Tag: former badger

Badger Countdown: T.J Watt highlight reel as number 42 with Badgers

head coach Luke Fickell and his Wisconsin squad are now 42 days away from their opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2 at Camp Randall.

The countdown continues as the Badger football season closes in and head coach Luke Fickell and his Wisconsin squad are now 42 days away from their opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2 at Camp Randall.

T.J. Watt, NFL star and former Badger, wore number 42 while a member of Wisconsin’s football team from 2014-2016. He recorded a total of 70 tackles, including 11.5 sacks (all in 2016), while intercepting a pass, deflecting six others, forcing two fumbles and recovering another over 22 contests.

Watt went on to be selected 30th overall (first round) by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2017 NFL Draft and he’s blossomed into one of the best defenders, if not overall player in the NFL.

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Highest-rated former Badgers in Madden 24

Which Badgers are rated the highest in Madden 24?

The 2023 NFL season is on the horizon and the annual Madden video game is set to be released in August. It’s always a big deal across the internet and in all forms of media, which players are rated too high or too low.

For a long time, former Wisconsin defensive lineman J.J. Watt was the highest rated Badger in Madden, but he’s now retired and a new breed of Wisconsin athletes have taken over the NFL.

There are many former Badger football players in the league, some better than others. Here’s how the top-rated current NFL players in Madden 24 at each position from Wisconsin stack up:

How To Watch: Two Badgers in Summer League

The 2023 NBA Summer League is underway and two former Badger men’s basketball players are suiting up for their respective teams.

The 2023 NBA Summer League is underway and two former Badger men’s basketball players are suiting up for their respective teams. Hosted in Las Vegas, both second-year guard Johnny Davis (Wizards) and third-year forward Micah Potter (Jazz) are in action.

Davis was selected 10th overall by Washington in the 2022 NBA Draft and he is set for an expanded role in the team’s offense in year two after the departures of Bradley Beal (PHX) and Kristaps Porzingis (BOS).

Potter went undrafted in 2021 and he’ll be entering his second year with Utah’s organization, looking to carve out a larger role for himself in 2023.

 

Watch: Former walk-on tight end joins WWE

The WWE Performance Center has announced their rookie class for spring 2023 and a former Wisconsin Badger football player was part of it.

The WWE Performance Center has announced their rookie class for spring 2023 and a former Wisconsin Badger football player was part of the list.

Joining the Badgers as a walk-on tight end in 2017, Coy Wanner has made the leap to televised wrestling.

Wanner never had much of an impact on the field for the Badgers over his  career with the program, logging one tackle and no offensive stats, but he is clearly going to using his athletic prowess moving forward.

As a 6-foot-3, 230-pound human, Wanner could become a star with WWE, which would be a very exciting turn of events for Badger fans. Maybe he’ll even be the next John Cena!

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Badger Countdown: Former number 88 leads all Wisconsin players in NFL yards

The start of the 2023 CFB season is on the horizon and there are 88 days until the start of the Badgers’ season Sept. 2 versus Buffalo.

The start of the 2023 college football season is on the horizon and there are 88 days until the start of the Badgers’ season Sept. 2 versus Buffalo. As we countdown the days, a former number 88 for Wisconsin carved out a great NFL career.

Wide receiver Chris Chambers spent four seasons with Wisconsin from 1997-2000, helping the Badgers win both the 1999 and 2000 Rose Bowls while with the squad.

Chambers totaled 2,004 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns over his four campaigns in Madison, most notably reeling in 52 catches for 813 yards and five scores in his senior season in 2000.

The 5-foot-11 athlete went on to be selected in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins (51st overall). In his rookie season, he caught 48 passes for 883 yards and seven scores, averaging a career-high 18.4 yards per reception while being selected for the 2001 NFL All-Rookie Team.

Chambers went on to play 10 seasons in the NFL with the Dolphins, Chargers and Chiefs, compiling 540 catches for 7,648 receiving yards, both of which are all-time highs for a Badger in the NFL while his 58 touchdowns is second only to Elroy Hirsch (60).

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Badger Countdown: Steelers’ number 90 is Wisconsin all-time great

We are now 90 days away from the Badgers’ Week 1 matchup with Buffalo on Sept. 2 at Camp Randall. A former number 90 is a legend in the NFL.

We are now 90 days away from the Badgers’ Week 1 matchup with Buffalo on Sept. 2 at Camp Randall. A former Badger who wears number 90 in the NFL was both a legend with Wisconsin and now in the league.

T.J. Watt was with the Badgers for three seasons, two of which active, from 2014-2016. Bogged down by injuries, Watt didn’t really step into his own until his third and final season.

