Tag: Luke Fickell

Wisconsin veteran safety enters NCAA transfer portal

Another Wisconsin defender is in the portal

This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.

Wisconsin safety Kamo’i Latu entered the transfer portal on Wednesday.

He is the 19th Badger to depart since the portal opened on Monday. 17 of those are scholarship players. The headliners include quarterbacks Braedyn Locke and Tyler Van Dyke, and defensive linemen Curt Neal and James Thompson Jr.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, interests and top targets

Latu enters the portal after three seasons with the Badgers. He originally transferred to the program back in 2022 after two years at Utah.

The hard-hitting safety’s best season with the Badgers was that 2022 campaign, a tumultuous one with the in-season firing of head coach Paul Chryst. Latu finished it with 55 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and three pass deflections.

He then played just 14 games over the next two seasons, including only three in an injury-limited 2024.

Latu’s departure emphasizes Wisconsin’s roster need at safety. Hunter Wohler is off to the draft, leaving an open starting spot across from Preston Zachman. It is already an area of focus as Luke Fickell and his staff begin their transfer portal recruiting efforts.

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Wisconsin transfer wide receiver to exit portal, return to the Badgers

Big news for Wisconsin’s offense

Wisconsin wide receiver Trech Kekahuna is exiting the transfer portal and returning to the Badgers, according to his recent Instagram post.

The sophomore receiver announced his intention to enter the portal last week after the Badgers’ season-closing loss to Minnesota. He now returns to the program with three years of eligibility remaining.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, interests and commitments

Kekahuna tallied 25 catches, 339 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a reserve role as a redshirt freshman in 2024. Veteran Will Pauling dominated snaps at slot receiver, making it challenging for the underclassman to consistently see the field.

The Hawaii native entered the portal last week as the program was in search of its new offensive coordinator, plus did so with Pauling’s potential return for 2025 still up in the air. There is no answer to the latter. But the program officially hired Jeff Grimes in recent days, setting a clear vision for the future of the unit.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDdebEys6yQ/?hl=en

Kekahuna’s speed and explosive playmaking ability are a fit in any offensive system. His return is significant news for a unit that will need to lead a resurgent season.

Wisconsin has been in pursuit of several accomplished transfer wide receivers since the portal officially opened on Monday. That initiative may continue, but Kekahuna’s return makes the position less of a significant need entering 2025 and beyond.

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Wisconsin football offers breakout Mountain West transfer wide receiver

Wisconsin offers breakout Mountain West transfer wide receiver

Wisconsin’s efforts to bolster its wide receiver position continued on Tuesday. It extended an offer to Colorado State transfer Caleb Goodie — the second such offer in the class, joining Miami (OH) transfer Javon Tracy.

Goodie entered the portal this week after two years with the Rams. He originally joined the program as a three-star recruit in the class of 2023.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, interests and commitments

The explosive playmaker won’t struggle to find suitors in the portal. His breakout 2024 season established him as one of the best receivers in the conference — 21 receptions, 436 yards, 20.8 yards per catch, four receiving touchdowns, five carries and 87 rushing yards.

Those totals were enough to lead Colorado State in receiving. His yards-per-reception clip of 20.8 finished third in the entire Mountain West.

The 6’1,” 170-pound playmaker would add an explosive dimension to Jeff Grimes’ new Wisconsin offense. The unit may be in need of a home-run threat after top underclassman Trech Kekahuna departed this week.

Both Goodie and Tracy would fill a key void in 2025 and beyond — regardless of which veterans return for a final season. The room has clearly been something the program has prioritized this cycle.

For more on Wisconsin’s latest offers and visits with the portal window now open, bookmark our offer and interest tracker.

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Minnesota in pursuit of Wisconsin top transfer wide receiver

Minnesota in pursuit of Wisconsin top transfer wide receiver

The Minnesota Golden Gophers extended an offer to Wisconsin transfer wide receiver Trech Kekahuna on Tuesday.

