Tag: Phil Longo

WATCH: Badger QB commit lights up opponent on homecoming

Mettauer goes off for homecoming

The Badgers class of 2024 four-star quarterback commit Mabrey Mettauer has been having a very strong senior campaign with The Woodlands in Texas.

He went off at The Woodlands’ homecoming game Friday night, passing four five touchdowns in his team’s 56-13 victory over Spring Grand Oaks. He is now up to 15 touchdown passes on the year through four games.

Mettauer will arrive in Madison after the conclusion of his senior year and he could potentially compete with the likes of Braedyn Locke and Nick Evers for the starting quarterback role with the Badgers in 2024.

As for now, the four-star quarterback will look to finish strong.

 

Five stats that defined Wisconsin’s loss to Washington State

Here’s why Wisconsin lost:

Wisconsin fell to the Washington State 31-22 last night. The team is now 1-1 under new head coach Luke Fickell with one game to go before Big Ten play begins.

The loss felt like a mirror image of last year’s loss to the Cougars in many ways. Wisconsin is the better team, the game had flashes of the Wisconsin team we expect to see throughout the season, yet the Badgers’ mistakes proved to be the difference as it was Washington State celebrating on the field after the clock hit zero.

This game doesn’t reflect poorly on Wisconsin’s long-term outlook under Fickell. But it did clearly show that the turnaround will take time. This is not a program that looks ready to compete for conference titles and College Football Playoff appearances.

There was some good from the contest, including Tanner Mordecai giving glimpses at his potential in this new offense. But the bad from the game points toward some growing pains — sloppy penalties, blown coverages, turnovers and a lack of dominance in the trenches.

As we break down the loss, here are five stats that defined last night’s outcome:

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.

 

WATCH: Big Ten analyst has eyes on Badgers running back

Don’t sleep on Braelon Allen

The Badgers football season starts in five days when they take on Buffalo at home Sept. 2 and running back Braelon Allen has plenty of eyes on him. Big Ten Network analyst Nicole Auerbach believes that many are underestimating Wisconsin’s star back.

Allen has combined for 2,510 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground over his first two campaigns in Madison. Somehow, he’s yet to record a receiving touchdown in his short career, something that he’ll look to change in Phil Longo’s “Air Raid” offense this year.

The 6-foot-2, 235-plus-pound athlete will likely be the largest cog in the Badgers’ offense in Luke Fickell’s first season as head coach in 2023 and he’s not a guy to sleep on if you’re the opposing defense.

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Badger Countdown: Six touchdowns for top wide receiver in 2022

Badgers top WR snagged six TDs in 2022

The 2023 college football season is on us and Luke Fickell and the Badgers are now six days away from their opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2. Entering this year, Wisconsin’s top wide receiver is Chimere Dike, who in 2022 caught six touchdowns.

Dike is entering his fourth season in Madison and he will be under a third head coach with Fickell taking over. On top of that, the wide receiver is in a new offense with Phil Longo taking over and his quarterback will be Tanner Mordecai, who transferred to Wisconsin this offseason.

In 2022, Dike recorded 47 catches for 689 yards and six scores through the air last season and he will look to build upon that in his senior campaign.

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Badger Countdown: Number eight under center in 2023

New superstar quarterback under center in 2023?

The 2023 college football season is almost here and Luke Fickell and the Badgers are now eight days from their opener versus Buffalo on Sept. 2. Under center this year will be number eight, transfer quarterback Tanner Mordecai.

Mordecai transferred to Wisconsin this offseason after spending time with both Oklahoma and SMU. He never really got a shot to start until he transferred to SMU in 2021.

The 6-foot-2 quarterback produced 7,152 passing yards and 72 touchdowns over his two campaigns with the Mustangs and he will now operate in new offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s “Air Raid” offense in Madison.

It’s possible that Mordecai puts together one of the best seasons for a quarterback in Wisconsin football history.

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The 10 most important Wisconsin Badgers in 2023

The 10 most important Wisconsin Badgers this year:

With the new era of Wisconsin football also has come a new way to look at the team.

In the past, the most important Wisconsin Badgers entering the season were always the running back, each member of the offensive line, an inside linebacker or two, its defense up front and maybe the punter.

Now that entire rulebook is scrapped. Enter head coach Luke Fickell, offensive coordinator Phil Longo, defensive coordinator Mike Tressel and an entirely new approach to football.

Tressel runs a 3-3-5 hybrid defense with an emphasis on speed and athleticism. Longo runs an air raid offense that will spread defenses out and rely on wide receivers to make plays in open space. The new look is exciting, but Wisconsin’s rising ceiling cannot be reached without certain players performing on the field.

So here, almost a week away from kickoff, are the 10 most important Wisconsin Badgers to the 2023 season:

Badger Countdown: Transfer wideout wearing number nine in 2023

New wideout in number nine this year

The 2023 college football season is almost here and Luke Fickell and his Badgers are now nine days away from their opener against Buffalo on Sept. 2. Amongst the many new members this year, wide receiver Bryson Green will wear number nine in his first campaign with Wisconsin.

Green transferred to Wisconsin this offseason after spending two seasons with Oklahoma State, who the Badgers coincidentally beat 24-17 in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in December.

Over his two campaigns with the Cowboys, Green compiled a total of 48 catches for 723 yards and seven touchdowns over 23 contests.

Now in Madison, the wide receiver will be working within Phil Longo’s “Air Raid” offense while catching passes from quarterback Tanner Mordecai.

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