Tag: Madison Cone

Wisconsin CB Faion Hicks named to Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

This is the second year in a row that a Badger has been nominated for the prestigious award:

On Friday morning, senior Wisconsin cornerback Faion Hicks was named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List.

Related: WATCH: Former Badgers Cole Van Lanen and Jon Dietzen practice in Green Bay

The trophy is awarded every season to the college football player that best combines community service, academics and athletic achievement. Badgers have now been nominated for the award in back-to-back years after former Wisconsin defensive back Madison Cone was named to the watch list last season.

Although this is not the most athletic performance-based award, it highlights the lasting impact of a players’ hard work and dedication in the classroom and around the community.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

A former Wisconsin safety is headed to Buffalo for his final year

On Sunday afternoon, former Wisconsin safety Madison Cone announced his transfer to the University of Buffalo for his final year of eligi…

On Sunday morning, former Wisconsin safety Madison Cone announced his decision to transfer to the University of Buffalo for his final year of eligibility. The senior safety was with Wisconsin from 2017-2020 but decided to enter the transfer portal on Feb. 1.

Cone finished his Wisconsin career with 33 games played with 26 total tackles and 2 interceptions. The Kernersville, N.C. native excelled off the field as a Badger, earning a nomination to the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy in 2020 as well as Academic All-Big Ten in 2018 and 2019.

Cone will be joining the Buffalo Bulls that finished in second place in the MAC last season after falling to the Ball State Cardinals in the MAC Championship game.

A Wisconsin senior safety enters the transfer portal

The Badgers lose a senior safety to the transfer portal

The decision carousel continued tonight for Wisconsin football as seniors decide whether or not take a free year of eligibility and whether or not to use that year as a Badger.

Senior safety Madison Cone has entered the transfer portal after spending 2017-2020 as a Badger.

The former three-star recruit had a pair of interceptions and 26 total tackles in his Badger career. Cone was exceptional in the classroom, earning 2018 and 2019 academic all-Big Ten awards and graduating in December 2019 with a degree in educational leadership and policy analysis.

Wisconsin DB Madison Cone named to Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

Thursday afternoon, Madison Cone was the latest Badger to be named to a preseason watch list. Cone was added to the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, which goes to the college football player that best combines community service, academics, and athletics. This is a very prestigious award that allows us as fans to see those that have not only excelled on the football field but have gone above and beyond outside of athletics. 

Thursday afternoon, Madison Cone was the latest Badger to be named to a preseason watch list. Cone was added to the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, which goes to the college football player that best combines community service, academics, and athletics. This is a very prestigious award that allows us as fans to see those that have not only excelled on the football field but have gone above and beyond outside of athletics. 

Cone’s addition to this watch list partially comes from his work to start the successful movement among UW student-athletes to include the black “W” Wisconsin crest on all athletics uniforms in the fall to support minority students on campus. His classroom qualifications are just as impressive, as Cone earned the honor of Academic All-Big Ten in both 2018 and 2019. 

Madison Cone has seen action mostly in special teams in his time at Wisconsin so far, but he did crack the rotation at cornerback in 2018 finishing the season with 18 total tackles, two interceptions, and a pass deflection.

This award focuses on the stuff off the field, and Madison Cone has shown in his time at Wisconsin that he deserves to be seriously considered for the Wuerffel Trophy.

Projecting Wisconsin’s 2020 Spring Defensive Depth Chart

Who will open up on Wisconsin’s spring depth chart on the defensive side of the football?

Wisconsin’s defense in 2020 will be missing not only two key players but also two key leaders to not only the defense but the entire team. Those two players being 2019 team captains outside linebacker Zack Baun and inside linebacker Chris Orr. Despite Wisconsin losing Baun and Orr to graduation the Badgers still return an impressive nine starters from last year’s defense.

In this Badgers Wire feature, we project what the spring depth chart on defense will look like when the Badgers open up spring practice.

Projected Spring Depth Chart Defensive Line: DE 1. Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand, 2. Matt Henningsen and Isaiah Mullens NT 1. Keeanu Benton 2. Gio Paez

Loudermilk and Rand were able to stay healthy over the course of their redshirt junior seasons and as long as they stay healthy they have established themselves as starters at the defensive end positions. Henningsen used last year’s spring practice to put him in a position to have a terrific redshirt sophomore season. If Henningsen can put together a productive spring like he did in 2019 should allow him to take another step in his development. Mullens appeared in 13 games mostly on special teams as he registered one tackle. With backup defensive end David Pfaff graduating he’ll have a chance in spring football to show why he deserves to be apart of the defensive line rotation. At nose tackle, Keeanu Benton will be going through his first spring practice and will receive plenty of valuable practice reps as Bryson Williams could miss all of spring football as he continues to recover from his left leg injury that he suffered this past season. If Williams can’t go that will mean more reps for redshirt freshman Gio Paez as it will be critical that he takes advantage of his reps.

