Tag: Badger Countdown

Badger Countdown: One goal for Wisconsin football in 2023

Luke Fickell wants to compete for championships

The return of Badgers football is just one day away as the Luke Fickell era in Madison gets underway Saturday at 2:30 versus Buffalo at home. Since he’s arrived at Wisconsin, the hype around the team has reached an incredible high.

Fickell has brought in offensive coordinator Phil Longo and his “Air Raid” offense from North Carolina while defensive coordinator Mike Tressel followed the head coach from Cincinnati.

As a group, they’ve worked to revitalize the culture of Badgers football in Madison as they usher in the next era. Transfer athletes like quarterback Tanner Mordecai (SMU) and wide receiver CJ Williams (USC) have joined the squad and Fickell is only focused on one thing, competing for championships.

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Badger Countdown: Cornerback returns as number two in 2023

Is Ricardo Hallman set for big season?

The 2023 college football season is here and the Badgers are now two days from their opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2 at Camp Randall. Cornerback Ricardo Hallman is back in number 2 this season and is stepping into a larger role on Wisconsin’s defense.

Hallman appeared in 10 games last season recording nine tackles, an interception and three pass deflections. With Jay Shaw and Cedrick Dort Jr. moving on after 2022, Hallman will be more widely used in his third campaign in Madison.

New defensive coordinator Mike Tressel has brought his 3-3-5 defense over from Cincinnati and it’s a scheme that excels in providing disguised looks to the opponent’s offense, which could lead to a productive year for Hallman and the secondary.

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Badger Countdown: New head coach has won three bowl games

Can Fickell win another bowl game this year?

The 2023 college football season has arrived and Luke Fickell and his Badgers are now three days from their opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2. The head coach has posted a 3-3 overall record in bowl games.

Fickell’s first bowl victory came in his second season with Cincinnati in 2018, defeating Virginia Tech 35-31 in the Military Bowl. That victory came at the end of an 10-2 regular season, which was six more wins than the year prior.

Cincinnati then won the Birmingham Bowl in 2019 over Boston College 38-6 the following season. The victory gave Fickell a 2-2 overall record in bowl games.

Finally, when he stepped in to coach the Badgers in 2022, Wisconsin won the Guaranteed Rate Bowl over Oklahoma State by a score of 24-17. Many still accredit the win to interim head coach Jim Leonhard, who was still with the team after Fickell’s hiring.

The head coach will look to get another bowl win in his first season in Madison this year.

 

Badger Countdown: Talented wide receiver wearing number four in 2023

Could number four be new star in Madison?

The 2023 college football season is here and the Badgers are just four days away from their opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2 at Camp Randall. After one season with USC, former four-star wide receiver CJ Williams transferred to Wisconsin this offseason.

Williams will wear number four in Madison and he’s set to be a regular option for new quarterback Tanner Mordecai (SMU) this year. The 6-foot-2 athlete was the seventh ranked wideout in the class of 2022 and in the transfer portal, he ranked as 157th best athlete.

Operating in Phil Longo’s “Air Raid” offense under head coach Luke Fickell, Williams could be set to become the next star for the Badgers.

 

Badger Countdown: Three quarterbacks tied with five TDs in one game

Can Mordecai be the next five TD guy?

The 2023 college football season has arrived and the Badgers are now five days from their opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2 at Camp Randall. There have been three quarterbacks who have combined to throw five touchdowns in a single game four times in Wisconsin history.

Darrell Bevell was the first guy to do so, tossing five scores in the Badgers’ 35-17 win versus Nevada on Sept. 4, 1993. That team went on to post a 10-1-1 record and win the program’s first Rose Bowl 21-16 over UCLA.

Jim Sorgi became the second signal-caller to throw for five touchdowns, finding wide receiver Lee Evans for a Wisconsin-record five receiving scores in a 56-21 win over Michigan State on Nov. 15, 2003.

