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UW's defense took a hit Friday when junior cornerback Rachad Wildgoose announced he was leaving the team to focus on preparing for the NFL draft. Wildgoose injured his right shoulder against Northwestern and may not have been able to play in the Badgers' remaining games this season. Chryst said he advised Wildgoose the same way he does other players facing the decision to turn pro, which is to gather as much information as possible. "Each kid ends up making a decision for different reasons and so you try to...one, you want to listen and you want to be supportive, and then two, if there's any help that you can give them to do such a thing then you want to be a resource or at least a conduit to the resources that matter most," Chryst said.

"Really a lot of these guys, you have a sense and you talk in the summertime and kind of have an idea of what their thoughts are and what they're trying to do. I think that helps you in coaching them for that year and brings it all together. After he got injured, I think he felt that the timing was right. This was something that he'd been thinking about. We'll still try to do all that we can to help him in any way that we can be useful to him." - Wisconsin State Journal

(DS#46 CB) Jr/2021

CB *Rachad Wildgoose, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
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11/26/20 - Garrett Groshek, rSr/2021, Wisconsin, 5-11, 217 (DS#41 RB) + More +

Tailback Garret Groshek acknowledged he wasn't happy with his performance in the loss. Groshek led UW in rushing with 70 yards on 13 carries and added four catches for 29 yards in the opener against Illinois but did not play at Michigan after testing positive for the coronavirus. He rushed seven times for 23 yards and had four catches for 18 yards and lost a fumble against Northwestern.

Groshek said he felt in terrific physical condition in the opener but being shut down for two weeks before being able to resume physical activity in preparation for the Northwestern game affected him. "Two weeks you're told to do absolutely nothing," he explained, "and then trying to get it all back within that seven-day period. "I didn't feel like my conditioning, my cardio, was where I wanted to be, my legs, where I wanted them to be. "But that's my fault for not staying on top of that and doing more than I did just to get ready to play." - Journal Sentinel

(DS#41 RB) rSr/2021

RB Garrett Groshek, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
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10/28/20 - Chase Wolf, rSr/2024, Wisconsin, 6-1, 195 (DS#999 QB) + More +

A second University of Wisconsin quarterback has tested positive for COVID-19. State Journal sources confirmed Tuesday that starter Graham Mertz and backup Chase Wolf have tested positive using a rapid antigen test. CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd reported Tuesday morning that Mertz's confirmatory PCR test came back positive. The status of Wolf's PCR test is not known. Big Ten Conference protocols state players who have a positive test confirmed must sit out of games for 21 days. That 21-day layoff for players who test positive is the longest among Power Five conferences. Mertz is believed to have tested positive on Saturday, Oct. 24, and the initial test begins the 21-day countdown. Assuming he has no cardiac complications and he's cleared by a cardiologist, he will miss games against Nebraska and Purdue, but could be active against Michigan on Nov. 14. - Wisconsin State Journal

(DS#999 QB) rSr/2024

QB Chase Wolf, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
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10/23/20 - *Leo Chenal, Jr/2022, Wisconsin, 6-3, 250 (DS#2 ILB) + More +

Looking the part has never been an issue for Leo Chenal. At 6-foot-2, 255 pounds, the sophomore inside linebacker for the University of Wisconsin football team is physically ready to assume a bigger role in the No. 14 Badgers defense. Ask his teammates and coaches, and the physical tools Chenal possesses are quick to come up. This summer while the Badgers were away from campus due to COVID-19, Chenal made waves with videos he posted on social media of him bench pressing. One video showed Chenal, who's set to make his first career start Friday when UW hosts Illinois, benching 225 pounds 40 times, and another showed him completing 18 reps at 315 pounds. For reference, at the 2020 NFL scouting combine, the highest number of bench reps of 225 pounds was 44 by offensive lineman Netane Muti; no linebacker completed more than 30 reps. "That man is crazy," senior safety Eric Burrell said of Chenal. 'He's one of the strongest guys we have on this team. He gives 110 percent every play, every play. You can look at him like, 'Golly, this dude's still going.' He's taking over (Chris Orr's) job, I think he's doing a hell of a job. I'm excited for what he has to bring this year, his first start. I think we're all excited for his opportunity and I think he'll be ready for it." - Wisconsin State Journal

(DS#2 ILB) Jr/2022

ILB *Leo Chenal, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
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10/23/20 - Jake Ferguson, rSr/2022, Wisconsin, 6-5, 245 (DS#7 TE) + More +

The Badgers have one of the conference's top tight ends returning in Jake Ferguson, but not much is known about the players behind him. Injuries ravaged the tight end room last season, to the point UW coaches moved Cormac Sampson from the offense line back to tight end. Ferguson played the second-most snaps on the team offensively, but his production as a receiver slipped at times. Playing less and being more rested may help him make more of an impact in the passing game, which means another tight end must take on more responsibility. Hayden Rucci, Gabe Lloyd and freshman Cam Large are all candidates for reps behind Ferguson, and with how often the Badgers employ two-tight-end sets, the No. 2 tight end role is an important one. - Wisconsin State Journal

