Jim Polzin's 2023 Wisconsin football prediction

Sports can provide a valuable distraction, including for those battling diseases. Here's how some leading sports figures in Wisconsin are helping to do their part in the fight against cancer.

Check out this week's Open Jim podcast, where I talk about the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team landing a commitment from Daniel Freitag and answer these two mailbag questions.

Barry was a big proponent of building a wall around the state. The top 4 in-state high school football players are leaving the state to play elsewhere. Reason for concern, or is this just a case of having lost those guys before the first year coach got here?

The men's basketball program seems to be headed in the right direction. What's happening with the women's program? Has been horrible for so many years!

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Let's get to this week's mailbag ...

What is your pie in the sky prediction for the upcoming football season

What I’m actually predicting: UW goes 9-3 during the regular season but wins the West Division, loses to Michigan in the Big Ten title game and plays in a Jan. 1 bowl game in Florida.

What wouldn't shock me: UW goes 11-1, loses to Michigan in the Big Ten title game and gets selected for a New Year's Six bowl.

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Which brings us to the pie-in-the-sky prediction: UW's offense clicks from the start and its defense is as stout as it's been in the past, the Badgers beat Ohio State in a close game at Camp Randall Stadium on Oct. 28 and run the table during the regular season, somehow beat Michigan in the Big Ten title game, win a College Football Playoff semifinal and lose to Georgia in the title game.

Meanwhile, Ohio State fires Ryan Day for losing to Michigan three consecutive years, and UW fans spend the leadup to the playoffs freaking out that the Buckeyes are going to steal Luke Fickell from Madison after one glorious season.

What are your feelings on the fact that more and more power 5 college football games are not being played on Saturday's? Are we moving too far from tradition?

I don't love it, but I understand it.

Polzin: Why Luke Fickell is taking Wisconsin football practices on the road

The media rights deal the Big Ten signed with Fox, CBS and NBC, set to go into effect on July 1, is worth more than $7 billion over seven years. Those networks want to find the best slots to increase viewership, so it's no surprise that Thursday and Friday nights are becoming a more popular option.

We can grumble all we want, but it won't do a thing. TV rules sports.

Do college teams like Wisconsin have a maximum number of players they can keep on the roster during the season? I know there are scholarship limits, but was curious about overall total? And I believe not all dress for away games correct?

UW has roster limits for all of its teams, and the max for football is 125, with no more than 85 on scholarship. The Badgers can have 110 players in fall camp. The travel limit for Big Ten road games is 74. There's no travel limit for nonconference road games.

How does the Badger fan base feel about Chryst to UT? What role will he play, if any, in the development of UT QBs?

I can't speak for the fan base, but I’m happy for Paul Chryst and think it's a good move. Part of me wondered whether Chryst would take a year off to recharge his batteries, but a behind-the-scenes role makes sense as he ponders what's next in his career. He gets to be a ball coach and doesn't have to deal with any of the CEO stuff, which has to be appealing after the way things ended at UW.

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It's unclear what Chryst's exact role will be as a special assistant to Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, but I’m guessing he’ll be able to add input on the offense, particularly the running game, and provide guidance for Sarkisian, who is 13-12 in two seasons with the Longhorns.

It's worth noting that Texas has a quarterbacks coach (AJ Milwee) on staff.

Chryst likely is excited by this opportunity. Texas returns a talented young quarterback in Quinn Ewers and already has the top quarterback prospect in the 2023 class, Arch Manning, on campus.

Thoughts on improving the UW HOF? The new practice facility has plans for 6,500 sq ft facility and feels like a chance to make it a "thing." Right now they announce it and it's pretty quickly forgotten.

I think that's a great idea. I agree with you that it's something that kind of gets lost in the shuffle, with UW rolling out announcements during the summer and honoring the class during a home football weekend.

Here's what Wisconsin has planned for a new football indoor practice facility

Fans can view the plaques on a wall outside the Camp Randall Sports Center, but it’d be nice to have an inside area that fans can visit to find out more about UW Hall of Famers. An interactive element would be a sweet addition.

I haven't heard of any plans to do something like this. It's probably worth asking about the next time I chat with Chris McIntosh or one of his senior staffers.

What makes a coaching staff continue to recruit specific players after they gave a verbal? I know NIL changes the game perhaps, but why do some schools/coaches continue to invest that time? https://t.co/0R4MytVtbB

Coaches are going to recruit a player as long as they think they have a chance of getting a commitment. A verbal commitment isn't binding, and most of the time it won't stop the other schools pursuing a prospect from hanging around to see if that school is truly out of the mix.

Episode 36 Open Jim Podcast: Men's hoops and football recruiting, plus women's hoops rebuilding

I think it becomes pretty clear when a player no longer has interest. Are they no longer returning messages or taking calls? Are the conversations awkward? Do they outright tell you to stop contacting them?

On the flip side, if they’re still willing to engage, the conversations will continue. But the idea that the recruiting stops once a verbal commitment occurs hasn't been true for a long time.

Is it time to fire Fickell, given that he can't even win recruiting battles against Greg Gard?(This is a joke).The Freitag recruitment was high risk/high reward, given that if DF went elsewhere, GG was behind the 8 ball on getting a new PG. Do you see Gard doing that again?

This sort of relates to my answer to the previous question. Greg Gard can't talk about Daniel Freitag until Freitag signs his letter of intent in November, but it's safe to say that Gard and assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft felt good about their relationship with Freitag and liked UW's chances of landing him.

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Ultimately, the attention UW showed Freitag and the length of that relationship were big factors in the point guard from the Minneapolis area committing to the Badgers last week. I think this comes down to how good recruiters are at reading where they stand with a recruit.

Does this strategy have risks? Of course. I look back at the 2018 class, when UW placed all of its eggs in the Tyler Herro and Joey Hauser basket and ended up getting neither of them. Herro was a unique situation because he had committed to the Badgers before changing his mind three weeks before signing day, leaving UW in a bad spot.

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But UW spent a lot of time and resources on Hauser and though it was in a good position with him despite the fact his brother, Sam, already was at Marquette. When Joey Hauser eventually chose the Golden Eagles in late July of 2017, the Badgers didn't have any great Plan B options still available.

That was always a tough one for me. I can't blame UW for prioritizing an in-state prospect ranked among the top 100 players in the class. But coming up empty on Hauser left UW scrambling and that class (Taylor Currie, Joe Hedstrom and Tai Strickland) ended up being the least productive group — by far — in the Gard era.

Who's the best trade option for the brewers at the deadline?

This is a better question for the first week of July — not the first week of June — because we’ll have a better idea if the Brewers will be in a position to buy at that point.

They’re 33-28 despite a bad run of injuries, leading the NL Central by a half-game over Pittsburgh. Even if the injuries start to take their toll, they’ll likely still be in the postseason mix a month from now because it's not like there's a team in this weak division that is going to run away from the pack.

The trade deadline is on Aug. 1. That's a long ways away. But even if Milwaukee is still atop the standings at that point, it's hard for me to imagine the Brewers going after any big names in trades. This team may end up in the postseason, but I don't see it as a legitimate contender to make a deep run in October and wouldn't trade away any key prospects in an attempt to strengthen the 2023 roster.

Hey Jim- Is there better team chemistry at 1265 Lombardi Ave with Aaron Rodgers gone?

It's way too early to say. It appears most of the remaining players have rallied around Jordan Love, who's also done a good job of getting closer with some of the younger Packers.

But chemistry is built over time and, frankly, it's easy to look like a cohesive unit in June. Let's see how close this team remains when it hits a patch of adversity, which is bound to happen at various times during the 2023 season.

DeForest won the division 1 girls track and field championship this week. They only had 2 girls qualify but they got 3 firsts and 2 seconds. Is that a record low amount of participants to win a championship?

I reached out to the WIAA to see if it keeps records that would help with this type of question, and was told it doesn't.

So I’m not sure if something like this has ever happened previously in Division 1.

But Webster won a WIAA Division 3 girls state title in 2022 when Ava Washburn, its only qualifier, won the 100-meter hurdles, long jump and triple jump while taking second in the 300 hurdles. Washburn, the daughter of former MLB pitcher Jarrod Washburn, scored 38 points to help Webster finish one point better than Dodgeland.

Pretend it's 1996…Gumby's or Pizza Pit?

