MADISON, Wis. — The start of fall camp was “a little different for” Luke Fickell this August.

Fickell’s now in his fourth season as University of Wisconsin football coach, and the previous three years the program made the hour trek for extended stays at UW-Platteville to begin preseason practices. That isn’t happening this year, as the team began fall camp Thursday inside the very familiar confines of Camp Randall Stadium.

“This is probably the first time in, I don’t know 10 or so years, that I’ve coached on campus as far as to start a camp and much of camp,” Fickell said. “So we’ve been very fortunate the last few years, obviously to go to to go to Platteville and even my time at at Cincinnati, we were gone for most all of camp.

“And so this is just a little bit unique and different.”

That said, he thought it was a “great first day” of practice as Wisconsin is exactly one month away from its 2026 season opener against Notre Dame up at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

“I think both sides of the ball, we had a lot of the things that we’re looking for,” Fickell said. “As far as a competitive spirit, even a little bit over-competitive spirit, but on both sides, I think they made some plays down the field, which is really nice. You can see a confidence level that’s building, but also a competitiveness, guys battling with each other.

“And that’s kind of what we’ve asked for as far as, not just the team and things, but as far as even leaders. Hey, we got to challenge one another as leaders, and we got to make sure that we do that every single day, because that sets the tone for everybody in the program and everybody out here. And so obviously it’s a good start. We have a hell of a lot more ahead of us, but you got to start somewhere, and this is a hell of a day to start with.”

Badger Observer was in attendance Thursday. Be sure to watch Fickell’s entire chat with reporters at the link above, but here are several thoughts from the first fall camp practice.

Expect more interviews with Badgers from Wednesday’s media day to drop on Badger Observer throughout the end of the week. We’ve already published videos with offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes quarterback Colton Joseph, and linebackers Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa.

Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

Offensive line shuffle with potential starter working back

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Badger Observer will also be publishing thoughts from that first practice later Thursday afternoon.

Expect more interviews with Badgers from Wednesday to drop on Badger Observer throughout the end of the week We’ve already published videos with offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes quarterback Colton Joseph, and linebackers Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa.

Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

Among the topics Fickell discussed included the following:

• Running backs Bryan Jackson II and Darrion Dupree

• Outside linebacker Micheal Garner having “a roller coaster ride”

• The physicality of the cornerbacks

• Quarterback Colton Joseph’s day

• Improving on defense in creating turnovers and owning third-and-long situations

Expect more interviews with Badgers to drop on Badger Observer throughout Thursday. We’ve already published videos with offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes quarterback Colton Joseph, and linebackers Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa.

Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

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Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

Expect more interviews with Badgers to drop on Badger Observer throughout Thursday. We’ve already published videos with offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes quarterback Colton Joseph, linebacker Mason Posa.

Thanks for checking out Badger Observer! We’re hoping to reach 1,000 total subscribers by the beginning of the 2026 football season-opener against Notre Dame. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber, and be sure to check out our deal for $20/year or $2/month!

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Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

Expect more interviews with Badgers to drop on Badger Observer throughout Thursday. We’ve already published videos with quarterback Colton Joseph and linebacker Mason Posa.

Among the topics Grimes discussed include the following:

• Joseph being the “total package”

• Bringing in center Austin Kawecki

• Having depth at the wide receiver position group, but looking to see who emerges as the deep threat

• Linebackers Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa are “both really smart, instinctive players”

• How he “would like to see us have one guy that becomes our bell cow” at running back

• How not looking back on last season is a normal thing for him, not just because of last year’s struggles

• Reconnecting with offensive line coach Eric Mateos

• Ball security

Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

Expect more interviews with Badgers to drop on Badger Observer throughout Wednesday and Thursday. We’ve already published a video with quarterback Colton Joseph, as seen below

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Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

Expect more interviews with Badgers to drop on Badger Observer throughout Wednesday and Thursday.

Among the topics discussed with Joseph include the following:

• How the coaches were a main factor in Joseph thinking Wisconsin was the best destination for him

• Why adapting to a new environment was his biggest challenge coming to Madison, and how becoming more comfortable helped him finish spring ball strong

• Offseason work/routine

• Adding weight this offseason

• Offseason throwing and building relationships

• Who could emerge as deep threats within Badgers’ passing game

• Being called a workhorse by offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes. “I just push my all every time.”

