I got to check out Friday's practice at Camp Randall, which went three (3!) full hours. It started with absolutely beautiful temperatures inside the stadium but got pretty cold around the time the sun went down. Chryst uses every allotted minute (maybe second) he has for practice time during the week.
Few notes:
*Ben Barten (2020 commit) was at practice and he spent time watching the offensive linemen. After practice, him and his parents talked for a while with Joe Rudolph. With Adam Vandervest's comments (basically Wisconsin has four offensive linemen committed) it would appear Barten winds up on the offensive line (instead of DE). He's thicker up top than he was in the fall and that's likely where his body is progressing.
*Julius Davis was also there with his dad and they were both talking with Jonathan Taylor during chunks of the practice. Certainly a good mentor for Davis to have when he arrives on campus in a few weeks. He also seems to have a very good relationship with John Settle, as the two joked around quite a bit.
*Quarterbacks were live on Friday, which made things pretty interesting at times. Noah Burks absolutely destroyed Danny Vanden Boom on a roll out to the sideline. Vanden Boom talks about it in the video we'll have up today. Later in the practice, Spencer Lytle had two sacks on either back to back or two out of three plays in a drive. A lot of young guys had plenty if opportunities to put a lot of reps on film Friday.
*The quarterbacks seem to have a really good, genuine bond. All four were available Friday and they tried to sneak in the word egg (think Super Troopers) into all their interviews. They succeeded. Jack Coan was very reserved, in my opinion, and basically spit out the answers he was coached to say. Graham Mertz said all the right things but added a bit more flavor. But what stuck out to me was Chase Wolf, who said he doesn't shy away from competition. He proved this at St. X, where he didn't start until his senior season (played behind the kid who is now at Penn State). That could indicate someone who won't transfer right away if Mertz is ahead of him on the depth chart. We'll see.
*Eric Burrell had a really good practice and was all over the field. With that, the Badgers have two really intriguing backups in Reggie Pearson and Colin Wilder. Both big-time hitters and if there was a shot that rattled the practice field harder than Burks', it was Wilder on a running back near the goal line. He absolutely destroyed the ball carrier. Both Wilder and Pearson have really impressive closing speed.
*Leo Chenal has been talked about quite a bit, and for good reason. I was really impressed with him Friday before he seemed to tweak something on his upper body. It looked serious, as Chenal ran off the field and kicked over a few trash cans the far side of the field. But he returned to the practice and finished out the day. He seems to have a Chris Borland-esque ability to always be around the football.
*Veldhuis wrote about Izayah Green-May, and you're starting to see why the Badgers loved him so much during the recruiting process. He could be a weapon this season in nickel packages because he's so long and is able to find ways to get into the backfield.
*Talking to the other media guys, this was probably Coan's best practice - real good throws to Kendric Pryor and A.J. Taylor - I think he'll open fall practice as the starting QB but it will be interesting to see the jump Mertz makes. Wolf can definitely make some plays with his legs and is able to change his release angle on certain throws. I wouldn't say height is an issue, but he's noticeably smaller than the other three QBs.
*Mertz maybe had the two best throws of the day - a deep ball over the middle to Jack Dunn and a laser from about 20 yards out to a receiver in the end zone.
*Nakia Watson got a lot of run Friday and there's certainly a lot to like. John Settle mentioned needing to be more consistent, and it looked like he had a very good practice. He's a bigger back but definitely has some wiggle in his hips.
*Scott Nelson had a strip at the goal line as John Chenal tried to punch a fullback dive into the end zone.
*Walk-on tight end Jack Eschenbach had two nice catches on Friday with Jake Ferguson and Luke Benzschawel both out.
Few notes:
*Ben Barten (2020 commit) was at practice and he spent time watching the offensive linemen. After practice, him and his parents talked for a while with Joe Rudolph. With Adam Vandervest's comments (basically Wisconsin has four offensive linemen committed) it would appear Barten winds up on the offensive line (instead of DE). He's thicker up top than he was in the fall and that's likely where his body is progressing.
*Julius Davis was also there with his dad and they were both talking with Jonathan Taylor during chunks of the practice. Certainly a good mentor for Davis to have when he arrives on campus in a few weeks. He also seems to have a very good relationship with John Settle, as the two joked around quite a bit.
*Quarterbacks were live on Friday, which made things pretty interesting at times. Noah Burks absolutely destroyed Danny Vanden Boom on a roll out to the sideline. Vanden Boom talks about it in the video we'll have up today. Later in the practice, Spencer Lytle had two sacks on either back to back or two out of three plays in a drive. A lot of young guys had plenty if opportunities to put a lot of reps on film Friday.
*The quarterbacks seem to have a really good, genuine bond. All four were available Friday and they tried to sneak in the word egg (think Super Troopers) into all their interviews. They succeeded. Jack Coan was very reserved, in my opinion, and basically spit out the answers he was coached to say. Graham Mertz said all the right things but added a bit more flavor. But what stuck out to me was Chase Wolf, who said he doesn't shy away from competition. He proved this at St. X, where he didn't start until his senior season (played behind the kid who is now at Penn State). That could indicate someone who won't transfer right away if Mertz is ahead of him on the depth chart. We'll see.
*Eric Burrell had a really good practice and was all over the field. With that, the Badgers have two really intriguing backups in Reggie Pearson and Colin Wilder. Both big-time hitters and if there was a shot that rattled the practice field harder than Burks', it was Wilder on a running back near the goal line. He absolutely destroyed the ball carrier. Both Wilder and Pearson have really impressive closing speed.
*Leo Chenal has been talked about quite a bit, and for good reason. I was really impressed with him Friday before he seemed to tweak something on his upper body. It looked serious, as Chenal ran off the field and kicked over a few trash cans the far side of the field. But he returned to the practice and finished out the day. He seems to have a Chris Borland-esque ability to always be around the football.
*Veldhuis wrote about Izayah Green-May, and you're starting to see why the Badgers loved him so much during the recruiting process. He could be a weapon this season in nickel packages because he's so long and is able to find ways to get into the backfield.
*Talking to the other media guys, this was probably Coan's best practice - real good throws to Kendric Pryor and A.J. Taylor - I think he'll open fall practice as the starting QB but it will be interesting to see the jump Mertz makes. Wolf can definitely make some plays with his legs and is able to change his release angle on certain throws. I wouldn't say height is an issue, but he's noticeably smaller than the other three QBs.
*Mertz maybe had the two best throws of the day - a deep ball over the middle to Jack Dunn and a laser from about 20 yards out to a receiver in the end zone.
*Nakia Watson got a lot of run Friday and there's certainly a lot to like. John Settle mentioned needing to be more consistent, and it looked like he had a very good practice. He's a bigger back but definitely has some wiggle in his hips.
*Scott Nelson had a strip at the goal line as John Chenal tried to punch a fullback dive into the end zone.
*Walk-on tight end Jack Eschenbach had two nice catches on Friday with Jake Ferguson and Luke Benzschawel both out.
