Wisconsin Football: Rounding Up a Wild Second Week in the Transfer Portal

Since the transfer portal opened on December 4th, it has been a whirlwind for the Wisconsin football program. The Badgers had a busy first week of action that saw several former players enter the portal and a few early commitments. 

The second week of transfer portal action brought plenty more craziness as UW filled multiple positions of need while also contacting several other portal options. 

It’s the Wild West in the portal, so in case you missed anything, here is a roundup of all the week two Wisconsin football transfer news. 

Wisconsin Football Adds Two Transfers to Kick Off Week Two

The Badgers started week two by bringing in former Cincinnati long snapper Cayson Pfeiffer and former William & Mary OLB John Pius. 

Pfeiffer will be on a scholarship in 2024 due to former Badger Peter Bowden heading to the NFL and former walk-on long snapper Keane Bessert entering the portal. The former Bearcat has three years of long snapping experience, appearing in 37 total games and being an integral part of one of the best special teams units in the country in 2022. Pfeiffer will finish out his last year of eligibility at Wisconsin. 

Pius also joins the Badgers with one year of eligibility remaining. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker appeared in 38 games at William & Mary, amassing 171 total tackles, 40.5 TFLs, 133 pressures, 24.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries. The former FCS All-American is an immediate boost to a Wisconsin pass rush that was inconsistent in 2023. 

Wisconsin Football Finds Their QB1 for 2024

Wisconsin was connected to several quarterbacks in the portal, including Washington State transfer Cam Ward, Kansas State transfer Will Howard, and Toledo transfer Dequan Finn. It was later announced that the Badgers would bring in Tyler Van Dyke for an official recruiting visit, adding another layer of intrigue to UW’s search for their QB1. Just three days later, Van Dyke announced he would play his final year of eligibility in Madison. 

Badgers fans were unsure of the move when it was first announced, but UW got a solid QB who could benefit from Phil Longo’s offensive style. Van Dyke had to play under three different offensive coordinators during his time at Miami, but his OC his freshman year, Rhett Lashlee, ran a similar scheme to Longo. Van Dyke had plenty of success in that system, throwing for 2,931 yards, 25 touchdowns, and six interceptions en route to being named the ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year.

We’re currently in wait-and-see mode, but adding an experienced QB with 32 games under his belt to a team with a brutal 2024 schedule should be beneficial. 

Wisconsin Football Loses Multi-Year Starting LB to the Portal

Inside linebacker Jordan Turner announced on Wednesday that he would enter the transfer portal after four seasons in Madison. 

In 30 games with the Badgers, Turner recorded 135 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, 37 pressures, six pass deflections, and a forced fumble. Last season, the redshirt junior finished as the third-leading tackler and tied for third in sacks on Wisconsin’s defense. 

Turner’s loss will be felt in his production, but truth be told, he didn’t quite fit Mike Tressel’s new defensive scheme. The Badgers have turned to looking for linebackers with speed and athleticism rather than your prototypical brute linebackers like Turner. The former Badger is expected to land at Michigan State to play his final year of eligibility, according to multiple recruiting services.

Wisconsin Football Adds Two Offensive Weapons to Close Out Week Two

Wisconsin got their QB1, but some weapons were still a high priority in the portal. UW needed to supplement the losses of Chimere Dike and Skyler Bell while also looking for any kind of help in the depleted tight end room. The Badgers got some insurance at both positions, landing commitments from WR Tyrell Henry and TE Jackson McGohan.

Henry, a former Michigan State receiver/returner, comes to Wisconsin with two years of eligibility remaining. The former Spartan appeared in 11 of 12 games last season, recording 24 receptions for 295 yards and three touchdowns. He was also the lead returner for MSU, logging 477 combined return yards. 

McGohan, an LSU transfer, comes to UW with three years of eligibility left. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight end was previously committed to Cincinnati in 2022 but flipped his commitment to the Tigers after Fickell took over at Wisconsin. McGohan did not record a stat last season, but he brings some young insurance to a position in desperate need of bodies. 

Other Wisconsin Football Week Two Transfer Notes

UW came up short in the battle for coveted transfer DL Joey Slackman, who announced his commitment to Florida on Sunday. The Penn transfer had informed BadgerNotes.com on Friday that he was nearing a decision and Wisconsin was among those in the mix, but he opted to head to Gainesville.

***

Wisconsin is still aggressively looking for defensive line help in the portal. Luke Fickell and company offered three DL transfers on Thursday alone, with Florida State DL Ayobami Tifase, Austin Peay DL Travis Bates, and Oklahoma DL Kelvin Gilliam announcing offers. UW also threw their hat in the ring for Alabama transfer Anquin Barnes, but he announced his commitment to Colorado on Sunday. 

***

Wisconsin hosted several prospects in week two. Wake Forest transfer Jahmal Banks confirmed to BadgerNotes.com that he made a mid-week visit, while Northern Iowa transfer Jahsiah Galvan, North Carolina transfer Sebastian Cheeks, and the aforementioned FSU transfer Ayobami Tifase also made stops to Madison.

***

Former Wisconsin OL Trey Wedig found a new home. He announced on Saturday that he had committed to Indiana, reuniting with former UW coach Bob Bostad.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. For more Wisconsin Badgers Athletics and Big Ten content, follow us on Twitter & Facebook. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Also, follow Jake Maier on Twitter @JakeJMaier for more Wisconsin football, basketball, and recruiting coverage.