Joe Brunner has landed at Indiana and, almost immediately, he’s filling the kind of role Wisconsin could have used one more year.
After transferring out of Madison following another rough season for the Badgers, Brunner arrived in Bloomington as one of the older offensive line additions Indiana wants to lean on. That matters because Wisconsin was left needing to rebuild up front through the portal, and Brunner was one of the few experienced pieces it was losing.
At Indiana, though, the conversation around him is different. Instead of being just another veteran body in the mix, he’s being pushed into a more vocal leadership role. Curt Cignetti made that clear when discussing what he expects from his transfer group.
“This is the time of year where a number of the older transfers start to step up a little bit, and you've got to put them in that position.”
Cignetti said he is deliberately giving players like Brunner chances to speak in front of the team and grow into that leadership lane. For Brunner, that’s a notable shift from how he was viewed at Wisconsin, where his value was more about steady presence than commanding the room.
He was certainly respected in Madison, but he often operated in the shadow of Riley Mahlman and Jake Renfro. The result was a lineman who helped anchor things and led by example, even if the vocal side never fully came through.
There’s some context behind the move, too. Brunner had reasons to leave, including the coaching change on the offensive line and the chance to play for a contender right away. Wisconsin also has reason to let Eric Mateos build the line the way he wants it for Jeff Grimes’ offense.
Still, it’s hard for Badger fans not to look at this and think about what might have been. Brunner is wearing red and taking on the kind of responsibility Wisconsin could have leaned on in his final season.
If the Badgers’ line ends up strong this year, that regret will fade fast. If not, his new role at Indiana will stand out even more.
In Other News...
Wisconsins Offense Just Faced Its Toughest Camp Test Yet
Bad weather pushed Wisconsins fifth fall camp practice indoors, but the setting did little to soften the edge of the day. Offensive line coach Eric Mateos kept the pace and urgency high, and the defense made the most of the cramped space, especially up front, where the front seven controlled much of the session. The offense did find some rhythm with jet sweeps and pre-snap motion, but it was clear this was one of those camp days when every inch had to be earned.
One of the brighter offensive moments came from JUCO transfer tailback Juju Pope, who broke loose for a long touchdown with the second-team offense. Even so, the defense had the louder answers overall, with Posa coming through on one of the most disruptive plays of the day by knifing into the backfield on a jet-motion look and blowing it up before it could get started. For an offense still sorting itself out, it was a useful reminder that camp progress often looks more like resistance than comfort. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Fall Camp Is Setting Up Some Big Starting Job Fights
Fall camp is underway in Madison, and the early days have already put Wisconsins roster in a familiar spot for August, with competition everywhere and no shortage of jobs to sort out before the opener against Notre Dame. Wide receiver, cornerback, tight end and guard are all in play, and the Badgers are leaning on a mix of transfers and returning players as they begin to piece together the depth chart for a season that will demand answers quickly.
The most interesting part of camp is not just who is practicing, but which players are starting to separate themselves as the staff evaluates the first units and the key contributors behind them. There is a real sense that several of these battles could shape how the offense and defense look once the games count, and a few spots already have the feel of decisions that may not be settled until camp is deep into its final stretch. [Read more 🡒]