• Acclimating to a pro-style offense under Grimes and quarterbacks coach Kenny Guiton

• “I just see a lot of hunger from a lot of the guys” on Wisconsin’s offense

• Center Austin Kawecki, another impact transfer

We all know how a team’s fortune can change, and in particular, the University of Wisconsin football program’s case, when it doesn’t have its starting quarterback for extended stretches of time. That’s haunted the tenure of coach Luke Fickell’s with the Badgers during his first three seasons in Madison. So hey, if there’s guarded optimism with the arrival of Old Dominion transfer Colton Joseph this offseason, that’s very understandable.

Joseph and his dual-threat abilities (2,624 yards passing, 1,007 yards rushing in 2025) will undoubtedly be the most important transfer for Wisconsin entering its 2026 season. His arm talent and keeping defenses honest carrying the rock will be needed to turn around the Badgers’ offense after an injury-filled and unproductive first season under offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes.

But Wisconsin signed 34 other transfers since the winter offseason who will not only supplement but improve several position groups as well. Badger Observer continues its fall camp previews with a look at nine transfers, in alphabetical order by last name, who could make the most impact outside of Joseph in 2026.

Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

Safety Marvin Burks Jr.

Gone are Austin Brown (to the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts) and Preston Zachman (Indiana). Returning to Jack Cooper’s group is redshirt senior safety Matt Jung, who was thrusted into a baptism-by-fire situation at the Power Four level as he filled in plenty for an injured Zachman last season.

Burks brings starting experience from the SEC, where he tallied 131 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions and five passes defended in 39 games at Missouri (25 of them starts).

Jung and Burks received first-team reps alongside one another this spring, and director of football strength and conditioning Brady Collins said both were among the plays to run 4.5 40-yard dash times.

“As soon as we met (Burks) in the portal and gotten to talk to him, the reps in the SEC, in big-time environments, gives him confidence that, ‘Yeah, Coach, I got that,’” safeties coach Jack Cooper said in April. “And I think that helps guys be able to play at a high level next to him, because he does have that kind of aura about him.

“And again, I think at that position, and you see it in college football right now with the portal, having proof of proof of concept and having reps, especially at that position, they have problems solved. So I think when it comes to checks and adjustments and the offense putting us through stress and different things they’re doing, he’s already kind of been through it. It might have been called ‘Pizza’ at the other school, but we just have a different name for it, right? So again, making sure that we can marry up language, but he does a great job of coaching. I’ve already had reps like, how do the two of us meet halfway on the learning and the teaching? So again, he can be a huge asset for us.”

Wide receiver Jaylon Domingeaux

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A dynamic duo have the opportunity to become pillars of the University of Wisconsin football team.

Sophomores Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa return for their sophomore seasons after combining for 117 tackles, 8½ tackles for loss and six sacks in 2025. Posa led the team in tackles (61), with Catalano right behind him (56), and most of those came during the final five games of the season.

Both made their first career starts at Oregon in late October, where they finished with a combined 21 tackles. Their breakout performance came two weeks later in the Nov. 8 home win against a ranked Washington program, which snapped a six-game losing streak. Catalano earned Big Ten defensive player of the week honors after recording a career-high 19 tackles, while Posa claimed the conference’s freshman of the week accolades after accumulating 11 tackles and 2½ sacks.

It’s no surprise the two worked as first-team linebackers during Wisconsin’s 15 spring practices from late March to late April.

“They are two young players with some extreme upside, and I think they both have their unique ways of doing things,” inside linebackers coach Tuf Borland said April 15. “Cooper’s more of that traditional backer with some high mental capabilities. A guy that you load up and do some of them things and operate the defense.

“And Posa’s a guy with some extreme natural feel and talent, and both can have their impacts in their own rights. But just continuing to strive and get better. I think a lot of it last year, what we saw, was them playing off of feel and instincts, right? So it’s really cool to see what they’re doing from just how far they’ve come from just understanding football and formational tendencies and what offenses are kind of giving you a pre-snap. So they’ve done a good job at this point in the spring.”

Badger Observer continues its fall camp previews with a look at eight other defensive players who stayed with Wisconsin after the 4-8 season in 2025 and now have an opportunity to reshape the program’s trajectory.

Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

Defensive line: Charles Perkins, Dillan Johnson and Nolan Vils

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It’s quite the gauntlet to start the season for a young but reloading University of Wisconsin volleyball program.

