Chris Brooks Jr. has been around Wisconsin long enough to know the difference between a program trying to find itself and one that’s already figured things out.
The fifth-year senior wide receiver arrived in Madison for the 2022 season, a year that turned ugly fast for the Badgers and ended with Paul Chryst getting fired after a home blowout loss to Illinois in October. Brooks didn’t see the field in the regular season as a true freshman, but he did make his debut in Wisconsin’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl win over Oklahoma State. Since then, a mix of injuries and Wisconsin’s slide has kept him out of another bowl game.
Now he’s heading into his final year in Madison with a different kind of responsibility. Brooks is one of the team’s veterans, one of Wisconsin’s three representatives at Big Ten Media Days, and a likely starter on the perimeter again after starting there in 10 games last season.
The St. Louis native, who came out of St.
Louis University High School, has also earned notice for his blocking and his physical style on the outside.
He’s not the same receiver he was when he first got to campus, either. Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said Brooks showed a broader game this spring than he did a year ago.
“He made more of a variety of types of plays in the spring. Last year, he was a really outstanding blocker for us and I guess what you could call a possession receiver; he caught the ball underneath a lot with his numbers facing the quarterback, but not a lot of plays down the field or crossing the field. He made a lot of plays in that intermediate or deep field area this spring," Grimes said at the team's local media day.
"I actually asked him that question one day, I said ‘Dude, you’re playing so much better, what’s the difference?' He said, ‘I just think I realize it’s my time. I have to now.'"
Brooks’ career production still leaves plenty on the table. He has 12 catches for 151 yards so far, which means 2026 could be the year he finally breaks through - or another season where he stays mostly in the background.
What matters to him right now, though, is the way Wisconsin is carrying itself as a group. Brooks said the Badgers aren’t folding when things go sideways, even when the defense has the upper hand.
“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.”
That kind of mentality has not always been easy to find in Madison, and it was no secret the locker room was in rough shape last season. Brooks says that feels different now. It won’t mean much unless Wisconsin turns it into wins, but for a veteran entering his last ride, the vibe around the team is enough to give him reason for optimism.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Fans Face A Costly Lambeau Debate Before Notre Dame
Wisconsins trip to Lambeau Field on Sept. 6 is already turning into a pricey assignment for fans who want to be there in person. Ticket listings for the Badgers matchup with Notre Dame show the lowest available seats hovering around the mid-$200s, while more desirable spots are pushing into the $300s and $400s, a sign that demand for one of the seasons marquee nonconference games is holding firm.
The market has been fairly steady for about a week, but anyone waiting for a bargain may be taking a gamble. As tickets continue to change hands through different vendors, the prices can move quickly, and the cost of getting into the historic Green Bay setting may be the biggest pregame debate for Wisconsin supporters before the teams even take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Catches A Break Before Notre Dame But One Worry Remains
Notre Dame will open Week 1 without Quincy Porter, the former five-star recruit who has been ruled out while he continues to recover from a left patellar tendon injury. That is a meaningful development for Wisconsin as it gets ready for a road matchup against a defense coach Freeman has already described as strong up front, and it likely means Micah Gilbert will be the player asked to absorb Porters role when the Badgers see the Irish on the field.
For Wisconsin, the broader concern is still closer to home. The Badgers are monitoring the health of offensive linemen Kevin Heywood and Emerson Mandell, and how those two hold up could shape the matchup as much as any absence on the other side. Even with Notre Dame missing a key piece in its passing game, Wisconsins own availability on the offensive line remains the issue that could define how comfortable the opener feels. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Receiver Battle Has A Surprise Name Pushing For A Big Role
Wisconsin spent the offseason reshaping its receiver room, dipping into the transfer portal for multiple additions as it looked to add more size and depth on the outside. Jaylon Domingeaux, Malachi Coleman, Shamar Rigby and Zion Kearney all arrived with a chance to help, and the group reflects the Badgers clear preference for bigger boundary targets as they build out the passing game.
Among that collection, Rigby has become the name to watch. The former Oklahoma State transfer has worked through earlier injuries but has still positioned himself as a key contributor, and Luke Fickell has sounded encouraged by where he stands heading into the season. If Rigby stays healthy, Wisconsin believes he can carve out a significant role and give the offense the kind of presence it has been looking for on the perimeter. [Read more 🡒]