The offer follows Kekahuna’s recent decision to enter the portal after playing two years with the Badgers. He is one of 15 Wisconsin scholarship players (17 overall) to enter since the portal officially opened on Monday.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, interests and top targets

The speedy slot receiver caught 25 passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns for the Badgers in 2024. His role was somewhat limited throughout the season as veteran Will Pauling dominated snaps and touches at the position.

Kekahuna’s best outing was a six-catch, 134-yard, 2-touchdown game against Purdue on Oct. 5. The breakout gave a glimpse at what he’s capable of with top-end speed and ability.

https://twitter.com/trechkekahuna/status/1866501104441438345

Kekahuna departed the Badgers’ wide receiver room as the program changes its offensive system under new coordinator Jeff Grimes. Wisconsin’s passing offense ranked No. 14 in the Big Ten in 2024 despite Phil Longo’s air raid approach.

Minnesota, meanwhile, ranked No. 10 led by veteran quarterback Max Brosmer.

Kekahuna garnering significant interest is not a big story. He shouldn’t have trouble finding a strong destination to play his remaining years of eligibility. The story is Minnesota’s pursuit. Wisconsin-to-Minnesota transfers, or vise versa, are incredibly rare — that’s what made Markus Allen’s jump back and forth between the programs in 2022 such a surprise.

Kekahuna also has announced offers from Arizona, Washington State, New Mexico State, UNLV, San Jose State, Wyoming, Houston, UConn, Hawaii, Utah, East Carolina, Michigan State, NC State and Iowa State. There is no shortage of interest. We’ll see if Minnesota can win the recruiting battle.

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Former Wisconsin wide receiver reenters transfer portal

Former Wisconsin wide receiver reenters transfer portal

Former Wisconsin and Eastern Michigan wide receiver Markus Allen reentered the transfer portal on Tuesday.

He does so with one final year of eligibility remaining. He’s looking to capitalize off a career-best 2024 campaign at Eastern Michigan, during which he recorded 43 catches, 651 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, interests and commitments

“I appreciate coach [Grant] Heard and coach [Chris] Creighton for the opportunity to pursue my dreams,” Allen wrote on X. “After discussion with my family, we feel as if it’s best I bet on myself for my final year of eligibility by entering my name into the transfer portal.”

Allen’s collegiate career has been a rollercoaster to date. He first joined Wisconsin as a three-star recruit in the class of 2021, joining after first committing and decommitting from Michigan. He played for the Badgers for the 2021 season and part of 2022, totaling just 10 receptions, 156 yards and one receiving touchdown.

The veteran receiver first entered the transfer portal in October 2022 after Wisconsin fired head coach Paul Chryst. He quickly committed to rival Minnesota, though soon decommitted and rejoined the Badgers program as Luke Fickell took over.

He then returned to the portal in June 2023 after an April arrest, played the 2023 season at Butler Community College, then finally moved to Eastern Michigan for the 2024 campaign.

His career-best 651 receiving yards in 2024 were good for second on the Eagles, just nine yards behind Terry Lockett Jr. (660).

Allen is one of several members of the 2022 Wisconsin wide receiver room that is finding success. Vinny Anthony had a breakout season with the Badgers, Chimere Dike played well for Florida, Skyler Bell had a big year at UConn and Keontez Lewis even broke some records at Southern Illinois.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, is set for a busy transfer portal season with numerous major roster needs. Bookmark our offer and interest tracker for all of the program’s moves and signings.

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Wisconsin offers accomplished FCS transfer defensive end

Wisconsin offers accomplished FCS transfer defensive end

Wisconsin extended an offer to Elon transfer defensive end Cazeem Moore on Monday.

Moore becomes Wisconsin’s fourth transfer offer since the portal officially opened on Dec. 9, joining Richmond safety Matthew Traynor, Miami (OH) cornerback Raion Strader and Louisville edge rusher Mason Reiger.

The interest surrounding Moore is significant. Wisconsin, USC, California, San Diego State, Oklahoma State, Kentucky, Coastal Carolina, USF, Virginia, Texas Tech, Cincinnati and Memphis all extended offers to the talented defender on Monday.