Coach Kelly Sheffield and his staff replaced key contributors Mimi Colyer and Carter Booth this offseason with a revamped roster featuring 11 new players. Early returns during the Badgers’ spring schedule showed promise with transfers Jaela Auguste and Eva Travis, along with 2026 signees Halle Thompson, Audrey Flanagan and Lynney Tarnow. But Wisconsin’s nonconference schedule is a murderers’ row of programs who have extensive postseason experience.

Eight of Wisconsin’s 10 foes before Big Ten play at least made it to the round of 32 in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Of those eight, six who made it to the Sweet 16, and the Badgers will face the other three Final Four teams from the 2025 season. There’s also a Texas road trip where the Badgers will attempt to take down the defending national champion Aggies on Sept. 11 and then the Longhorns two days later.

That’s on top of a conference schedule where eight league foes made last season’s NCAA Tournament.

“This is not only the toughest schedule I think we’ve ever had, I can’t imagine there’s been anybody that has put together — not put together — but maybe just said yes as many times as what we did with who we’re playing,” Sheffield said Monday.

The regular season begins in less than three weeks with running back a national semifinal matchup against Kentucky at 8 p.m. CT on Aug. 21, which is part of the AVCA First Serve at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Wisconsin immediately follows up the next day with a 3 p.m. match against Louisville, but there should be some home state advantage with the 90-minute trip east.

“I don’t know if people know how unique how the season is opening up is,” Sheffield said. “The (AVCA) First Serve events in Milwaukee, you can make an argument, I don’t know if I have another event that has had a stronger collection of talent in our sports history than what is going to be under that one roof to start the season. You don’t see other sports that are just going that many of late matches right off the bat.

“I started this (availability) off by talking about being a competitive junkie. If you’re a competitive junkie that just loves watching sports, you’re going to be in that building watching. You’ll have your high school teacher, club teams over there.”

Sheffield, junior setter Charlie Fuerbringer and redshirt junior outside hitter Grace Egan answered questions from reporters who attended Big Ten volleyball media days in person in Chicago and via Zoom on Monday. Here’s what stood out in those 20 minutes, and for a quick refresher, check out our takeaways from the Badgers’ spring slate.

Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

Anna Bardaro’s ‘jumped right in’

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The University of Wisconsin football program overhauled its roster during the winter, but key returners will still play vital roles this fall.

Wisconsin signed 35 players from the transfer portal since January and have now welcomed all 13 of their 2026 scholarship recruits from the early signing period. Many of these new faces have already set themselves up for roles as contributors for preseason practices that start Thursday in Madison. But there are plenty from the 2025 roster who will dictate how the fourth season of coach Luke Fickell’s tenure fares.

Badger Observer continues its fall camp previews with a look at seven offensive players who stayed with Wisconsin after the 4-8 season in 2025 and now have an opportunity to reshape the program’s trajectory.

Offensive line: Kevin Heywood

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Babe, wake up: It’s fall camp preview time.

The University of Wisconsin football program kicks off preseason practices Thursday in Madison as coach Luke Fickell enters a crucial fourth season leading the program. Badger Observer’s already reported from Chicago during Big Ten football media days from Fickell’s time with local reporters early Tuesday and on the side podium later that day, which included his thoughts on new general manager Morocco Brown.

Expect us in attendance at the team’s facilities throughout August and will provide analysis, videos and more.

Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

For now, let’s commence fall camp previews with the five position groups Badger Observer is focusing in on during these preseason practices.

5. Who will be Wisconsin’s starting 5 on the offensive line?

Feel pretty confident about three of the starting offensive line spots with tackles PJ Wilkins and Kevin Heywood, along with center Austin Kawecki. Florida State transfer Lucas Simmons-Johansson received some first-team reps at left tackle towards the end of spring practices in place of Wilkins, and that’s a mini-storyline to watch throughout fall camp.

But home in on the guard spots. Coach Luke Fickell praised the leadership of Heywood, Colin Cubberly and Emerson Mandell — all third-year players — last week during Big Ten football media days in Chicago. Mandell worked as first-team right guard in the spring before suffering an injury that required foot surgery. He missed a noticeable chunk of practices in April.