Finally, Graham Mertz did it twice in his time with the Badgers. In quite the debut under center, he went 20-for-21 with 248 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-7 victory against Illinois on Oct. 23, 2020.

He later did it again in his final season with Wisconsin, becoming the first quarterback to do it twice when the Badgers beat Northwestern 42-7 in Jim Leonhard’s first game as head coach on Oct. 8, 2022.

Could Tanner Mordecai be the next man to do so?

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Badger Countdown: Six touchdowns for top wide receiver in 2022

Badgers top WR snagged six TDs in 2022

The 2023 college football season is on us and Luke Fickell and the Badgers are now six days away from their opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2. Entering this year, Wisconsin’s top wide receiver is Chimere Dike, who in 2022 caught six touchdowns.

Dike is entering his fourth season in Madison and he will be under a third head coach with Fickell taking over. On top of that, the wide receiver is in a new offense with Phil Longo taking over and his quarterback will be Tanner Mordecai, who transferred to Wisconsin this offseason.

In 2022, Dike recorded 47 catches for 689 yards and six scores through the air last season and he will look to build upon that in his senior campaign.

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Badger Countdown: Former Wisconsin coach records 7 INTs in junior year

Jim Leonhard was an interception legend

The 2023 college football season is here and Luke Fickell and his Badgers are now one week from their season opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2. Fickell’s predecessor at head coach Jim Leonhard recorded seven interceptions in his second active season with Wisconsin.

Leonhard was an active member of the football team from 2002-2004, recording some of the most impressive feats in program history. In his first campaign in 2002, he recorded 11 interceptions while also adding 434 yards and a touchdown as a punt returner.

He then followed it up with a seven-interception campaign in 2003 before adding three more in 2004. Leonhard’s 21 interceptions is tied with Jamar Fletcher (1998-2000) for the most in Wisconsin history.

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Badger Countdown: Number eight under center in 2023

New superstar quarterback under center in 2023?

The 2023 college football season is almost here and Luke Fickell and the Badgers are now eight days from their opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2. Under center this year will be number eight, transfer quarterback Tanner Mordecai.

Mordecai transferred to Wisconsin this offseason after spending time with both Oklahoma and SMU. He never really got a shot to start until he transferred to SMU in 2021.

The 6-foot-2 quarterback produced 7,152 passing yards and 72 touchdowns over his two campaigns with the Mustangs and he will now operate in new offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s “Air Raid” offense in Madison.

It’s possible that Mordecai puts together one of the best seasons for a quarterback in Wisconsin football history.

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Badger Countdown: Transfer wideout wearing number nine in 2023

New wideout in number nine this year

The 2023 college football season is almost here and Luke Fickell and his Badgers are now nine days away from their opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2. Amongst the many new members this year, wide receiver Bryson Green will wear number nine in his first campaign with Wisconsin.

Green transferred to Wisconsin this offseason after spending two seasons with Oklahoma State, who the Badgers coincidentally beat 24-17 in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in December.

Over his two campaigns with the Cowboys, Green compiled a total of 48 catches for 723 yards and seven touchdowns over 23 contests.

Now in Madison, the wide receiver will be working within Phil Longo’s “Air Raid” offense while catching passes from quarterback Tanner Mordecai.

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Badger Countdown: Transfer cornerback will wear number 10 in 2023

New Badgers member will wear number 10 this year

The 2023 college football season is almost here and the Badgers are now 10 days away from their opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2 at home. Last season, quarterback Deacon Hill wore the number 10, but this year a transfer cornerback will wear it.

Nyzier Fourqurean transferred to Madison in May after spending the last two seasons with Grand Valley State, a Division 2 football program. The cornerback recorded 14 pass deflections while intercepting four passes last season.

Although he had verbally committed to join Vanderbilt, Fourqurean flipped his commitment and he will look to make an impact in new defensive coordinator Mike Tressel’s defense with Wisconsin.

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