLDQm0J

— Ryan Cory (@RyanCory15) June 7, 2023

Wisconsin beat out offers from Pitt, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, Oregon, Rutgers, and many more. Cory was set to visit Pittsburgh and Vanderbilt in the coming weeks.

According to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, Cory is the No. 778 player in the nation, the No. 50 interior offensive lineman, and the No. 24 player in Pennsylvania.

What Ryan Cory brings to the Wisconsin football program

Cory is coming off a remarkable junior season. The 6-foot-4, 290-pound lineman received First-Team All-Conference honors and earned a state championship win.

Looking at his film, there’s a lot to like about his upside. Cory is fearless in creating contact against defenders at the second level while putting out some key blocks for his tailback. His hand speed and placement also stand out.

In pass-blocking reps, the 6-foot-4, 290-pound lineman is a brick wall. Cory can easily contain power moves from opposing linemen with his strength. He rarely gets off balance and consistently creates leverage against defenders.

Cory will be an excellent depth piece for the offensive line while he works on his craft. If the Pennsylvania native can refine his technique a bit more, he could be an impactful lineman for Wisconsin.

Cory joins Kevin Heywood and Derek Jensen as linemen to commit to UW. The Wisconsin football program now holds 12 commitments in the 2024 cycle.

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FB Recruiting

Wisconsin Football Lands 2024 Four-Star Offensive Lineman Commit

Published

18 hours ago

June 6, 2023

Jake Maier

Wisconsin football stadium: Camp Randall

Sep 10, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers mascot Bucky Badger prior to the game against the Washington State Cougars at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin football program has picked up a commitment from one of the nation’s premier offensive linemen.

Four-star OT Kevin Heywood took to Twitter to announce his commitment to Wisconsin.

Committed. @CoachFick @CoachBicknell @CoachHitsch @CoachPhilLongo @BCstrength @PatLambert13 @_maximus347 @nolanrucci @CullenLCasey @CaseyRabach_61 @MikeWakins pic.twitter.com/QuASQN786M

— Kevin Heywood (@KevHeywood52) June 6, 2023

UW beat out offers from some juggernaut programs, including Alabama, Georgia, Penn State, Michigan, USC, and many more.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Heywood is the No. 266 player in the nation, the No. 25 OT, and the No. 5 player in Pennsylvania.

The four-star prospect began his official visit to Wisconsin on June 2nd. He was slated to take officials to Kentucky, Auburn, and USC in the coming weeks. Instead, Heywood decided to commit to the Wisconsin football program on the same weekend.

The Badgers missed out on multiple in-state offensive linemen to Penn State early in the 2024 cycle. Because of that, securing multiple offensive linemen quickly became a priority for UW, and they were able to poach a top player out of Pennsylvania.

What Kevin Heywood brings to the Wisconsin football program

The first thing that jumps out for Heywood is his frame. Standing at 6-foot-7, 280-pound, Heywood stands out in his class, and he uses his size well. He consistently gets his hands at pad level and is able to drive defenders off of the line of scrimmage.

The Pennsylvania native thrives in pass pro. With his size, he’s a brick wall on the offensive front who can easily stop rushers in their tracks.

Heywood is a prototypical Wisconsin offensive lineman. His skill set could make him an immediate difference-maker on UW’s offensive front.

With the commitment, the Wisconsin football program holds 11 commits in the 2024 cycle. Heywood joins in-state OT Derek Jensen as the sole offensive line commits in the 2024 cycle.

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