“We expect him to be OK,” Fickell said Tuesday. “It’ll be how comfortable is he? How much can we get him? I know that we’re going to be limited rep-wise as we start camp, so it’ll be interesting to see how far along he is after the first three weeks of camp.”

Cubberly worked in Mandell’s place at right guard for plenty of 11-on-11 series in April, and offensive line coach Eric Mateos called him “kind of like a dirtbag” (complimentary) and praised his transformation. Cubberly and two transfers, Blake Cherry (Arkansas) and Stylz Blackmon (Division II Augustana) all could be options at left guard.

The other questions to answer will be who emerges to back up Kawecki at center, and can others emerge as game-ready within the two-deep.

4. How will Wisconsin’s running back rotation pan out?

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Luke Fickell has appreciated Morocco Brown’s approach during his first two months in Madison.

The University of Wisconsin football program formally announced Brown as its general manager on June 4, and he arrived with plenty of NFL experience since the beginning of the century. His most recent roles were director of college scouting and later chief personnel executive with the Indianapolis Colts from 2017-25, where according to the Badgers’ release, he “managed Indianapolis's college football department and contributed to the franchise's annual roster breakdown.”

Brown was then seen on the field watching Wisconsin’s summer camps that ran from early-to-mid June. And despite the vast wealth of knowledge and background at the next level, Fickell believes the best thing Brown’s done is “step back, listen and learn.”

“And I think that’s where the uniqueness of somebody coming in, in that position, can make a lot of mistakes,” Fickell said Tuesday during Big Ten football media days. “They can walk in and initially saying, ‘OK, well, I’ve got X amount of years of NFL experience, and this is how we’re going to do it.’ As opposed to saying, OK there’s a lot of correlation to some of the things that have gone on in the NFL and how you can manage a roster in college football and retain a roster, but there’s a lot of things that aren’t.

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Brock Barrows had a feeling he was going to end up in Madison after attending one of the University of Wisconsin football program’s spring practices.

But he very recently made the impromptu call to become the Badgers’ second commitment of their 2028 class.

Barrows, a three-star recruit from Lee’s Summit West High School in Missouri, took an unofficial visit to Wisconsin in late April. A return to campus for one of the Badgers’ “Big Man Showcase” events in June only amplified that feeling for the 6-foot-3, 275-pound offensive lineman. Then he texted his parents earlier this week after coming back from a golf course.

“Honestly (Tuesday), I just kind of thought to myself and realized that I had nothing to wait on, so I decided to pull the trigger,” Barrows said.

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Fickell, entering his fourth season as University of Wisconsin football coach, spoke with local reporters Tuesday morning at a table inside the Hilton Chicago for nearly 35 minutes before Big Ten football media days officially kicked off. Here’s what stood out from that chat.

His day continued with speaking at the main podium during the live broadcast of the event, and a swarm of media gathered around an individual podium to listen to him more later in the afternoon.

The above video is the nearly full availability1 from Fickell’s chat from that individual podium with a range of topics that covered over 44 minutes that included:

• Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman, who was his defensive coordinator at Cincinnati

• Wisconsin general manager Morocco Brown

• “The hot seat”

• The team’s increase in speed

• Offensive line coach Eric Mateos

• Transfer cornerback Javan Robinson

• Studying Wisconsin’s championship teams

• The message from former inside linebacker Chris Orr

• What success looks to Fickell this season

• Much much more

Make sure to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

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CHICAGO — The chats between Shawn Eichorst and Luke Fickell to this point haven’t necessarily been all about the business side of the University of Wisconsin football program.

It’s been a busy summer not just for Fickell and his staff, but the athletic department as a whole with Shawn Eichorst returning to Madison as athletic director. Fickell was in attendance at UW’s welcoming ceremony, and Eichorst said during his July 7 introductory news conference that he felt encouraged and impressed in their initial conversations.

Fickell was “a good person, high character, a lot of integrity,” according to the new AD.

That was three weeks ago. Fickell told local reporters Tuesday, before Big Ten football media days officially commenced inside the Hilton Chicago, that the discussions between them have been in person. That included spending about 90 minutes together on Eichorst’s first day on campus.

“The unique thing is we have not discussed much of anything about our program or where we are, or the rev-share world or the NIL world,” Fickell said. “It’s been all, ‘Hey, let’s get to know each other,’ and that’s where our time has been spent. We haven’t had a ton of time because he’s been at a lot of things, but all of our time has been generally, ‘Hey, let’s get to know one another.’ Let’s make sure, the people before anything else.