(DS#7 TE) rSr/2022

TE Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
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10/23/20 - *Nick Herbig, Jr/2023, Wisconsin, 6-2, 240 (DS#7 OLB) + More +

According to his teammates, Herbig has quickly made up the lost ground. "I think the biggest thing with Nick is he's got such a high motor," Burks said. "He never stops, doesn't want to stay blocked. He is a pretty relentless finisher." Senior defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk has noticed No. 19 making plays. "He has been absolutely tearing it up," Loudermilk said. "He is a special talent." Based on practice video UW officials have shared on Twitter, Herbig has been able to defeat the blocks of tackles and/or tight ends. "He's talented, but what sticks out is he loves playing the game of football," head coach Paul Chryst said. "Wants to be coached. Wants to become the best he can be. And then he goes 100 miles an hour and puts it out there. "It's like any of us. It's not perfect but he puts himself out there." - Journal Sentinel

(DS#7 OLB) Jr/2023

OLB *Nick Herbig, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
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10/23/20 - *Nick Herbig, Jr/2023, Wisconsin, 6-2, 240 (DS#7 OLB) + More +

When the Wisconsin coaches evaluated Nick Herbig during a lengthy recruiting process, they saw an outside linebacker who consistently displayed strength, toughness, speed and tenacity. They could envision Herbig setting the edge of the defense on running plays and making life uncomfortable for quarterbacks because of his ability to get into the backfield. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound freshman from Hawaii has not disappointed in his first camp and, based on comments from anyone willing to talk, should play a significant role this season. "Nick is a really mature football player that understands the game," Bobby April, entering his third season as UW's outside linebackers coach, said last week via Zoom. "He plays fast. He is physical. "All the stuff that you saw from his high school highlights and tapes have come to fruition for us. I love where he is trending. "He is a guy that's got everything we're looking for. He is smart, tough and dependable. He checks all three boxes and he is a great kid off the field. "I can see why people are talking about him because the guy is a play-maker." - Journal Sentinel

(DS#7 OLB) Jr/2023

OLB *Nick Herbig, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
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10/21/20 - Mason Stokke, rSr/2021, Wisconsin, 6-2, 242 (DS#3 FB) + More +

Mason Stokke developed last season into Wisconsin's No. 1 fullback, capable of opening holes for the tailbacks, gaining tough yards on the handful of carries he received or catching passes. As the UW coaches prepare for the possibility a COVID-19 outbreak could decimate the depth of any position group, Stokke has gotten some work at tailback during camp. "He performed the way we expected," senior tailback Garrett Groshek said Sunday during a Zoom session. "And he has done really well at it." Stokke a 6-foot-2, 239-pound fifth-year senior from Menomonie, was the No. 2 fullback behind Alec Ingold in 2018. He rushed four times for 13 yards but did not catch a pass.

He teamed with John Chenal at fullback last season and rushed 15 times for 51 yards and two touchdowns and caught six passes for 47 yards. UW's top three tailbacks entering the opener Friday against visiting Illinois are redshirt sophomore Nakia Watson, who rushed 74 times for 331 yards last season; Groshek, who rushed 42 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns and caught 29 passes for 289 yards last season; and redshirt sophomore Isaac Guerendo, who had one carry for 1 yard last season. Stokke excelled at linebacker and tailback in high school and last season showed soft hands and the ability to run with power. - Journal Sentinel

(DS#3 FB) rSr/2021

FB Mason Stokke, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
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09/24/20 - Jon Dietzen, rSr/2021, Wisconsin, 6-5, 312 (DS#26 OG) + More +

Dietzen, who started 32 games but left the program after the 2018 season because of recurring injuries, is among the 113 players listed on the team's 2020 roster. He was a redshirt junior in '18 and was prepared to return to give football another shot last spring, but the NCAA shut down all on-campus workouts because of concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. Granted a sixth year of eligibility, Dietzen decided to return for one more season. "Jon last fall was starting to feel more and more healthy and was working out," head coach Paul Chryst said Wednesday during a Zoom session. "It has been fun to see him truly healthy as he has ever been, quite honestly. And he is a talented football player." - Journal Sentinel

(DS#26 OG) rSr/2021

OG Jon Dietzen, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
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09/23/20 - Jon Dietzen, rSr/2021, Wisconsin, 6-5, 312 (DS#26 OG) + More +

Wisconsin has regained offensive lineman Jon Dietzen and lost safety Reggie Pearson as the Badgers resume practices for the pandemic-delayed season. The Badgers released a roster Wednesday that didn't include Pearson but added Dietzen, who had announced in February 2019 that he was stepping away from football due to injuries. Badgers coach Paul Chryst said Pearson wasn't cleared to play this year because of a medical issue. Chryst didn't specify the nature of the issue impacting Pearson, whose 60 tackles as a redshirt freshman last season ranked fourth on the team. "That's why he's not on the roster right now, because he wouldn't be cleared for the season," Chryst said. "Reggie's back. He's in school. We still want him around." Dietzen had started for Wisconsin at left guard in 2017 and at left tackle in 2018. He has one year of eligibility remaining. - AP College Football