Projected Spring Depth Chart Linebackers: OLB 1. Noah Burks and Izayah Green-May, 2. Spencer Lytle and Jaylan Franklin ILB 1. Jack Sanborn and Leo Chenal 2. Mike Maskalunas and Maema Njongmeta

Christian Bell would’ve had a chance at competing for one of the starting outside linebacker positions opposite of Noah Burks but instead elected to transfer. That leave’s Green-May as the likely starter opposite of Burks when Wisconsin opens spring football. Green-May initially started the 2019 season as a starter but suffered a right arm injury early in the season, which caused him to miss time. Green-May was able to put together a productive fall camp and the practice habits he developed last year will need to continue if he wants to establish himself as the starter once again. Outside linebackers coach Bobby April will also give Franklin and Lytle a look as a starter opposite of Burks. Making it an important spring for both of them as the Badgers look for a starter who can complement Burks. Wisconsin may lose Chris Orr at middle linebacker but the transition between Orr and Leo Chenal should be a smooth one. Chenal gained valuable experience last year as he played as a true freshman. Chenal will receive plenty of reps over spring football and he should be able to take a nice step in his development. Maskalunas will be Chenal’s top competitor for the other starting inside linebacker position as he’s been serviceable during his time at Wisconsin. Njongmeta redshirted last season and will be going through his first spring practice.

Projected Spring Depth Chart Cornerbacks: 1. Faion Hicks and Rachad Wildgoose 2. Caesar Williams and Semar Melvin

Hicks has been a regular starter at cornerback for Wisconsin the past two seasons and that shouldn’t change heading into spring practices. Wildgoose and Williams started eight and seven games respectively a season ago. The trio has been Wisconsin’s most consistent group of cornerbacks. Semar Melvin is coming off a redshirt season but he was able to take advantage of the redshirt rule by playing in four games without burning a year of eligibility. Melvin was up and down, which is understandable but the reps he does receive during spring practice will be invaluable as he looks to build off of his freshman season. Jim Leonhard will also likely rotate in Donte Burton and Deron Harrell too as the starters at cornerback or with the second string cornerbacks too.

Projected Spring Depth Chart Safety: FS 1. Eric Burrell, 2. John Torchio SS 1. Reggie Pearson, 2. Collin Wilder

Wisconsin Football Season Review: Safeties

Evaluating the play of Wisconsin’s safeties during the 2019 season.

Wisconsin finished its fifth season under head coach Paul Chryst as Chryst improved his overall record to 52-16 and has a posted a 34-10 record in conference games. After not winning the Big Ten West Division title in 2018 the Badgers were back in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship game as the West representative for the fourth time in the last six years since the Big Ten went to its current format.

In this Badgers Wire feature we will examine the play of Wisconsin’s safeties from the 2019 season and take a sneak into what the 2020 season may have in store for the position:

Wisconsin was only set to lose D’Cota Dixon to graduation following the 2018 season at the safety position as it was expected the starters for this past season would be redshirt sophomore Scott Nelson at free safety and redshirt freshman Reggie Pearson at strong safety.

Nelson who missed time as a redshirt freshman only played in one game this past year as he lost for the season with a left leg injury following Wisconsin’s game against South Florida.

Luckily for Wisconsin they had the depth to absorb the loss of Nelson as Eric Burrell stepped in seamlessly at the free safety position.

Between the combination of Burrell and Pearson, the duo formed a formidable safety combination in the Big Ten. As the two did well of making sure they didn’t allow a lot of chunk plays through the air.

Pearson led the two in tackles with 60 but Burrell wasn’t far behind with 55. If there was one area where Burrell succeeded from the safety position it was making a play on the ball as he picked off three passes, registered six pass breakups, forced two fumbles, and recovered two as well.

Burrell also was able to make his way into the backfield as he registered 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Pearson who is one of the bigger hitters on the defensive side of the football also made his presence in the backfield finishing the year with 3.5 tackles for loss and forced two fumbles.

Burrell was a consensus All-Big Ten Honorable mention selection due to his productivity throughout the season.

Although Pearson and Burrell were able to help make plays for Wisconsin from the safety position the Badgers also had a reliable third safety in Collin Wilder.

Wilder who had to sit out the 2018 season due to him transferring in from Houston was steady in his play. Wilder finished the season with 19 tackles but when the football was thrown in his direction it appeared that he was ready to try and make a play on the football as he registered an interception and broke up six passes.

Madison Cone split his defensive reps between the nickel cornerback position and also at safety. Cone did miss time this year because of injury, which affected his impact on the team as he finished the season with seven tackles in 10 games.

2020 Wisconsin Safeties

The way Burrell played throughout the course of the season will likely allow him to continue to be the starter at free safety. But having your backups at the safety positions be Nelson and Wilder the Badgers, if they want, should be able to interchange their safeties and be comfortable that there won’t be a drop off. In addition, the Badgers have done well in recruiting the position. Although the competition at safety will be high the Badgers will need to continue to develop players like Cone, John Torchio, and Titus Toler. Torchio finished the season in the two deep as he was Burrell’s backup at free safety. Torchio a walk-on saw most of his time when the game was decided but did start the game against Northwestern as Burrell had to miss the first half due to a targeting call. Torchio finished the season with three tackles, two pass breakups, and one interception. Torchio will be a name to keep your eye on as a potential contributor down the road.