Tag: squat fest

Wisconsin legend J.J. Watt is impressed by a Badger true freshman

Wisconsin legend J.J. Watt is impressed by a Badger true freshman

Wisconsin football’s annual ‘Squat Fest’ took place on Friday. The highly-publicized event had members of the media in attendance, who all shared social media clips of the impressive weightlifting feats.

One such clip came from BadgerExtra’s Jake Kocorowski. It is of true freshman running back Gideon Ituka easily squatting 545 pounds.

Related:Β Wisconsin’s all-time record against every Big Ten football team

The video mostly just circulated among Badgers fans on X. But Wisconsin legend and future NFL Hall of Fame defensive lineman J.J. Watt soon chimed in, impressed by the clip.

Ituka is a member of Wisconsin’s record-breaking class of 2024. He joins the program after being ranked as the No. 1,078 player in the class of 2025, No. 81 running back and No. 31 recruit from the state of Maryland.

The former three-star recruit was an early enrollee and has been on campus since January. Still, 545 on the squat rack is usually a number put up by a veteran player — or not put up at all.

Ituka is one of four running backs to join the program this offseason along with transfer Tawee Walker, and four-star recruits Dilin Jones and Darrion Dupree. The room looks to be loaded moving into the future, notably with players with different body types and running styles.

Early indications are that Ituka may be able to surpass his low-three-star recruiting ranking.

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Highlights from Wisconsin football ‘Squat Fest 2k24’

Highlights from Wisconsin football’s ‘Squat Fest 2k24’

Wisconsin strength and conditioning coach Brady Collins’ signature ‘Squat Fest’ event took place on Friday, as the 2024 Wisconsin Badgers football team had, in essence, a collective max-out squat day with the media in attendance.

That, and it also included a new logo, shirts for the entire team and an extensive amount of production work within the building.

Related: Big Ten Football Power Index Rankings for 2024: Which teams are underrated, overrated?

It was the second-annual edition of the event at Wisconsin after Collins followed head coach Luke Fickell to the program after the 2022 football season. Collins began ‘Squat Fest’ back at Cincinnati, evolving it each year from just a max-out day in the weight room to a circled date and event on the calendar as summer conditioning work drew to a close.

Wisconsin football’s social media team and media members in attendance all shared extensive highlights of the 2024 edition of the event:

 

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WATCH: Wisconsin football’s annual ‘Squat Fest’ is back

WATCH: Wisconsin football’s annual ‘Squat Fest’ is back

Wisconsin football’s annual ‘Squat Fest’ is back for the second consecutive season.

That fact was made clear Friday morning with several posts on X from strength and conditioning coach Brady Collins and highlights posted by media members covering the event.

Related: Big Ten Football Power Index Rankings for 2024: Which teams are underrated, overrated?

Collins’ ‘Squat Fest’ event began when he and head coach Luke Fickell were back at Cincinnati. The veteran strength coach told BadgerExtra’s Jake Kocorowski last year that it first evolved from a team-wide max squat day to it becoming the circled date on the calendar that it is today.

And by circled date, that means having a fresh new logo, shirts for the team and production work within the building. More highlights are sure to come from the Wisconsin football social media team and other media members, but here’s a first look at ‘Squat Fest 2k24.’

 

 

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