It's funny. I was just having a conversation with someone last week about Pizza Pit and how that was my go-to order on late nights in college.

So I’ll go with that as my answer, though I was also a big fan of Gumby's.

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Braedyn Locke (18) participates in spring practice at the McClain Center in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, April 18, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL

No: 18

Year: Redshirt freshman

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 192 pounds

Projected role: No. 2 QB

What to know: The Mississippi State transfer is set to be the Badgers’ backup quarterback behind Southern Methodist transfer Tanner Mordecai, but the gap between Locke and QB1 isn't as wide as most thought. Locke is a smart decision-maker, accurate with the football and reads defenses well.

Notable quote: "He is the model of consistency and he's gotten better with each practice," offensive coordinator Phil Longo said. "And he has a tremendous — he and Tanner probably had the best overall understanding of the offense and just the game of football in general."

Running back Cade Yacamelli runs a route during the UW's fifth spring practice Tuesday. Yacamelli has shown speed and receiving skill that could make him an ideal change-of-pace back behind returners Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi.

No: 25

Year: Redshirt freshman

Height: 6-0

Weight: 210 pounds

Projected role: In the mix for No. 3 running back

What to know: Yacamelli spent the first half of last season at safety before taking over as scout team running back. His speed, agility and receiving ability — UW once thought he could play receiver for the Badgers — make him an interesting changeup behind between-the-tackles runners like Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi. Yacamelli will be competing with a handful of others for limited RB3 reps.

Notable quote: "Cade, obviously, he's a tremendous athlete," running back Grover Bortolotti said. "In the winter, he was just off the charts whether it be with speed or strength. He's a guy that's just a freak. Yeah, he hasn't played a lot of running back here, but he's definitely picking it up really well and he's eager to learn. The dude's always in the playbook trying to learn, get better. So big things ahead for him, for sure."

UW offensive lineman Jake Renfro participates in Saturday's spring practice at the McClain Center.

No: 57

Year: Redshirt junior

Height: 6-4

Weight: 316 pounds

Projected role: Starting center

What to know: Renfro only got through four spring practices before injuring his left foot/ankle, but he proved to be fairly indispensable — UW had inconsistent center-to-quarterback play since Renfro went down. He's got impressive upper body strength and a good first step off the ball. His recovery would make the entire offensive line better.

Notable quote: "What's stood out to me about him, not even as a football player, just kind of as a guy, I was here when he took a visit," left tackle Jack Nelson said. "And I kind of showed him around, and it was almost like instantaneous, like he was one of the guys. This O-line group was super, super tight, and it was almost like he's always been here. He just really came in, bought in."

Tight end Jack Pugh catches a throw during the University of Wisconsin's eighth spring practice Tuesday morning inside Camp Randall Stadium.

No: 89

Year: Redshirt sophomore

Height: 6-5

Weight: 252 pounds

Projected role: In the mix for No. 1 tight end

What to know: UW's new offensive system needs a vertical threat up the seam. Longo likes to use tight ends in this role because their size can create mismatches that defenses can't handle, and Pugh looks like he may have the tools to fit this role. Injuries hampered his path to the field his first two years, but he's got a chance to be a weapon in the Air Raid.

Notable quote: "I think he gives the balance of the ability to play a little bit out in space but also the balance to be inside and to be a pretty physical blocker," Fickell said. "He's done nothing but do an incredible job in the winter through all the workout stuff, and then obviously coming out here every practice so far, he's answered the bell. He plays tough."

Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Keontez Lewis (3) participates in spring practice at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Thursday, April 13, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL

No: 3

Year: Junior

Height: 6-2

Weight: 187 pounds

Projected role: No. 3 outside receiver

What to know: Lewis was the Badgers’ best and most-targeted deep threat last season, and his speed undoubtedly will be used to challenge defenses this fall. But he showed a wider range of skill and route-running ability this spring, particularly on the quick hitch routes that are meant to be catch-and-run opportunities for receivers.

Notable quote: "He's done a great job of catching contested balls," Fickell said. "I think I've been as impressed with that as anything. Staying on your feet after some of those things, I think is the next step to it. But I think that's not just an athletic thing, that's just a confidence thing. And I think that the more and more that he does and we do with him through the spring and then into fall, I think he'll gain more and more of that confidence to stay on his feet to turn those really good plays into great plays."