During the 2016 campaign, the edge/linebacker emulated his older brother J.J. Watt, recording 63 total tackles, including 11.5 sacks, over 14 games. His defensive effort helped Wisconsin finish the season 11-3, winning the Cotton Bowl over Western Michigan 24-16.

Watt went on to be selected 30th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and has become one of the best players in the entire league.

Since his rookie year in 2017, Watt has recorded an NFL-high 77.5 sacks over six seasons, adding six interceptions, 23 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries while making 243 total tackles in 87 contests.

He’s been a five time Pro-Bowl selection, a three time All-Pro and he won the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

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Badger Countdown: All-time leading passer starts UW career in 92′

The return of Badger football is now 92 days away as we countdown to Week 1 versus Buffalo on Sept. 2 at Camp Randall.

The return of Badger football is now 92 days away as we countdown to Week 1 versus Buffalo on Sept. 2 at Camp Randall. Wisconsin’s all-time leading passer began his UW career in 1992, going on to start four seasons.

Darrell Bevell took over as the Badgers’ starting quarterback in 1992 replacing four-year starter Tony Lowery under center. Paired with third-year head coach Barry Alvarez, the Yuma, Arizona native stepped right into a starting role as a freshman.

Bevell went on to record 1,479 passing yards and eight scores during Wisconsin’s 5-6 season, but it was the next year where things really took off. The quarterback passed for a career-high and program record (at the time) 2,390 yards and matched record with 19 passing touchdowns while the Badgers went 10-1-1 and went on to win the 1994 Rose Bowl 21-16 over UCLA.

He went on to spend two more campaigns under center, ending his career with the program’s all-time leading 7,686 total passing yards and 59 total passing touchdowns, both of which remain the program’s highest ever.

Bevell went undrafted in the 1996 NFL Draft and began a career in coaching and in recent years, he’s filled in twice as an interim head coach with the Detroit Lions (2020) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2021).

Additionally, he won a Super Bowl in 2013 with the Seattle Seahawks as their offensive coordinator. Bevell is now entering his second season as the QB coach and passing game coordinator with the Miami Dolphins.

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Former Badger quarterback chooses new school

After he joined the Badgers as a walk-on last year, Marshall Howe entered the transfer portal in May. He has now announced the next school.

After he joined the Badgers as a walk-on for the 2022 college football season, Marshall Howe entered the transfer portal in May. He has now announced the next school he will be playing for, joining the Yale Bulldogs ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Howe worked as the third-string quarterback behind transfer quarterbacks Tanner Mordecai (SMU) and Braedyn Locke (Mississippi State) this spring, but he ultimately decided that leaving Madison was best.

Coming out of Avon, Connecticut, Howe was a two-star recruit received two Division 1 offers from Davidson and Eastern Illinois, though Yale was also connected to him.

It’s unclear if he’s set to compete for the starting job or not, but he’ll always be considered a Badger.

Badger Countdown: Former number 97 entering year three in NFL

As the Badger football season closes in, we are now 97 days away from the team’s first contest of the year Sept. 2 against Buffalo.

As the Badger football season closes in, we are now 97 days away from the team’s first contest of the year Sept. 2 against Buffalo. There have been many impactful players to wear number 97 in the history of Wisconsin football, but one in particular is entering his third NFL season.

Defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk spent four seasons with the Badgers from 2017-2020, racking up 62 total tackles, including eight sacks, while also deflecting eight passes and forcing two fumbles over 31 career games.

He was a big part of the defensive effort during his time in Madison, going 3-1 in bowl games while most notably winning the 2017 Orange Bowl over Miami (FL).

Loudermilk went on to be selected in the 5th round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over his first two seasons in the league, he has combined to make 30 tackles, including a sack, while deflecting three passes over 26 games (five starts).

Now in 2023, Loudermilk will be joined by two former teammates in defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (2nd round) and linebacker Nick Herbig (4th round), who were also picked by the Steelers.

New home for former Badgers head coach

As the Badgers gear up for their much-anticipated 2023 campaign, one of their former head coaches from the 2022 season found his new home.

As the Badgers gear up for their much-anticipated 2023 campaign under new head coach Luke Fickell, one of their former head coaches from the 2022 season picked his new home Sunday.

After eight years with the Badgers, Paul Chryst was let go in October. He is headed to Texas to join Steve Sarkisian’s staff as an offensive analyst. His role is interesting considering Wisconsin fans were often disappointed in his coaching on the offensive side of the ball.

Overall, Chryst produced a 67-27 record at the helm of the Badgers, winning six bowl games, including the 2017 Orange Bowl. He gets a fresh start in Texas and will always be credited with cultivating some of the best talent to ever call Camp Randall their home.

He was always effective at developing running backs, most notably turning Jonathan Taylor into one of the best in the country. Chryst will look to cushion the loss of Bijan Robinson and develop the next star in Texas’ backfield.

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