Tag: CJ Williams

Several former USC players, notable former coach are now on the Wisconsin sideline

Several former USC players and coaches are now on the Wisconsin sideline

(This story was updated to correct a misspelling/typo)

Wisconsin begins Big Ten play on Saturday with a road trip to No. 13 USC.

The game is one of several tough matchups that await the Badgers during their challenging Big Ten slate. Given the team’s slow start to the season, there aren’t many that appear more important than the opener against the Trojans.

Related: Wisconsin updated depth chart for Week 5 vs. USC includes new starters at quarterback, tight end

USC enters Saturday off a tough 27-24 road loss to No. 12 Michigan. But it remains a projected contender in the conference. That is due to another prolific Lincoln Riley offense and a much-improved defense under new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.

Wisconsin has a connection to that defensive improvement. Former USC DC Alex Grinch, who led the Trojans to become arguably the nation’s worst defensive team, is now the Badgers safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator. Luke Fickell brought him in this offseason after he was fired from USC last November.

Those connections will also be seen on the field. Wisconsin wide receiver C.J. Williams is a former USC Trojan — he transferred to the Badgers before the 2023 season after playing one year for Riley’s program. Badgers inside linebacker Tackett Curtis also has the same connection. He chose the Trojans over the Badgers coming out of high school, then transferred to Wiscosin before this season after playing for USC as a true freshman in 2023.

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell discussed those connections during his Monday media availability. His message: “This is about Wisconsin vs. USC.”

The Badgers and Trojans will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. The game is pivotal to each team’s season — Wisconsin needing an upward trajectory and USC needing to return to the top of the conference standings.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

WATCH: Tyler Van Dyke throws first touchdown pass in Wisconsin uniform

WATCH: Tyler Van Dyke throws first touchdown pass in Wisconsin uniform

Wisconsin is off to a fast start in Week 2 against South Dakota.

The Badgers now lead 14-0 with five minutes remaining in the first quarter, the lead recently extended by an impressive touchdown drive.

The story of the offense’s general struggles against Western Michigan in Week 1 was a lack of explosive plays. That has already been reversed, with QB Tyler Van Dyke already connecting on passes for 22, 32 and 50 yards.

The exclamation point on the strong start was his 50-yard touchdown pass to WR C.J. Williams. The veteran quarterback faked an RPO handoff to Chez Mellusi, began to run around the edge, then pulled up and threw to a wide-open Williams streaking down the field.

https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1832510281026588755

The touchdown pass is Van Dyke’s first in a Wisconsin uniform. He only found the end zone with his legs during the Badgers Week 1 win.

It’s early, but Van Dyke and the Badgers offense already looks much-improved after Week 1.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

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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WATCH: Hype video highlighting beginning of Luke Fickell era

Could Luke Fickell turn Badgers in CFB powerhouse?

The hiring of Luke Fickell has a chance, and may already be, one of the most influential moves in Wisconsin football history. Fickell joined the Badgers in November after six seasons as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats.

While with Cincinnati, he turned that program into one of the best in the country, posting a 57-18 overall record in his time there and even leading them to a 13-0 regular season and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2021.

Now in Madison, he has brought with him Mike Tressel, his defensive coordinator from Cincinnati, and reeled in highly-regarded offensive coordinator Phil Longo from North Carolina.

The culture of the football team changed rather quickly and it has become a destination where transfers like quarterback Tanner Mordecai (SMU) and wide receiver CJ Williams (USC) want to end up.

Finally, it seems like the recruiting efforts have stepped up a notch and Madison feels like a place where the top recruits nationally consider.

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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: Wide receiver’s 27 touchdowns are all-time high

The 2023 college football season is fastly approaching and the Badgers are now 27 days from their season opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2.

The 2023 college football season is fastly approaching and the Badgers are now 27 days from their season opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2. The Luke Fickell era is almost underway in Madison and part of the hype this season is surrounding the wide receivers, but a former wideout owns the all-time touchdown record with 27.

Lee Evans was a member of the Badgers from 1999-2003, finishing his UW career with 3,468 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns on 175 catches during his college career. The yards and touchdowns are the highest in Wisconsin football history while the catches are third.

With transfers like CJ Williams (USC) and Bryson Green (Oklahoma State) coming in, maybe there will be a new star wideout in Madison this year!

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Top five Big Ten football offensive transfers for 2023

The Big Ten has some intriguing offensive playmakers arriving from the transfer portal #B1G

Welcome to college football in 2023 where the transfer portal is a key factor in building a successful and winning program. This season many big names came to the Big Ten and an intriguing number of them are quarterbacks or offensive skill players.

Evaluating transfers is a bit like evaluating recruiting, it’s not necessarily about snagging the big fish such as Sam Hartman, but making sure the guy you snag can fill a need and fit a role the team needs.

We see many schools grab transfer after transfer, and they flame out not because of their lack of talent, but because the situation was not a great fit to begin with

Here are the five incoming transfers that should check every box as a difference maker for their new team.

BREAKING: Badger wide receiver enters transfer portal… again

As the 2023 Badger football season closes in, the team has seen a few departures over the last week and there was another announcement Friday.

As the much-anticipated 2023 Badger football season closes in, the team has seen a few departures over the last week or so and there was another one announced Friday. After two seasons with Wisconsin, wide receiver Markus Allen will be entering the transfer portal.

This is the second time that Allen has entered the transfer portal, having done so last fall following the firing of head coach Paul Chryst, ultimately returning to Madison after Luke Fickell took over. Now operating in a crowded WR room with Wisconsin after the team added multiple wideouts via transfer moves, including C.J. Williams (USC) and Bryson Green (Oklahoma State).

Pair that with the off the field legal issues he’s been dealing with, Allen will look for a fresh start elsewhere. He’ll finish his UW career with 10 catches for 156 yards and a touchdown over eight games during his two campaigns in Madison.

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Wisconsin Football transfer class ranked in top 10 by On3

As the Badgers head into their much anticipated 2023 football season, On3.com ranked their transfer class within their top 10 in the country.

As the Badgers head into their much anticipated 2023 football season, On3.com ranked their transfer class within their top 10 in the country. Paired with the addition of head coach Luke Fickell as well as other new staff members, On3 ranked their transfer portal haul as the 10th best in college football.

Wisconsin added 14 transfers from the portal this offseason, headlined by the likes of former four-star quarterback Tanner Mordecai (SMU) and four wide receivers including former four-star C.J. Williams (USC) and three-star Bryson Green (Oklahoma State).

With Phil Longo and his “Air Raid” offense coming to Madison in 2023, Badger fans are especially excited to see some of the new offensive players in action this season.

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Badger football fans use Twitter to predict team award winners for 2023

Who do Badgers fans think will stand out in 2023?

With the college football season about 100 days away, Badger football fans were prompted on Twitter to predict which players would win the team awards in 2023.

As the Luke Fickell era officially gets ushered in this season, Wisconsin will look to improve upon the 7-6 record they had in 2022. The offense in particular has generated a lot of buzz as new offensive coordinator Phil Longo takes over with his “Air Raid” scheme.

Transfer quarterback Tanner Mordecai (SMU) is expected to be under center in 2023, joining Wisconsin after two 3,000-yard, 30-touchdown with the Mustangs and he has been joined by multiple wide receivers from across the country.

In total, thanks to the coaching additions and many transfers, the Badgers are one of the most intriguing teams in college football next season.

Here’s who Badger fans think will stand out in 2023: