All quiet on the Rand front
With all pieces pretty well set in Wisconsin’s 2016 recruiting class, the biggest question before Signing Day on Wednesday is the status of arguably the top commit from that group.
Four-star defensive tackle Garrett Rand, the No. 218 prospect in the senior class, remains committed to the Badgers but has kept his ear open to other schools. And while a number of heavy hitters have inquired, Wisconsin’s top competition is UCLA, the program he most recently visited officially.
Rand has kept quiet since the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, but here’s what we’re hearing: The Arizona standout was waiting to see who the Badgers hired as defensive coordinator to replace Dave Aranda –- he went on record saying that would be a big factor in his decision.
"I'm still committed as of now. I would just like to know who the next defensive coordinator will be," Rand said at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl earlier this month. "I mean, I don't know if people are making a big deal of it, but I would like to know who it is.
"Scheme matters and I don't want someone that is inexperienced and doesn't know what they're doing. I want someone that has been in the game for a while and has had success in his scheme. I'm confident they'll get a good one, so I'm committed to Wisconsin."
We’re hearing that recently-hired coordinator Justin Wilcox, because of his extensive high-level experience at USC, Tennessee and Washington, graded out high in the Rand camp. It was also important that Wisconsin maintain its 3-4 defensive scheme, something that Wilcox and defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield highlighted during their in-home visit Thursday, we’re told. Rand feels he’s versatile enough to play multiple positions on the defensive line and the coaches reaffirmed he’d have that opportunity.
Furthermore, Rand and his family were already familiar with Wilcox during his time in southern California. The Trojans were involved in his recruitment early in the process and Rand was on their campus for a junior day where, we’re told, he connected well with Wilcox.
Now, Rand hasn’t come out and publicly reaffirmed his commitment to Wisconsin, but the coaches expect his signature on Wednesday. Clearly anything can happen, but unless something changes at the start of the week, he’ll be part of UW’s 2016 class.
Pennamon makes a late visit
As we talked about earlier in the week, there was a strong chance Ke’Shan Pennamon would take an official visit to Rutgers this weekend. And according to a source, that indeed happened.
With just three days before Signing Day, there’s clearly more questions than answers, but, according to a source, academics are not a concern on Wisconsin’s end.
“He will get in,” a source said. “Not worried about it.”
Now, would Wisconsin pull his scholarship because of the late visit? That’s unlikely, considering how late in the cycle it is and how important cornerback is in this cycle. And because of how valuable Pennamon is in the eyes of the coaching staff, they’re not in a position to turn him away, we’re told.
Pennamon could provide some late drama for the coaching staff, but as of Sunday, the staff expects him to sign Wednesday.
Gard turning up the heat on Davison
There’s still work to do in the 2016 recruiting class for Greg Gard, but the interim head coach is also taking a close look at prospects in the 2017 and 2018 recruiting cycles.
One player we’re told to watch is junior guard Brad Davison, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound prospect from Maple Grove High School in Minnesota. We’re told that Gard has “been in weekly contact” and there’s a strong mutual interest between both sides. At this point, Davison has offers from Nebraska, Northern Iowa and Buffalo, among others. Davison has always been on UW’s radar, but this is a situation where Gard values him a bit higher than Bo Ryan did early on.
In the 2017 class, the Badgers already have a commitment from in-state shooting guard Kobe King. A potential offer could depend on Davison’s ability to pair with King in the backcourt, in addition to how Gard is able to fill the two vacant scholarships in the current senior class.
Finally, Minnesota may not be much of a factor in Davison’s recruitment, though it’s still early. The Gophers are very limited on scholarships in the 2017 class and power forward Theo John is likely their top priority.
Odds and Ends
*Head coach Paul Chryst took in Jake Ferguson’s basketball game Saturday evening. The 2017 athlete from Madison Memorial was the first in-state prospect offered by the Badgers in the junior class.
*Assistant coach Chris Haering recently checked in on 2018 in-state lineman Jack Kern. A 6-foot-3, 275-pound sophomore from Eau Claire Memorial, Kern has also heard from North Dakota State early in the process.
“A coach from Wisconsin came in and talked to my coach and said they're going to start the recruiting process with me,” Kern told BadgerBlitz.com.
Kern’s older brother, Nolan, is a freshman offensive lineman at the University of Sioux Falls.
It’s still extremely early for prospects in the 2018 class, but Kern, along with Franklin quarterback Max Alba, Kenosha Bradford running back Erick Doke and Madison Edgewood defensive end Jack McNeil are worth keeping an eye on. Again, way too early.
*North Dakota State commit Gabe Lloyd took an official visit to Wisconsin this weekend and is strongly considering the Badgers’ preferred walk-on offer.