The 6-foot-5, 255-pound edge rusher announced his intention to enter the portal on Nov. 25 after three years with the Phoenix. The junior followed his 31-tackle, three-sack 2023 season with 51 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six sacks and three forced fumbles in 2024. The stellar output earned him a spot on the All-Coastal Athletic Association Second Team.

Wisconsin has now pinpointed both Moore and Reiger as playmakers who could help bolster the position. The 2024 starting combination of Darryl Peterson, Leon Lowery, John Pius and Aaron Witt combined for only 4.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

Peterson recently announced his plans for another year in Madison, but Pius (eligibility) and Lowery (transfer portal) will not return. Alongside cornerback, defensive pass-rusher is a top priority for the Badgers.

In his career at Elon, Moore has accumulated 106 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 13 sacks from 2022-24. He would become an immediate contributor on Wisconsin’s defensive line if the Badgers can land his commitment.

Wisconsin offers talented All-CAA transfer safety

Wisconsin offers talented All-CAA transfer cornerback

Wisconsin extended an offer to Richmond transfer safety Matthew Traynor on Monday.

Traynor becomes Wisconsin’s third public transfer offer, joining Miami (OH) cornerback Raion Strader and Louisville edge rusher Mason Reiger. All three offers follow the portal officially opening on Dec. 9.

The talented safety announced his intention to enter the portal on Dec. 2 after two years with Spiders. The redshirt freshman played 13 games in 2024 and notched 69 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and three pass deflections. The output earned him a spot on the All-Coastal Athletic Association Third Team.

Since the portal officially opened, Traynor has garnered offers from Delaware, Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern and Liberty. Because of his redshirt season, he still has three years of eligibility remaining at the collegiate level.

UW’s staff obviously circled the secondary as one of its needs in the portal this winter. Several of its depth cornerback pieces announced their plans to enter the portal this past week, prompting Wisconsin to go fishing for multiple defensive back pieces during the portal window.

While Traynor doesn’t boast Power Four experience, he did manufacture one of his best moments as a college player against Virginia in Week 1. He snagged his first career interception against the Cavaliers, plus broke up one pass in the effort.

The potential addition of Traynor’s would be a notable victory for a team in need of playmakers in the defensive backfield.

BREAKING: Wisconsin starting tight end enters transfer portal

BREAKING: Wisconsin starting tight end to enter transfer portal

Wisconsin Badgers starting tight end Riley Nowakowski announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Monday.

Wisconsin’s two-deep depth chart continues to dwindle during the winter transfer portal window. The veteran pass-catcher joins quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, defensive lineman Curt Neal, defensive lineman James Thompson Jr. and wide receiver Trech Kekahuna as prominent members of the team’s two-deep to enter.

“I want to thank coach (Paul) Chryst and coach (Chris) Haering for giving me the opportunity to live out my childhood dream of being a Badger,” Nowakowski wrote on X. “I would also like to thank coach (Luke) Fickell and coach (Nate) Letton for helping me continue to grow on and off the field.

“I could not be more appreciative of this program and wish nothing but the best for Badger nation. I have put a lot of time into this decision and it has not been easy. With that being said, I will be entering the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining.”

https://twitter.com/rnowakowski14/status/1866341262913339550/photo/1

Nowakowski arrived in Madison as one of Paul Chryst’s class of 2020 acquisitions after pocketing the John Anderson Award for the top senior linebacker in Wisconsin.

Nowakowski played five seasons in Madison and logged his two most productive seasons in his final two campaigns. From 2023-24, he snared all 18 of his receptions for 131 total yards and one touchdown as one of the program’s primary starters at the position.

The Milwaukee native will search for more touches elsewhere in his sixth year of collegiate eligibility. While he may not have torched opposing defenses with enlarged statistical outputs, he was synonymous with Wisconsin football during his tenure.

Rising junior Tucker Ashcraft, who has reeled in 20 catches for 168 yards and two scores in his two seasons for Wisconsin, will likely assume starting tight end duties for the Badgers.

This could also be a position of need as Wisconsin continues its transfer portal recruiting pursuits.

For more on UW’s departing talent, bookmark our 2024 transfer portal tracker.

