Tag: badgers football

WATCH: Former Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig stars in Steelers’ preseason contest

WATCH: Former Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig stars in Steelers’ preseason contest

Former Wisconsin linebacker Nick Herbig impressed onlookers in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.

Despite playing fewer than 15 defensive snaps in the 9-3 loss, Herbig showcased multiple skills as the Steelers’ starting outside linebacker in the contest. The Kauai, Hawaii native registered four tackles and 1.5 sacks at linebacker and was in on a pair of special teams tackles.

Arguably the most notable highlight arrived on the third play of the contest when Herbig ran a twist stunt with fellow Wisconsin product Keeanu Benton to sack Bills quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger, a former professional offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles, broke down several other sequences during Herbig’s big night for Pittsburgh.

On the first play of game, the 2022 consensus First-team All-Big Ten team member maneuvered outside to cover a curl flat route before executing a solo tackle on Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins in open space. The move exemplifies Herbig’s ability to digest multiple actions outside the sticks. For a team with an all-world talent like T.J. Watt in the mix, that’s a luxury.

Later on, Herbig muscled three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Dion Dawkins into the pocket just before Tribusky launched a pass attempt. While he didn’t secure the sack, the effort showcased his strength against one of the league’s best.

On the final play breakdown, Herbig and Benton maintain consistency after a Larry Ogunjobi missed tackle to sack Tribusky again. The play forced Buffalo into long second-down scenario.

Here’s Baldinger’s full breakdown of Herbig’s night:

 

The overall performance earned him Steelers ‘Player of the Week’ honors. With another preseason opportunity vs. Detroit on the horizon, Herbig can continue to turn heads ahead of the 2024 slate.

Class of 2025 RB with Wisconsin offer decommits from Penn State

Class of 2025 RB with Wisconsin offer decommits from Penn State

Class of 2025 running back Kiandrea Barker decommitted from Penn State on Tuesday, per an announcement via social media.

Wisconsin was one of the numerous programs on his offer sheet before he committed to Penn State in April 2023. The Badgers are on the list along with Arkansas, Auburn, Colorado, Florida State, Miami, Ole Miss and USC.

The Badgers extended their offer to the 5-foot-11, 185-pound running back on May 5, 2023, one month after he committed to Penn State.

On3’s recruiting prediction machine lists Arkansas as the only other program in contention to land Barker’s commitment, though that may change now that he is again uncommitted.

247Sports ranks the three-star running back as the No. 735 player in the class of 2025, No. 55 running back and No. 8 recruit from his home state of Arkansas.

Barker noted on X that he is “still considering Penn State” despite reopening his recruitment.

Wisconsin does not have a running back committed to its class of 2025. The Badgers finished the 2024 cycle with three players at the position: four-star Darrion Dupree, four-star Dilin Jones and three-star Gideon Ituka.

 

Wisconsin class of 2025 DL commit receives preseason honor

Wisconsin class of 2025 DL commit receives preseason honor

Wisconsin class of 2025 defensive lineman commit Xavier Ukponu was named preseason all-area defense by SportsDayHS on Thursday.

The outlet, which offers news and analysis for high school sports in and around Dallas, Texas, identified several players as the most prestigious players ahead of the 2024 season.

Ukponu committed to Wisconsin on Aug. 5 over other top contenders LSU, Arkansas, California and Oklahoma State. The top-ranked recruit received nearly 40 offers from a collection of the best programs throughout the nation, including Oregon, Washington, USC, Texas A&M, Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Miami and Florida,

247Sports has the 6’3,” 300-pound defensive lineman as the No. 120 defensive lineman and No. 172 recruit from the state of Texas for his class. He, alongside three-star Wilnerson Telemaque and three-star Torin Pettaway, round out the defensive linemen for Fickell and Co. Three-star edge Nicolas Clayton will also play for UW on the line.

Given Texas’ consistent ability to produce high-end prospects, Ukponu’s spot on a preseason all-area list is certainly notable. With an extra year to hone in on techniques and intricacies for defensive lineman against the state’s best, Ukponu could arrive in Madison with an upper hand.

College Football Playoff releases 2024 rankings schedule

College Football Playoff releases 2024 selection committee rankings schedule

The College Football Playoff announced on Thursday the six dates during the season the selection committee will release rankings.

The first committee rankings will air on Tuesday, Nov. 5, on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET. This format, outside of specific time slots, will continue for the ensuing five weeks until the selection day on Sunday, Dec. 8 at noon ET.

The committee is composed of 13 members with current or previous expertise in college football. Athletic directors, former head coaches and players comprise the list.

Following the abolition of 2014-2024 format, the College Football Playoff will include 12 teams starting this fall. The latest version will consist of the selection committee’s five highest-ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams.

The top four will receive a first-round bye, and the other eight squads will play in a knockout-style, first-round bracket.

Several Big Ten squads, such as Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon and Penn State, will likely vie for a spot within the top 12. The Wolverines, Buckeyes, Ducks and Nittany Lions would have clinched positions in the expanded format had it applied to last season’s playoff scenario.

WATCH: Former Badgers RB Braelon Allen powers past defender in joint practice

WATCH: Former Badgers RB Braelon Allen powers past defender in joint practice

Former Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen showcased his speed and power at the New York Jets’ joint practice with the Carolina Panthers in a recent highlight.

In the clip, Allen can be seen accelerating past a defender who tugs at his jersey from behind, then stiff-arming another Panther defender before gliding to the end zone.

Allen most recently showcased his offensive capabilities in the Jets’ preseason game against the Washington Commanders. In his New York debut, the former Badger great registered six carries for a whopping 54 yards (9 yards per touch).

The Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, native will serve as the Jets’ backup running back to emerging star Breece Hall. Hall recorded nearly 1,000 yards on the ground in 2023 and enters this season as one of the NFL’s premier backs.

Hall’s volume, however, could open the door for Allen to contribute in red zone or third down scenarios. With his size and speed, he fits the “bruiser” role to Hall’s quickness and multiple-down effectiveness.

Allen, the youngest player in the 2024 NFL draft, went No. 134 to the Jets in the fourth round. He departed Madison with 597 carries, 3,494 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns during his three-year stint with the Badgers.

Wisconsin legend expected to make preseason debut vs. Buffalo Bills

Former Badger icon expected to make preseason debut vs. Buffalo Bills

Former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson is expected to make his Pittsburgh Steelers preseason debut on Saturday, per head coach Mike Tomlin.

Wilson was initially sidelined with a calf issue to open the Steelers’ training camp, but he enters Pittsburgh’s second preseason match with as the lead quarterback on the unit’s depth chart ahead of former Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields.

The UW alumnus will square off against the Buffalo Bills in what will be his first action in a live contest for the Steelers. Wilson signed in Pittsburgh in March after a two-year stint with the Denver Broncos.

While Fields’ speed, quickness and youth may have appeared enticing for offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Wilson’s stability, leadership and previous success in big spots proved the difference in the battle for the starting role.

For Badger fans, this will mark the third jersey Wilson has sported since leaving Madison. He played 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks before his time with Denver from 2022-23.

Several Badgers crack PFF’s 2024 Fantasy Football Top 400 PPR Rankings

Several Badgers crack PFF’s 2024 Fantasy Football Top 400 PPR Rankings

A total of five former Wisconsin Badgers cracked ProFootballFocus’ 2024 Fantasy Football Top 400 PPR Rankings on Wednesday.

The list includes Indianapolis Colts’ running back Jonathan Taylor (No. 11), Dallas Cowboys’ tight end Jake Ferguson (No. 73), New York Jets running back Braelon Allen (No. 170), Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback Russell Wilson (No. 190) and Houston Texans’ running back Dare Ogunbowale (No. 395).

While most prototypical fantasy football leagues solely feature offensive playmakers, other outlets offer the option to include defensive players in users’ rotations. If that was the universal case, former Wisconsin game-breakers such as T.J. Watt, T.J. Edwards and Leo Chenal would likely crack the list.

Taylor, who boasts the highest projection, enters the 2024 slate as PFF’s No. 4 fantasy football running back behind only the San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey, Atlanta Falcons’ Bijan Robinson and New York Jets’ Breece Hall.

The decorated college running back did rush for over 1,800 yards in 2021. If he remains on the turf, he could leapfrog both Robinson and Hall in production this season. McCaffrey, a unicorn at the position, may be the only untouchable running back in terms of usage and value to any team across the league.

