With fall camp approaching for Wisconsin, it’s a good time to step back from summer baseball and sort through the Badgers’ offensive position groups. Punter and kicker are left out of this exercise, and the focus starts with the side of the ball that needed the biggest reset after 2025.
Quarterback sits at the top of the list, and for good reason. It has been the Badgers’ biggest problem area for years, but there’s real buzz around 2026.
If dynamic Colton Joseph stays healthy, Wisconsin could be looking at a massive upgrade from last season. His mix of footwork and arm talent could change everything for Luke Fickell’s offense, including making the run game more efficient.
It also gives defenses more to worry about, since they won’t always know whether a run or short pass is coming. Behind him, the room is still unproven, but there’s talent there, with freshman sensation Ryan Hopkins and transfer Deuce Adams competing for backup snaps while sophomore Carter Smith works for reps as the No.
Running back comes next, though it could almost be treated as a 1B. New coach Jayden Everett has a room that looks deep and varied, with enough skill sets to spread the workload around.
A true bell cow may emerge, but the carries should be divided among at least three backs, and maybe more. Portal addition Abu Sama looks like the best bet to lead the team in carries, but Darrion Dupree should also see plenty of action.
Powerful transfer Bryan Jackson is expected to factor in, too, and Nate Palmer along with JUCO addition Julius Pope will be in the mix. If injuries stay away, this should be a clear step forward from 2025.
The offensive line lands third, and there’s some optimism here even if others may be more cautious. A big part of that belief comes from new coach Eric Mateos, who has delivered at every previous stop.
Wisconsin’s 2025 line was battered by injuries and often didn’t help itself, even if it improved as the season wore on. It never really looked like a classic Wisconsin front, though.
Some key pieces are gone, including Joe Brunner, who is now with the Hoosiers and, in the view here, would have fit well under Mateos. Still, there’s plenty to work with.
Kevin Heywood is healthy again at right tackle, Austin Kawecki arrives from the portal to play center, and Emerson Mandell is in place at right guard. There’s also upside beyond that trio, with Colin Cubberly, PJ Wilkins, Blake Cherry, Ryan Cory, and Lucas Simmons among the names to watch.
If the group comes together under Mateos, a bounce-back season is on the table, especially if the quarterback play helps carry it along.
Tight end checks in fourth, and this is another room that could be solid even if it doesn’t scream star power. Wisconsin’s 2025 group was actually pretty dependable despite the offense’s overall struggles, with Lance Mason leading the way before moving on.
The position has also lost Jackson Acker to eligibility and Tucker Ashcraft to USC, so an upgrade is far from guaranteed. Still, there are pieces here.
MAC transfer Jacob Harris brings size, movement, and a nose for the end zone, making him a strong candidate to be a weapon inside the 20. Grant Stec could also make a noticeable jump thanks to his intriguing skill set, while transfer Ryan Schwendeman adds grit and depth as the veteran in the room.
There’s no Jake Ferguson here, but the group can still be useful.
Wide receiver comes in last, though that doesn’t mean the cupboard is empty. In fact, there’s a lot of talent and prep pedigree in the room, maybe as much as Wisconsin has had in a while.
The challenge is turning all that upside into actual production. Having Colton Joseph running the offense instead of an FCS quarterback or a raw true freshman should help a lot.
Even so, new receivers coach Ari Confesor has plenty on his plate. He’ll need to get production from physical transfer Zion Kearney and Malachi Coleman, unlock the potential of Eugene Hilton and Shamar Rigby, get more out of veterans Chris Brooks and Tyrell Henry, and keep FCS addition Jaylon Domingeaux performing at a high level.
There are still too many unknowns to rank this group anywhere but the bottom, but the ceiling is obvious enough to make it one of the more intriguing rooms on offense.
In Other News...
Badgers Face Painful New Uncertainty Around Promising Back Gideon Ituka
Gideon Itukas future has become one of the most sobering storylines around Wisconsin this offseason. The running back was not included on the official 2026 roster, a notable sign for a player who had been expected to be part of the programs backfield mix before last seasons injury changed everything. Even with that uncertainty, Ituka remains around the team and continues to be involved in some capacity as he works through the aftermath of a severe setback.
Luke Fickells latest update only deepened the concern, because the coach made clear there is no clean timeline for a return. For a player who still had reasons to believe he could carve out a role in Madison, the issue now is less about when he might be back and more about whether he will ever be cleared to play contact football again. [Read more 🡒]
Badgers Making Early Push For In-State Lineman Fans Need To Watch
Wisconsin has already made contact with in-state defensive lineman Zachery Lavoe, a 2028 prospect who is starting to pick up real early attention. The Badgers have also lined up a campus visit for him on Sept. 19, giving the staff a closer look at a player who is still early in the recruiting process but already on the radar of several programs.
Lavoe has drawn interest from Missouri, Minnesota and Iowa State, though he has not landed a scholarship offer yet. For Wisconsin, the bigger question is how he would fit along the defensive front, especially as the staff continues sorting out its board and weighing where he might line up alongside other targets such as Hendrix Dawson. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Fickell Finally Said What Wisconsin Fans Needed To Hear
At Big Ten media day, Luke Fickell sounded like a coach who knows Wisconsin can no longer lean on its history to do the heavy lifting. He said the program has fallen short of the standard it expects, and he pointed to a series of behind-the-scenes changes over the last nine months in how the Badgers operate, prepare and recover as evidence that the reset is already underway.
Fickell also made clear that the support structure around the program looks different now, with more help in the front office, on the coaching staff and in recruiting than before. For Wisconsin fans, the encouraging part was not just the acknowledgment of what has gone wrong, but the sense that the Badgers are trying to rebuild the identity that has long defined them, with a renewed emphasis on toughness and discipline going forward. [Read more 🡒]