Wisconsin offers star All-MAC transfer wide receiver

Wisconsin offers star All-MAC transfer wide receiver

Wisconsin extended an offer to Miami (OH) transfer wide receiver Javon Tracy on Monday.

Tracy is one of seven players to earn a public offer from Wisconsin since the transfer portal window opened on Dec. 9. He becomes the first offensive player to pocket an offer and the second player from Miami (Ohio), alongside cornerback Raion Strader.

Louisiana Tech transfer defensive end David Blay, Elon defensive end Cazeem Moore, Richmond safety Matthew Traynor, Louisville edge rusher Mason Reiger and Chattanooga linebacker Alex Mitchell also received offers from the Badgers on Monday.

In addition to Wisconsin, Tracy received offers from Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Michigan State and Minnesota after officially entering the portal.

The 6-foot, 206-pound wide receiver put together his most impressive season with the RedHawks in 2024. In 13 games, Tracy snagged 57 receptions for 818 yards and seven touchdowns en route to a First Team All-MAC honor as a redshirt sophomore. He notched a season-best 10 receptions, 119 receiving yards and one touchdown against Toledo on Oct. 5.

https://twitter.com/javon_tracy/status/1866281611374764208

Wisconsin’s need for playmakers on the outside became apparent following the departure of talented speedster Trech Kekahuna earlier this month. The Badgers’ current wide receiver room is headlined by Vinny Anthony II and Will Pauling, and is certainly in need of some juice.

Tracy’s offers will likely balloon as long as he remains in the portal. He led Miami in both catches and receptions in 2024 and enters the portal with 30 games, 79 receptions, 1,166 receiving yards and nine touchdowns under his belt.

Javon is also the younger brother of New York Giants’ running back Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Wisconsin quarterback enters NCAA transfer portal

Wisconsin will have a new starting quarterback in 2025

Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is entering the transfer portal, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The veteran played in just three games with the Badgers after transferring in last offseason. He suffered a torn ACL during the first drive of the team’s Week 3 loss to Alabama and missed the remainder of the season.

Related: Major takeaways from Wisconsin hiring Kansas’ Jeff Grimes as its new offensive coordinator

The move comes as the portal officially opens on Dec. 9. Van Dyke is the 14th Wisconsin scholarship player to enter, the 16th overall.

His potential return was a significant point of conversation after Wisconsin’s 2024 season concluded with a Week 14 loss to Minnesota. He has one year of eligibility remaining, but may not be fully ready for the 2025 season as he recovers from the ACL injury.

Luke Fickell addressed that status last week, saying ‘We just don’t know. From what he’s told me, he wants to continue to play college football. It is a tough situation for him and for all of us because there’s just so many unknowns with his injury and how long of a recovery his injury is…I love Tyler, Tyler’s done nothing than be dedicated to what we’ve asked him to do. He’s been at every game, he’s been at every practice. That does mean something. We’re going to have to figure out where the progress is and what the prognosis looks like for him. It’s a position and situation that we can’t end up like we did this year…There’s a lot of unknowns.’

Those comments came as the program was set to hire a new offensive coordinator, which was recently revealed to be Kansas’ Jeff Grimes. A new leader at the helm of the offense and Van Dyke’s unknown health appear to be significant factors in this move.

The veteran quarterback started for three seasons at Miami before transferring to Wisconsin. He totaled 7,469 passing yards, 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions during that time, including an ACC Rookie of the Year breakout season as a redshirt freshman in 2021.

Injuries and inconsistency has plagued Van Dyke since that breakout 2021 season. He threw for just 422 yards and one touchdown in the first two-plus games of the 2024 season with the Badgers.

His departure means Wisconsin is almost guaranteed to have a new starting quarterback in 2025. Grimes and Wisconsin’s potential upcoming quarterbacks coach hire will likely want to reshape the room to fit the new system.

Wisconsin’s current quarterbacks entering 2025 are Braedyn Locke, Mabrey Mettauer, three-star freshman Landyn Locke and four-star freshman Carter Smith. Expect that group to see names added over the next few weeks.

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