Ferguson enters his third season with the Cowboys fresh off his Pro Bowl output in 2023. PFF ranks him as tight end No. 8, and he should serve as Dallas’ second pass-catching option this year.

The most intriguing player on the list, however, is Allen. Wisconsin fans witnessed flashes of greatness during his collegiate tenure, and he boasts the build of a bruiser near the end zone. He will play second fiddle to Hall, but his tenacity could pave the way for more than just TD opportunities as the season progresses.

Wisconsin 2025 commit earns First-Team MaxPreps All-America honors

Wisconsin 2025 commit earns First-Team MaxPreps All-America honors

Wisconsin football 2025 commit Erik Schmidt earned First-Team MaxPreps All-America honors on Monday.

A total of 56 high school athletes were selected for the 2024 squad. Schmidt, a product of Marquette University High School, was the only Wisconsin native to crack the list. He made it as MaxPreps’ first-team punter.

Schmidt committed to UW back in June after pledging to join Luke Fickell’s program as an in-state preferred walk-on. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder elected to join Wisconsin over walk-on opportunities at Notre Dame, Boston College and Michigan.

The top-ranked recruit was also named the No. 1 punter for the class of 2025 by Kohl’s Kicking Camps, the nation’s most respected resource for training camps and evaluation of high school kickers, punters and other specialists.

Schmidt also holds the No. 8 position among kickers in his cohort.

Wisconsin’s current special teams unit features kicker Nathanial Vakos and punter Atticus Bertrams.

With Schmidt entering his final season as a high schooler, the recognition could provide the talented specialist a boost before he departs for Madison. He will surely see ample playing time with another year of repetitions under his belt when he arrives to campus.

Former Wisconsin starting quarterback selected in 2024 UFL college draft

Former Wisconsin starting quarterback selected in 2024 UFL College Draft

Former Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai was selected by the D.C. Defenders in the ninth round of the 2024 UFL college draft on Wednesday.

After going undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, Mordecai signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent on April 27. Due to his status as an undrafted prospect, the Waco, Texas native was eligible for this year’s UFL draft.

Mordecai is currently listed as San Francisco’s fourth-string quarterback behind Brock Purdy, Joshua Dobbs and Brandon Allen. Given the NFL’s 53-man roster limitations, the UFL could serve as another professional outlet for the former Badger starter.

The Defenders went 4-6 in the UFL last season and were led by 2023 XFL Player of the Year Jordan Ta’amu.

During his one-year tenure in Madison, Mordecai started 10 games and completed 65.0% of his throws for 2,066 yards, nine touchdowns and just four interceptions. UW went 6-4 with him under center.

Prior to his pitstop at Wisconsin, Moredcai played two seasons at SMU and three at Oklahoma. He started 24 straight games for the Mustangs and departed SMU first in program history in passing TDs (72) and third in passing yards (7,152).

He now has multiple opportunities to begin his professional football career.

Wisconsin’s 2015 defensive unit led the nation in significant team statistic

Wisconsin’s 2015 defensive unit led the nation in significant team statistic

The Wisconsin Badgers defense recorded the fewest points allowed per game of any qualified program in 2015, per ProFootballFocus.

The Badgers’ defense allowed just 13.7 points per game in 2015, the eighth fewest by any program since 2014’s inaugural College Football Playoff season. The NCAA champion-winning 2023 Michigan Wolverine defense allowed just 10.4 points per game, the lowest mark by any program over the last decade.

Big Ten rivals Northwestern and Illinois also made the list. The Wildcats allowed 15.9 points per contest in 2020, while the Illini gave up just 12.8 points per game in 2022.

Wisconsin registered a more effective defensive point mark than the aforementioned 2020 Wildcats and 2014 Ole Miss Rebels.

With help from defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, head coach Paul Chryst led the 2015 Badgers to a 10-3 overall mark and 6-2 Big Ten record. Despite the winning mark, UW fell to No. 3 Alabama and unranked Iowa in two of its first five games. Wisconsin allowed 35 points to the Crimson Tide, their highest total of the season.

The Badgers orchestrated several blowout victories, including a 58-0 triumph over Miami (Ohio), 28-0 win vs. Troy and 48-10 vs. Rutgers.

Starters on the terrific unit included T.J. Edwards, Joe Schobert, Vince Biegel, Jack Cichy, Michael Caputo, Chris Orr and Darius Hillary.