Ethan McIntosh keeps giving Verona exactly what it needs, and the future Wisconsin Badger is showing a little more each week.
On Friday, McIntosh and the Wildcats shook off a messy start and pulled away from Janesville Parker for a 31-13 home win, moving Verona to 4-1 after a 3-1 opening stretch. The game wasn’t clean, but McIntosh liked the way his team answered when things got choppy - especially with a few key pieces missing on defense.
"Yeah, that's right. I mean, definitely a sloppy game for us off both sides of the ball, like, penalties, on defense, we had two of our safeties go out.
They were out earlier this week. We keep stepping up in their place.
So it was really great to see that, like, we have that depth in case we need it," McIntosh told Badger247 postgame.
"Hopefully we get those two guys back for Middleton next week, but, even to see those penalties on offense, and those little mistakes, and that we can still put up 31 on the board and not play anywhere near a perfect game. Like, that's really good for us."
That ability to keep rolling despite the hiccups is part of what has made this fall so encouraging for McIntosh and Verona head coach Andrew Riley. Riley said McIntosh has taken clear steps forward, particularly when it comes to finishing blocks and handling himself in the run game.
"I think his growth has been phenomenal, especially in the run game, and his pass sets have gotten really good. The one thing he will get challenged more, is probably the pass sets from bigger guys, especially when he gets to Wisconsin.
I think that is a big thing for us. But the biggest jump that he has taken is his leadership.
Everybody listens to that guy," head coach Andrew Riley said.
"It's almost like having a GA on the field. He always knows what he and every single teammate are supposed to be doing."
McIntosh said that physical edge is something he takes pride in, and it shows up in the way he plays through the whistle.
"I definitely would say physicality pushing guys through the whistle. I mean, I think I've always had good conditioning because I'm a wrestler and like, I think that's the hardest sport to do.
So I think my finish has been great. And I've been putting on weight, like, I think it's coming easier.
Like, I already had the technique from when I was 240 pounds, now I'm 265 and I can push kids around a little bit and I still have that technique," McIntosh added, as well.
The senior also said his growth has gone beyond just strength. His work in the weight room has helped, but so has the confidence that comes from knowing the technique is already there.
McIntosh was the first commit in Wisconsin’s class of 2027 last year, and he said the group has built a real bond even while everyone has been busy playing for different teams across the state. That connection has become part of the fun, with the commits keeping tabs on each other every week.
"I mean, it's been great. Like, every week, we talk about like, who you got next?
And like, how are they doing, and we give our predictions. And, with the (Mallinger) twins and Cole being in the same conference, they're always competing against each other, and saying, 'Oh, we're gonna beat you this year, Cole,' and they go back and forth.
I think it's great to have that type of brotherhood already with them," he detailed.
McIntosh said he plans to try to make it to every Wisconsin home game for the rest of the season.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Fans Have Another Reason To Watch Jack Sorgi Closely
Jack Sorgi has given Wisconsin fans plenty to follow this fall, and not just because he is already headed to Madison. The senior quarterback and Wisconsin commit has put together a strong start to his season, piling up 1,401 passing yards and 12 passing touchdowns while adding 313 rushing yards and six scores on the ground in five games. He is also completing nearly 70% of his throws and carrying a 124.3 quarterback rating, numbers that help explain why his stock keeps drawing attention.
For Badgers fans, the appeal goes beyond the box score. Sorgi is a legacy recruit, with his father, Jim Sorgi, having played at Wisconsin, and his arrival comes at a time when the quarterback room is expected to be young and competitive next season. That gives his development a little extra weight, because every strong performance now only adds to the anticipation about how quickly he can fit into the program once he gets to campus. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin's Secondary Just Took A Hit At The Worst Time
Wisconsins secondary was already under the microscope early in the season, and now it has to absorb a major blow. Cornerback Cai Bates announced he tore his ACL in Week 2, a development that is expected to end his season and removes a transfer who had been viewed as one of the more promising additions in the defensive backfield. Bates had been lined up for a bigger role, and his absence cuts into both the Badgers depth and their plans for shoring up the cornerback spot.
The timing stings because Wisconsin does not have much proven cover behind the starters, and the path forward gets thinner from here. True freshman Donovan Dunmore is now positioned as the top backup outside cornerback, a lot to ask of a young player in a spot where injuries can quickly expose the rotation. For a defense trying to settle in, losing a potential contributor this early forces the Badgers to keep adjusting on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins New-Look Offense Is Already Earning Penn States Respect
Wisconsins 2026 offense is already drawing notice for a reason that matters in the Big Ten: it looks different, and it looks more tailored to the pieces around it. With new starters and a quarterback whose style brings more mobility to the position, Jeff Grimes has begun shaping an attack that seems built to stress defenses in ways the Badgers have not always done.
Penn State coach Matt Campbell has already pointed to that makeover, praising Grimes for designing around his personnel and specifically noting Colton Josephs movement skills and Abu Samas ability to create plays. Campbell also called Wisconsins offense improved, which is the kind of early respect that usually comes with a warning label for whoever lines up across from it next. [Read more 🡒]