Temple defensive lineman Darian Varner in action against Rutgers last season.

No: 19

Year: Redshirt junior

Height: 6-3

Weight: 278 pounds

Projected role: No. 3 defensive end

What to know: Varner didn't get to show what he could do this spring as he recovered from a lower-leg injury, but his tape shows a lightning-fast rusher who has played all over the line. That skill set will fit perfectly with what Mike Tressel wants to do with the Badgers’ defense, and Varner brings proven pass rushing to a defensive line that is weakest in that area.

Notable quote: "I see him being a guy that can help us with a little bit more explosion, a little bit more pop, a little bit more quickness," Fickell said. "He's different probably than some of the other guys that we've got that we’ll play with. But that variety gives us a chance to do some other things."

Linebacker Jake Chaney works out during Thursday's practice at the McClain Center.

No: 36

Year: Junior

Height: 5-11

Weight: 233 pounds

Projected role: No. 3 inside linebacker

What to know: Chaney earned playing time last season in part because of his nose for the ball and his closing speed, and he continued to show those skills this spring. He spent most of his time working with the second defense, but Chaney was with the starting unit in the three-inside-linebacker groupings Tressel experimented with. Expect him to have a role in the rotation this season.

Notable quote: "He's a 1, right?" Tressel said. "You can start saying, ‘Wait a second, how could there be more than two 1s?’ But he's a 1, and he's really impressed me because he has the ability to be really heavy-handed where he shocks offensive linemen and you see them stumble back 3 yards, and the next play slip them and make a play in the backfield."

Michigan State defensive end Jeff Pietrowski (47) in action during the second half against Indiana in 2021.

No: 44

Year: Redshirt junior

Height: 6-2

Weight: 244 pounds

Projected role: No. 2 boundary outside linebacker, with a chance to start

What to know: The Michigan State transfer missed a little more than half of the spring after contracting mononucleosis, but he was impressive when he returned to the field the last three weeks of practices. His get-off is among the best of all the Badgers’ OLBs, and he has strong hand-fighting skills from his time as a defensive end with the Spartans.

Notable quote: "He is really on point with alignments and assignments," OLBs coach Matt Mitchell said, "and he can see if a player makes a mistake. He's been a great teammate, pulling guys off to the side and really trying to help them out. So he's doing a little bit more one-on-one leading."

UW cornerback Jason Maitre (23) participates in spring practice on April 13 at Camp Randall Stadium.

No: 23

Year: Redshirt senior

Height: 5-10

Weight: 188 pounds

Projected role: Starting nickelback

What to know: Homing in on one position was one of the benefits Maitre found upon his transfer from Boston College to UW. He played all over the defensive backfield for the Eagles, but the Badgers are asking him to lock down the top nickelback spot and be a stopper when offenses put their top receivers in the slot.

Notable quote: "Jason's a great player," senior corner Alexander Smith said. "He shows it every day. We knew he was a great player coming from Boston College, but really just honing in on the details of the defense and the techniques. And at this point in our career, you play so much ball, it's the little things that he needs to work on everyday, that we all need to work on every day, and I think that's what he's trying to hone in on."

Wisconsin Badgers safety Hunter Wohler (24) participates in spring practice at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Thursday, April 13, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL

No: 24

Year: Junior

Height: 6-2

Weight: 211 pounds

Projected role: No. 1 boundary safety/dollar

What to know: The line above was difficult to fill because Wohler is going to be all over the field for the Badgers defense. He's been seen covering deep halves as a safety, patrolling the middle of the field at linebacker depth and used as a blitzer this spring. He's poised for his most productive season yet in a UW uniform.

Notable quote: "Him having really good football instincts allows him to play a little bit closer, still see it happen and react very quickly," Tressel said. "You also have seen in the past that he's comfortable being up there close to the core and taking on blocks, and he's a physical, strong tackler. So what we're able to do with him a little bit, I would call it a hybrid position, but there's times and calls where he's gonna seem a little bit more like a true linebacker. There's times and calls where he's doing safety things. We're able to mix up some of the blitz paths from those types of positions that you might not be able to do without an obvious tell when he's coming from a normal safety (depth)."

Contact Jim Polzin at [email protected].

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