Which three positions could see some shakeup over the next month?
Even the Wisconsin Badgers’ most faithful members couldn’t have predicted the emergence of Wisconsin’s wide receiver transfer Will Pauling ahead of the 2023-24 season.
After following former Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell from the Bearcats to the Badgers, Pauling made his mark in Wisconsin. The redshirt sophomore climbed the depth charts and solidified himself as the number one option at the position ahead of several other more likely candidates.
With several off-season additions to Luke Fickell’s squad, it opens the door for other players buried in the depth chart to break out and earn playing time at their position.
Position groups that stand out to me as having the toughest competition within the locker room and the most likely chances of producing a benchwarmer turned playmaker are quarterback and running back.
Both the running back room and quarterback room for Wisconsin have seen a spike in recruitment in the past two seasons as well as transfer portal acquisitions. With a lot of good options at both positions, the spring could get interesting as things shake up on the depth chart.
Quarterback
As it stands right now the Badgers will turn to Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke to take over quarterback duties for the upcoming season. The redshirt senior served as the starter for Miami for three seasons including 2021 when he earned ACC Freshman of the Year.
Although it seems like Van Dyke was brought to Madison with the intention of leading the Badger offense, he will still need to earn his spot over the influx of quarterback talent that Fickell has added to the program in his tenure.
Redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke won the hearts of Badger fans last season as he led Wisconsin on a game-winning drive to take down rival Illinois. The Mississippi State transfer started four games for the Badgers after Tanner Mordecai suffered an injury midway through the season. His on-field experience and familiarity with the system may bode well for him as he attempts to go full-time as the starter in 2024-25.
In addition to Locke, the Badgers also added Oklahoma transfer Nick Evers last season. Maybe the most anticipated quarterback on the roster for Badger faithful, Evers has patiently awaited his turn under center.
As a consensus four-star recruit out of high school Evers only attempted one pass as a Sooner and did not see the field in his first season with the Badgers. The anticipation has left Badger fans craving a look at the highly-rated transfer and many are wondering if he is ready to be the starter in the 2024-25 season.
Finally, a new addition to the 2024-25 roster will be quarterback Mabrey Mettauer, a four-star recruit from The Woodlands, Texas. Mettauer shined as the quarterback at The Woodlands High School and is no stranger to competitive and high-energy atmospheres as a high school football star from Texas. The true freshman adds yet another interesting element to the Badgers’ quarterback race.
Running Back
The program’s most notable departure from last season leaves a Braelon Allen-sized hole in the running backs room prior to the 2024-25 season. Allen ended up handling the brunt of Wisconsin’s rushing load with the exception of four games due to a nagging lower-body injury.
With Chez Mellusi and Allen both sidelined for a portion of the season, Jackson Acker took on some responsibilities in the backfield as well. This season as a redshirt junior Acker will remain as a solid depth player for the Badgers, but will have to battle in order to earn carries with a number of additions at the position.
The Badgers also await the return of Mellusi who missed the majority of last season due to injury. Mellusi is expected to earn the majority of snaps if he can stay healthy, but deciding his understudy may get interesting.
The team will welcome three newcomers at the position to accompany Mellusi. Tawee Walker, a transfer portal acquisition from Oklahoma, joined Wisconsin’s running back committee back in December and is expected to share the majority of carries with Chez. Walker finished second in carries for the Sooners last season with 102 as he racked up 513 yards and found the endzone seven times.
Three freshman running back recruits will add depth to Phil Longo’s offense as well. Dillon Jones from Olney, Maryland comes into the program as a top 15 recruit at his position. Jones has the ability to utilize both speed and power in his rushing game and has the full potential to be the next Badger workhorse. It seems like a good year for Fickell to send Jones to the weight room and keep him sidelined for a chance to develop under a talented veteran committee of running backs, but if he is game-ready out of the gate we could see his number being called more consistently.
Darrion Dupree is another true freshman back set to join the team. The three-star recruit poses a threat to opponents as both a rusher and a receiver. Dupree can do a little bit of everything, giving Phil Longo an extensive list of opportunities to maximize his potential as a weapon in the Wisconsin offense.
Lastly, Gideon Ituka, a hefty recruit weighing in at 230 pounds is a powerful back that has the potential to soak up carries on the goalline and in other short-yardage situations. Ituka will likely not take on a substantial workload, but his specialized abilities open up opportunities for what the Badger offense is able to do.