Another member of the Wisconsin Badgers is set to hit the transfer portal, but not without a dose of controversy moving forward.
Cornerback and former 2023 recruit Amare Snowden was a freak athlete in the secondary the Badgers felt could become a standout player. However, Snowden never quite received the chance to prove himself within the Wisconsin defense which eventually led to his decision to enter the portal.
The reason as to why Snowden fell into the situation, however, could have a potentially lasting impact moving forward on the Wisconsin program.
Snowden revealed during a recent phone interview with Badgerextra that his time with the Badgers was like “f——— pulling my teeth out” everyday. The cornerback and position coach Paul Haynes reportedly had no relationship to note as Snowden felt as though the coach wanted nothing to do with him.
Haynes was hired by Luke Fickell as part of his original staff in Madison and has been an instrumental part of the recruitment of some current Wisconsin Badgers players. However, Snowden was a player that was never recruited by Haynes and many fans speculate that the two could have butted heads over that fact.
Snowden also noted in his phone interview that he reached multiple moments where he felt like saying “F-it” due to the broken relationship between the two. Snowden finished his interview by stating that he likely would still be a member of the Wisconsin Badgers if Haynes were not his position coach, citing his solid relationship with other coaches on the staff including Fickell.
How Could the Amare Snowden Transfer Affect the Wisconsin Badgers?
The talented defensive back is unfortunately not the only player to feel this way, as former Wisconsin Badgers commitment Rukeem Stroud has cited “relationships” with coaches as a factor that led to his flip to UCF.
This fact appears to remain true as Stroud is reportedly a flip candidate with the UCF Knights moving forward without Gus Malzahn, the coach responsible for recruiting Stroud. The defensive back never spoke about specifics in regards to his Wisconsin Badgers exit, but it is largely believe to be due to the fact that Stroud did not have the best relationship with the current staff.
As always, there are two sides to every story and obviously Haynes would likely have something completely different to say about the transfer decision of Snowden. The real truth behind what had been going on everyday on the practice field that led to the decision of the cornerback is between Snowden and Haynes.
Regardless, the transfer of Snowden and his comments that go with it should not have an overwhelming affect on the program moving forward. Snowden may have felt frustrated with the staff and that led to his decision, but it does not mean that other potential Wisconsin Badgers players will grow frustrated as well.
Haynes is also responsible for Wisconsin commitments Xavier Lucas, Jaimier Scott, and Omillio Agard who are all four-star recruits. While Snowden may not have had the relationship he would have liked to have with the coach, it is clear he is still doing something right due to the relationship he has with other players.
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