“It’s been really authentic, and so I’m intrigued. I know that this, even these next three or so weeks being on campus, I would imagine, will be around a lot more. But we haven’t got in depth into — I’m sure he knows and understands all that’s gone on — but I don’t know that he needs me to reiterate and explain it to him, right? I think he wants to truly start this relationship in a way that we’re moving forward, and that’s been his focus. And so it’s been good for us and for me. But I think that there’s still a lot to continue to grow with.”

Fickell spoke with local reporters Tuesday morning for nearly 35 minutes before Big Ten football media days officially kicked off. Here’s what stood out from that chat.

Make sure to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

Injury updates and fall camp availability

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A beloved position group is officially back on the University of Wisconsin football roster.

Names such as Mark Montgomery, Cecil Martin, Matt Bernstein, Bradie Ewing, Derek Watt, Alec Ingold and many others have been etched in Badgers lore for their versatile capabilities as fullbacks since Barry Alvarez came to Madison. The fullback designation itself hasn’t been listed on a Wisconsin roster since the 2022 season, but that’s no longer the case as seen with the 2026 edition released Monday.

The program now labels redshirt junior Tyler Jansey and walk-on freshman McCoy Smith as fullbacks.

Jansey and NFL-bound Jackson Acker were technically designated as tight ends last year under the umbrella of assistant Nate Letton. But they really could best be described as fullbacks within the scheme of offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, or at the very least fullback-adjacent with their responsibilities (that doesn’t take away how Acker could be used in the offense outside of just being labeled a fullback). One section of Wisconsin’s game notes for the 2025 season opener against Miami (Ohio) even listed Acker as a “FB/TE.”

That’s just one of a few takeaways from the unveiling of the fall roster.

Make sure to take advantage of Badger Observer’s new deal where fans can get ALL the coverage from Big Ten football media days, fall camp, recruiting and much more for $2 a month or $20/year!

Some attrition to Wisconsin’s roster, including 2 scholarship signees from 2025 class

There were still new faces and turnover on the University of Wisconsin football program between spring and preseason practices, even without a spring transfer portal window.

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OK, OK, I’m off by one day, but there’s a good reason.

Tuesday is Badger Observer’s one-year anniversary. I started this site as a way to continue reporting and telling unique stories of Wisconsin football, volleyball and recruiting. Coverage of coach Greg Gard and his men’s basketball program was added in the fall.

Thank you to all of you who have supported Badger Observer in the first year, for jumping on board this adventure. It’s meant the world to me for fans to still trust and want to read my reporting despite a tumultuous 2025 in a professional sense. I hope you all continue for the ride.

It’s an achievement to continuously produce content day in and day out during this time for media, and I’m celebrating by … dropping the price of the site!

So I realized that I cannot permanently reduce costs on Substack below $5/month or $50/year. But I created this link (https://badgerobserver.com/oneyear) where people can subscribe for $2/month or a flat $20/year.

Why? I’ve always believed reporters should be paid for the hours of traveling, talking with sources, writing, editing, publishing content, but I also always wanted the site to be an affordable place for Wisconsin fans. With economic times right now, I feel this is an appropriate rate to be compensated, yet monthly costs are less than a fast food meal or drink from your favorite barista (or bartender).

And in full disclosure, I’ve taken on a day job since the beginning of the year to help make ends meet with our family. Check the numbers of content Badger Observer’s published since Jan. 1 (134), that hasn’t taken away from what’s been produced when covering spring football, volleyball, recruiting and recent men’s basketball practices.

Monday starts a HUGE week for Badger Observer. There’ll be live content from Big Ten football media days in Chicago a day later. We’ll have stories and interviews from Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell, the program’s three representatives (wide receiver Chris Brooks Jr., outside linebacker Sebastian Cheeks and safety Matt Jung) and more that will run throughout the following days.

That all leads up to Wisconsin fall camp practices commencing next week, and the Badgers will also have their local media day prior to that. Big Ten volleyball days is next Monday, and Wisconsin’s alumni match will be August 8 (the latter for sure I anticipate being at).

For those who haven’t yet become a paid subscriber, I hope this new deal will entice you to give the outlet a try, even for just a month.