(DS#26 OG) rSr/2021

OG Jon Dietzen, Wisconsin
News Source: AP College Football
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08/17/20 - Cole Van Lanen, rSr/2021, Wisconsin, 6-4, 305 (DS#21 OT) + More +

This fall will be wildly different than the one Cole Van Lanen expected, or wanted. His senior season as a tackle on the University of Wisconsin football team has been canceled. The Big Ten Conference decided none of its teams will play football this fall due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. The Big Ten is developing plans to potentially play games in early 2021, but no details have been decided upon yet. The situation puts Van Lanen and the rest of his NFL-bound upperclassmen teammates and peers in the conference in a bind. They must decide between a spring-semester season - in whatever form the conference cooks up - or preparing for the NFL draft.

"There's a lot of possibilities. I could just say, 'Screw it,' and go out and train. Maybe there's a way I could train and do spring ball. Maybe I just do the spring ball and hopefully the draft gets pushed back. Will I stay for a whole other year?" Van Lanen said Friday. "I'm starting to piece things together, what I want to do, but there's still a lot of people I need to talk to, still a lot of things I need to find out for myself to make that best decision, because I only get one." Van Lanen said he'll use the next two weeks off from workouts at UW to give his plans thought, and it may take him the rest of the fall to decide what to do. - Wisconsin State Journal

(DS#21 OT) rSr/2021

OT Cole Van Lanen, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
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08/14/20 - Cole Van Lanen, rSr/2021, Wisconsin, 6-4, 305 (DS#21 OT) + More +

The buffer between several reporters and Cole Van Lanen - a Zoom session via computer Friday morning - could not hide the frustration flowing from Wisconsin's talented offensive tackle. "I was obviously very upset," Van Lanen said of the Big Ten's decision Tuesday to move the league's 2020 football schedule to the second semester. "Angry. People just don't understand how much time and how much we're sacrificing to do what we want to do. "I think as players we truly do feel safer playing football than we do now. The chancellors tell us that we can go to class and still practice." Yes to practice, no to games. "As a player, that makes zero sense," Van Lanen said. "It makes zero sense why we had to cancel the season so early." - Journal Sentinel

(DS#21 OT) rSr/2021

OT Cole Van Lanen, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
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07/19/20 - Jack Sanborn, Sr/2022, Wisconsin, 6-2, 239 (DS#10 ILB) + More +

2020 LOTT IMPACT TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST: JACK SANBORN, Wisconsin, LB, 6-2, 232, Deer Park, IL: As a sophomore led team in tackles with 80; Had 9 tackles for losses and added three interceptions. - Lott Impact Trophy

(DS#10 ILB) Sr/2022

ILB Jack Sanborn, Wisconsin
News Source: Lott Impact Trophy
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04/22/20 - *Jonathan Taylor, Jr/2020, Wisconsin, 5-10, 226 (DS#3 RB) + More +

Busy preparing for the 2020 National Football League draft, former Wisconsin tailback Jonathan Taylor made time to enter into an intriguing business deal. Taylor recently signed a marketing agreement with Toppers Pizza, which includes co-ownership of four Dane County franchises. "That is something that is really huge to me," Taylor said in a video announcing the agreement, "because I used to live down the street from Toppers and it's something I was always a fan of since I've been in school at the university. "I'm looking forward to extending that relationship." - Journal Sentinel

(DS#3 RB) Jr/2020

RB *Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
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04/16/20 - Chris Orr, rSr/2020, Wisconsin, 5-11, 223 (DS#38 OLB) + More +

Chris Orr has heard enough stories to understand things aren't always what they appear in NFL draft season. The former University of Wisconsin linebacker has had virtual interviews with dozens of pro teams in the past month, and they've all ended with positive feedback about Orr's chances in the league. But Orr - who's projected as a late-round pick in the NFL draft, which starts April 23 - knows the signs of a team truly interested. "It's kind of crazy. They never really give you a solid answer as in, 'We think we can get you this round,' but some people let you know, 'Man, you're one of our top guys, in that top percentile of the guys we're looking at,'" Orr said. "You can also tell by how often you're talking to them or how often they're talking to your agent, and just the flow of the conversation. Some people are showing you more stuff, some are showing you less."

That isn't always the case though, Orr says, as he's heard numerous tales of players being drafted by teams they'd barely heard from during the predraft process. Orr will have to wait to see if a team decides to pull the trigger and select him after a five-year stint at UW. He played in 50 career games despite a torn ACL ending his 2016 season after one snap, and developed into an All-Big Ten inside linebacker as a senior. Part of Orr's ascent last season was his role in the Badgers' pass rush. After posting 2½ sacks in his first four seasons on the roster, Orr tallied 11 1/2 in 2019, pairing with outside linebacker Zack Baun (12 1/2) to become the first UW teammates to record 10 or more sacks apiece in the same season since 1996. - Wisconsin State Journal

(DS#38 OLB) rSr/2020

OLB Chris Orr, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
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