Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell is heating up in the transfer portal. Hours after getting a commitment from former USC linebacker Tackett Curtis, Fickell threw up the “bat signal” on social media to signal another player coming to Madison. Former Albany defensive lineman Elijah Hills announced he is committing to the program.
BREAKING: Albany transfer defensive lineman Elijah Hills has committed to the #Badgers.
27.0 tackles, 9.0 for loss, 1.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, three blocked kicks, and a forced fumble in 2023.https://t.co/xlCdOvRvvG pic.twitter.com/6Gsyk5PMqv
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) January 9, 2024
Wisconsin Badgers Land DL Elijah Hills
Hills has been a solid piece of the Albany line in the past two seasons. In 2022, he had 28 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and four sacks. He followed that up in 2023 with 31 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. The Badgers have a history of developing defensive linemen into special pieces. Many offenses in the Big Ten attempt to dominate in the trenches. The Badgers are beefing up their defense to try and combat the top-tier offenses in the conference.
Reshaping The Defense
It seems like Luke Fickell and his staff are fairly confident in the offense. While they have landed some pieces on that side of the ball, it has been mostly on defense. Specifically, the linebackers have been a point of focus for Fickell and his staff. They have gotten six linebackers out of the portal but Hills beefs up the unit up front. Having consistent linemen to cycle in and out during a game is essential. Fresh legs mean a consistent pass rush throughout the game. The Badgers need to be more disruptive in 2024 and Hills should help with that.
The Wisconsin Badgers want to prove that they should be in the conversation of the Big Ten’s best. Now that Fickell is in his second year, there hopefully will be more consistency for the players in the offseason and that should translate to a better season on the field.
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