OK, now some of the stats

Badger Observer’s published 281 pieces of content since July 28 of last year, which divided by 365 days, comes out to over five articles per week. That’s right around the initial goal of the site when it was first launched.

The current number of total subscribers (paid plus free) is currently 836 as of Sunday morning. The one word that immediately comes to mind with that is gratitude.

You always strive for more and more eyes reading or watching your site, but I’m extremely proud and extremely grateful of that number. And what’s been great and promising is seeing that both paid and total subscriber numbers continuing to increase over time. Sometimes there are large numbers that decide to click that subscribe button, such as in late December when we wrote about Isabelle Hoppe’s decision to sign with Wisconsin and also talking with her and other incoming Badgers freshmen volleyball players at Under Armour Next’s volleyball camp.

But it’s been steady regardless. You also always want more paid subscribers, but I’m also hoping the aforementioned anniversary deal brings in more eyes.

Other fun stats:

• States traveled since starting Badger Observer: 5 (Wisconsin, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota)

• Number of football recruits watched in a game setting last fall: 12

• Jaunts to Milwaukee to cover Wisconsin volleyball and basketball: 3

• Amounts of Culver’s consumed on the road: actually unknown

What’s ahead for Badger Observer

Year Two starts with Big Ten football media days Tuesday, as mentioned earlier. More expansive fall camp previews will run later this week and into early next week. Then we’ll break down preseason practices and provide plenty of video content with availabilities from coach Luke Fickell and various position groups who chat with reporters.

There are tentative plans to attend at least four games away from Camp Randall Stadium, which includes the Sept. 6 matchup against Notre Dame.

Plenty of volleyball coverage will ensue with the alumni match, previews and analysis leading up to the season-opening weekend of Aug. 21-22 with the AVCA First Serve in Milwaukee. Wisconsin takes on Kentucky and Louisville at Fiserv Forum, and expect Badger Observer there both days. We’re striving to be at as many home matches as possible inside the Field House.

Anticipate football recruiting coverage to reach an all-time high with the 2027 class. I’ve been plotting out which in-state (and out-of-state) recruits to watch since last month. This could shape up to be the most commits (and overall recruits) I’ve watched live since I started with running back Julius Davis in 2018 as part of Bucky’s 5th Quarter.

Also expect Badger Observer to continue expanding upon volleyball and basketball recruiting.

The site goals are to proceed with steady growth, at the absolute least. Our goal is to have 1,000 total subscribers by the beginning of the Sept. 6 football season-opener against Notre Dame. Would love your paid patronage, but we’ll have plenty of free content in the coming month as well if you want to become a free subscriber.

A win-win in spreading your company’s reach and helping support independent journalism

Become a sponsor! It doesn’t take much to get on the site. If you’re a business owner and looking for a way to get in touch with Badgers fans and promote your company/brand, let me know! I got pitches, and sponsorship opportunities I’ve been putting together are very cost effective!

Among the topics discussed were the following:

• Becoming more familiar with new teammates

• How Wisconsin coaches have a plan for him

• His goal of being an NBA first-round draft pick

• Chopping it up with former Wisconsin standout John Tonje

• Any pressure with potentially being the next Tonje or AJ Storr?

General manager Marc VandeWettering and guards Owen Foxwell and Jack Janicki also spoke with reporters Tuesday. Badger Observer published thoughts from the practice earlier Wednesday.

Other summer interviews include last week’s time with Wisconsin basketball coach Greg Gard, forward Nolan Winter and guards Zach Kinziger and Trey Autry. Thoughts from July 14’s open practice are also available.

Among the topics Janicki discussed included the following:

• How his role as a leader has naturally developed

• How it’s hard to tell how this season’s team will be

• Praise for sophomores Zach Kinziger and Will Garlock

• The current college basketball landscape and bringing together different players together

• Adding 20 pounds to his frame, and how else Wisconsin men’s basketball director of strength and conditioning Jim Snider has helped him with his body

General manager Marc VandeWettering and guards Eian Elmer and Owen Foxwell also spoke with reporters Tuesday (Elmer’s will be published later Wednesday). Badger Observer published thoughts from the practice earlier Wednesday.

Other summer interviews include last week’s time with Wisconsin basketball coach Greg Gard, forward Nolan Winter and guards Zach Kinziger and Trey Autry. Thoughts from July 14’s open practice are also available.