It’s hard to believe, but Wisconsin Football spring practice begins this weekend. It’s an exciting time as first-year head coach Luke Fickell will be able to implement everything he wants to. Expectations are high this season as the Badgers did impressive work in the transfer portal.
Most of the practices will be open to the media, so we should get great insight over the next month. Here are three position groups I’ll be paying attention to during the spring practices.
Wisconsin Football Spring Practice Backup Quarterback Battle
Sticking with it..#8 pic.twitter.com/Zx2X1N8u1S
— Tanner Mordecai (@t_mordecai) March 20, 2023
It’s become obvious SMU transfer Tanner Mordecai will be the starting quarterback for the Badgers this season. He is a sixth-year player that has thrown for 72 touchdowns over the last two seasons. He’s also now the best quarterback in the Big Ten West. He should bring some valuable experience to a young quarterback room, beginning here at Wisconsin Football spring practice.
The biggest question will be who will be the backup. Nick Evers, a freshman transfer from Oklahoma, committed to Wisconsin in December. At first, it became apparent he would be the backup. However, Brayden Locke, also a freshman, transferred in from Mississippi State soon after. It’s a good problem to have, as the Badgers have two very talented young players behind their starter.
You also can’t forget about Myles Burkett. He got more reps and experience than both Locke and Evers last season. As bowl preparations began, some people, including myself, thought Burkett should have started. However, it ended up being Chase Wolf. Burkett seems like a long shot, but he can’t be forgotten about,
A Loaded Wide Receiver Room
What a transformation it has been for the wide receiver room. Even if the Badgers didn’t add anyone, they would be sitting well with Chimere Dike, Skyler Bell, Keontez Lewis, and Markus Allen.
New to the room are players like USC transfer C.J. Williams, Oklahoma State transfer Bryson Green, and Cincinnati transfer Quincy Burroughs. All are proven receivers. In general, Williams has the chance to be an absolute stud.
How the Badgers distribute reps in this room will be interesting to see, I think we will see many of these players getting first-team reps. If I had to guess right now, I think Dike, Bell, and Green are the first group, with Williams, Lewis, and Burroughs in the next group. However, any one of these six receivers can break out. I am really excited to hear about this group over the next month at Wisconsin Football spring practice.
Wisconsin Football Spring Practice Cornerback Conversation
I think corner has a lot of talent, but it’s a young and unproven group for the most part. Wisconsin did add Jason Maitre from Cincinnati, but overall it’s a young group for first-year defensive coordinator Mike Tressel.
There are some young players I’ll be interested to see how they perform. Those players are Jace Arnold and Avyonne Jones. I think both have the ability to play a ton of snaps this season. Amare Snowden is a stud freshman corner, but he won’t be around until fall camp.
If I had to make an early guess, I think Alexander Smith, Maitre, and Ricardo Hallman would be the first group in Wisconsin Football spring practice, with Max Lofy getting some time at the nickel as well. There’s a lot of talent in this group.
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