With all pieces pretty well set in Wisconsin’s 2016 recruiting class, the biggest question before Signing Day on Wednesday is the status of arguably the top commit from that group.
Four-star defensive tackle Garrett Rand, the No. 218 prospect in the senior class, remains committed to the Badgers but has kept his ear open to other schools. And while a number of heavy hitters have inquired, Wisconsin’s top competition is UCLA, the program he most recently visited officially.
Rand has kept quiet since the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, but here’s what we’re hearing: The Arizona standout was waiting to see who the Badgers hired as defensive coordinator to replace Dave Aranda –- he went on record saying that would be a big factor in his decision.
"I'm still committed as of now. I would just like to know who the next defensive coordinator will be," Rand said at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl earlier this month. "I mean, I don't know if people are making a big deal of it, but I would like to know who it is.
"Scheme matters and I don't want someone that is inexperienced and doesn't know what they're doing. I want someone that has been in the game for a while and has had success in his scheme. I'm confident they'll get a good one, so I'm committed to Wisconsin."
We’re hearing that recently-hired coordinator Justin Wilcox, because of his extensive high-level experience at USC, Tennessee and Washington, graded out high in the Rand camp. It was also important that Wisconsin maintain its 3-4 defensive scheme, something that Wilcox and defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield highlighted during their in-home visit Thursday, we’re told. Rand feels he’s versatile enough to play multiple positions on the defensive line and the coaches reaffirmed he’d have that opportunity.
Furthermore, Rand and his family were already familiar with Wilcox during his time in southern California. The Trojans were involved in his recruitment early in the process and Rand was on their campus for a junior day where, we’re told, he connected well with Wilcox.
Now, Rand hasn’t come out and publicly reaffirmed his commitment to Wisconsin, but the coaches expect his signature on Wednesday. Clearly anything can happen, but unless something changes at the start of the week, he’ll be part of UW’s 2016 class.
Pennamon makes a late visit
As we talked about earlier in the week, there was a strong chance Ke’Shan Pennamon would take an official visit to Rutgers this weekend. And according to a source, that indeed happened.
With just three days before Signing Day, there’s clearly more questions than answers, but, according to a source, academics are not a concern on Wisconsin’s end.
“He will get in,” a source said. “Not worried about it.”
Now, would Wisconsin pull his scholarship because of the late visit? That’s unlikely, considering how late in the cycle it is and how important cornerback is in this cycle. And because of how valuable Pennamon is in the eyes of the coaching staff, they’re not in a position to turn him away, we’re told.
Pennamon could provide some late drama for the coaching staff, but as of Sunday, the staff expects him to sign Wednesday.
Gard turning up the heat on Davison
There’s still work to do in the 2016 recruiting class for Greg Gard, but the interim head coach is also taking a close look at prospects in the 2017 and 2018 recruiting cycles.
One player we’re told to watch is junior guard Brad Davison, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound prospect from Maple Grove High School in Minnesota. We’re told that Gard has “been in weekly contact” and there’s a strong mutual interest between both sides. At this point, Davison has offers from Nebraska, Northern Iowa and Buffalo, among others. Davison has always been on UW’s radar, but this is a situation where Gard values him a bit higher than Bo Ryan did early on.
In the 2017 class, the Badgers already have a commitment from in-state shooting guard Kobe King. A potential offer could depend on Davison’s ability to pair with King in the backcourt, in addition to how Gard is able to fill the two vacant scholarships in the current senior class.
Finally, Minnesota may not be much of a factor in Davison’s recruitment, though it’s still early. The Gophers are very limited on scholarships in the 2017 class and power forward Theo John is likely their top priority.
Odds and Ends
*Head coach Paul Chryst took in Jake Ferguson’s basketball game Saturday evening. The 2017 athlete from Madison Memorial was the first in-state prospect offered by the Badgers in the junior class.
*Assistant coach Chris Haering recently checked in on 2018 in-state lineman Jack Kern. A 6-foot-3, 275-pound sophomore from Eau Claire Memorial, Kern has also heard from North Dakota State early in the process.
“A coach from Wisconsin came in and talked to my coach and said they're going to start the recruiting process with me,” Kern told BadgerBlitz.com.
Kern’s older brother, Nolan, is a freshman offensive lineman at the University of Sioux Falls.
It’s still extremely early for prospects in the 2018 class, but Kern, along with Franklin quarterback Max Alba, Kenosha Bradford running back Erick Doke and Madison Edgewood defensive end Jack McNeil are worth keeping an eye on. Again, way too early.
*North Dakota State commit Gabe Lloyd took an official visit to Wisconsin this weekend and is strongly considering the Badgers’ preferred walk-on offer.
