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Wisconsin football landed at No. 16 of 18 Big Ten programs in ESPN’s latest offseason ranking.
Composed by ESPN college football writers Eli Lederman, Max Olson and Adam Rittenberg, the list for each Power 4 program followed the following criteria: Retention of key (non-draft-eligible) players, retention of key coaches or staff upgrades, and player additions, primarily through the transfer portal but also high school recruits.
Wisconsin entered the 2025 offseason following a disappointing 5-7 result in the second full season under head coach Luke Fickell. The team fell to Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Iowa and Penn State to finish the season, falling by at least 15 points in four of those five contests.
The Badgers lost several notable starters after the season’s conclusion, including quarterback Braedyn Locke, safety Hunter Wohler, running back Tawee Walker and wide receiver Will Pauling. To address those personnel concerns, UW turned to the winter and spring transfer portal windows.
In addition to significant roster movement, Wisconsin hired former Kansas Jayhawks offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes to take over for Phil Longo, who was fired after the team’s November loss to Oregon. As opposed to Longo’s air raid, Grimes brings a more traditional offensive approach to the program.
Lederman, Olson and Rittenberg shared their thoughts on Wisconsin’s new-look coaching situation.
“The Air Raid didn’t work in Madison, as many coaches predicted it wouldn’t, and new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes is viewed as a return to Wisconsin’s roots. Grimes played and coached offensive line and will emphasize the power run in different ways. Coach Luke Fickell also shifted Kenny Guiton, the former Ohio State quarterback, from wide receivers coach to oversee the QBs.”
The portal brought Wisconsin notable projected starters, including…
Source link : https://badgerswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/badgers/football/2025/05/17/wisconsin-football-offseason-ranking-espn/83675176007/
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Publish date : 2025-05-17 10:01:00
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