With fall camp nearly in the books, Wisconsin is shifting from internal evaluation to full Notre Dame prep, and one veteran Badger says the clearest changes on this team are happening in the huddle and in the locker room.
Team captain and fifth-year wide receiver Chris Brooks Jr. said the 2026 version of Wisconsin feels different in two major ways: the quarterback play and the team’s response when things get rough.
That first point matters because last season’s passing game was a mess. Wisconsin finished with the fifth-worst passing attack in the FBS, ahead of only Northern Illinois and three triple-option offenses. Brooks didn’t dance around it.
“I hate to say it, but I think just the quarterback play. That was always the big difference, like, I always felt there was a drop-off after Danny (O'Neil) last year," Brooks said. "This year, I don’t really feel like there’s a drop-off anywhere…I feel good with who’s in charge.”
That’s a strikingly direct assessment from a veteran who has seen plenty in Madison. And it lines up with what Wisconsin has been building through spring and fall camp: a roster full of transfers expected to step in and contribute right away. After 30 total practices, players such as Old Dominion transfer quarterback Colton Joseph and Arizona State transfer cornerback Javan Robinson look like the kind of plug-and-play additions the Badgers were hoping for, with both expected to drive their units and emerge as leaders.
Brooks also pointed to a different kind of growth - one that has nothing to do with arm talent or coverage skills.
“The defense is good, they’re gonna get the best of us sometimes, but we haven’t deferred to them. We come back and we fight.
That’s something I’m happy to see. We don’t have a team of people who are gonna give up when things don’t go right," he said.
"I think we have a lot of guys who are ready for the fight," he continued.
That’s a notable contrast to last season, when Wisconsin’s buy-in and togetherness were repeatedly questioned. Brooks’ view suggests a group that’s more resilient now, and that’s a meaningful development for a team that has already spent 30 practices sorting out who can help and how quickly.
With one more practice left in fall camp, the Badgers are close to turning everything toward Notre Dame. For Brooks, the early read is simple: Wisconsin feels stronger at quarterback and tougher in the moments that used to pull it apart.
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