Didn't want to steer away from the current thread(s) on Caleb Williams, but I also didn't want this info to get buried in those multi-page posts.
Caleb Williams' interest in Wisconsin is absolutely legit - that's certainly not breaking news. From talking to a few people, including one that presented some up-to-the-minute information this morning, the Badgers are actually Willams' No. 1 choice at this point. From the people I've talked to, the connection Williams' camp has to new (not official yet) offensive coordinator Bobby Engram is a huge piece to this and Wisconsin isn't in the conversation without Engram. The way Paul Chryst worked with Russell Wilson during his one season at UW is also intriguing, I'm told, but the Williams/Engram connection is a far bigger factor right now.
So what's the hold up? Wisconsin is lacking (that's putting it lightly) in its ability to provide an NIL package that can at least get it into the same ballpark as schools like USC, LSU, etc. Right now, I'm told "a group of alumni and boosters are scrambling to put together an NIL deal" that is "all tied to enrollment." Basically, you don't want to put everything up front in the case that Williams were to leave after one season. Right now, the school has nothing in place to help the group of alumni facilitate this opportunity.
USC has always been viewed as the leader and likely landing spot for Williams. But I'm told Williams' camp does not want to get involved in a potential rebuild, even with the resources and NIL opportunities the Trojans can offer. Williams wants to go somewhere with a strong running attack to compliment his ability, and the Badgers are at the top of his list in that department.
In the last 48 hours, I've went from "this is fun story to follow" to "Wisconsin is absolutely in a position to get this done." Those that have been long-time board members (hopefully) know that I don't create stories for clicks. I've checked with a few people I trust and feel confident about this post. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out. I was not given a timeline for a decision. If I get more on my end, I will post in this thread.
Caleb Williams' interest in Wisconsin is absolutely legit - that's certainly not breaking news. From talking to a few people, including one that presented some up-to-the-minute information this morning, the Badgers are actually Willams' No. 1 choice at this point. From the people I've talked to, the connection Williams' camp has to new (not official yet) offensive coordinator Bobby Engram is a huge piece to this and Wisconsin isn't in the conversation without Engram. The way Paul Chryst worked with Russell Wilson during his one season at UW is also intriguing, I'm told, but the Williams/Engram connection is a far bigger factor right now.
So what's the hold up? Wisconsin is lacking (that's putting it lightly) in its ability to provide an NIL package that can at least get it into the same ballpark as schools like USC, LSU, etc. Right now, I'm told "a group of alumni and boosters are scrambling to put together an NIL deal" that is "all tied to enrollment." Basically, you don't want to put everything up front in the case that Williams were to leave after one season. Right now, the school has nothing in place to help the group of alumni facilitate this opportunity.
USC has always been viewed as the leader and likely landing spot for Williams. But I'm told Williams' camp does not want to get involved in a potential rebuild, even with the resources and NIL opportunities the Trojans can offer. Williams wants to go somewhere with a strong running attack to compliment his ability, and the Badgers are at the top of his list in that department.
In the last 48 hours, I've went from "this is fun story to follow" to "Wisconsin is absolutely in a position to get this done." Those that have been long-time board members (hopefully) know that I don't create stories for clicks. I've checked with a few people I trust and feel confident about this post. It will be very interesting to see how this plays out. I was not given a timeline for a decision. If I get more on my end, I will post in this thread.
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