Ognacevic bounces back after missing sesaon due to injury and leads Lipscomb into NCAA Tournament
'Sam Dekker was from my hometown and went to the high school I went to,' Ognacevic recalled of the Badgers forward on those teams. 'Just watching a hometown guy play on that stage was really cool to see.'
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Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Badgers four-star QB commit gets offer from UCLA
The Wisconsin Badgers landed their prized quarterback target in the 2025 class back in April when they secured a commitment from four-star Ryan Hopkins after a spring visit. Hopkins, a native of Southern California, was a player that the Badgers were in on early, as Wisconsin gave the quarterback his second offer after Michigan State last October. That ultimately paid off, as the Badgers were able to get Hopkins, even with a switch at offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. However, landing a quarterback is only 50 percent of the puzzle in today's world. Keeping their commitment through National Signing Day is the other challenging component. Hopkins is set to play his senior season at powerhouse Mater Dei, which was ranked the No. 1 high school in the country ahead of the Fall. That will certainly attract eyes to him, and one school is already taking notice. The UCLA Bruins became the latest to offer Hopkins a scholarship, showing interest in the in-state recruit. Hopkins, of course, has remained committed to Wisconsin, with schools still showing interest in the summer. But, UCLA could be one to watch, given the proximity to home for the quarterback. Wisconsin went all-in on the four-star, taking all their other quarterback targets off the board after landing a commitment from Hopkins in April. It would be a tough situation if they were forced to pivot this late in the cycle and look for another option. Of course, Wisconsin dealt with a similar situation last year when landing Carter Smith very close to National Signing Day, which resulted in them losing the commitment of three-star Landyn Locke, the brother of former quarterback Braedyn Locke. UCLA, on the other hand, has slowly built up its quarterback room, landing both Nico and Madden Iamaleava. They also have former four-star recruit Pierce Clarkson, who transferred in from Ole Miss. But, they have yet to land a quarterback in the 2026 class. Nonetheless, this development will be one to watch in the Fall, but there doesn't seem to be a concern just yet.
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Wisconsin football legend offers outlook for 2025 season, head coach Luke Fickell
Wisconsin football legend Barry Alvarez offered high praise for Badgers head coach Luke Fickell on Monday. In an interview with ESPN Madison, Wisconsin great shared his outlook on the state of the program entering the 2025 season. While Fickell's coaching record over the last two years points one way, Alvarez's perspective was anything but pessimistic. 'I think we have the right person in charge,' Alvarez said. 'I think Luke [Fickell] understands the Big Ten. He knows how to win. I think he has his feet on the ground. Wisconsin is a difficult place. You have to understand this place as far as where to recruit, the type of players that fit here [and] the type of football that can win here. I really think that he is grounded. He's the right guy to be here, so I really feel good about that. I like the players in the program, [and] I like the attitude. I'm always anxious to get the season started, but really anxious to watch this team play." Since joining the Badgers, Fickell has amassed a 12-13 mark. In his second full year as head coach in 2024, the Badgers finished 5-7 and failed to make a bowl game appearance for the first time since 2001 -- Alvarez's 12th season as head coach in Madison. Fickell arrived on campus following a widely successful run at Cincinnati. The former Ohio State defensive lineman registered a 57-18 mark in six years, headlined by a College Football Playoff appearance in 2021. With six AP top 25 opponents on Wisconsin's 2025 schedule, Fickell's Badgers could again finish at or near .500. For context, the last time UW went under .500 in back-to-back years was 1990-92 -- Alvarez's first three years in charge. If anyone knows the program, it's the 2010 College Football Hall of Fame inductee and winningest head coach in Wisconsin football history Still, new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes and transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. are slated to run the offense this fall. Outside of matchups against college football powers Oregon, Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan, Wisconsin will need to triumph in winnable conference games against Iowa, Maryland, Washington, Minnesota and Illinois for the program to reestablish momentum. A closing victory over Minnesota would also accomplish that objective. Fickell's team will first take the field against Miami (OH) on Aug. 28 in Madison. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Wisconsin quarterback commit to lead the top team in the country in 2025
Mater Dei (CA), Duncanville (TX) and North Crowley (TX) headline the updated National High School Football Top 25 via Massey Ratings👀Thoughts? ⬇️Read: Massey Ratings released their National High School Football top 25 for the upcoming football season early Monday morning, with Mater Dei (California) leading the way. As Badger fans may know, class of 2026 quarterback commit Ryan Hopkins is Mater Dei's starting quarterback this fall, seemingly in line for a successful senior year with the program. Hopkins committed to the Badgers in mid-April, choosing them over Missouri, Cal, and Duke. He remains verbally committed to Wisconsin even with new offers rolling in. The most recent of which came from the in-state UCLA Bruins, who joined his offer sheet on Saturday. These kinds of offers will likely continue to roll in until the early signing period in December. Still, head coach Luke Fickell and the rest of the Badgers staff seem confident that they will retain him. Hopkins and Mater Dei's season begins on Aug. 23 against St. Thomas Aquinas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
