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Recruiting is the lifeblood of any major college athletics team, but following it closely as a fan can sometimes be difficult and can often be time consuming. We’ll try and condense all the recruiting news you can use into this bi-weekly post. It’ll include updates on current commits, including stats from their high school games, as well as news on players the Badgers are still pursuing. Let’s get down to business!
Current football commits awards
The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association has announced its All-State, Player of the Year, and Assistant Coach of the Year Awards for 2019. The WFCA is producing separate Large School and Small School All-State Teams once again, with six players also identified as part of an 8-Player All-State Team. Here are the Wisconsin commits that were honored as Large School All-State selections:
- Kerry Kodanko, OL, West De Pere, 6-foot-4, 285, SR
- Jack Nelson, OL, Stoughton, 6-foot-7, 285, SR
- Trey Wedig, OL, Kettle Moraine, 6-foot-8, 320, SR
- Jonny Davis, QB, La Crosse Central, 6-foot-5, 195, SR (he’ll be playing basketball at UW)
- Chimere Dike, WR, Waukesha North, 6-foot-1, 185, SR
- Cade McDonald, DE, Hudson, 6-foot-7, 250, SR
- Cole Dakovich, OLB, Catholic Memorial, 6-foot-5, 250, SR
Here are the Wisconsin commits that were honored as Small School All-State selections:
- Ben Barten, OL, Stratford, 6-foot-5, 275, SR
- Tanor Bortolini, OL, Kewaunee, 6-foot-6, 275, SR
- Ben Barten, DL, Stratford, 6-foot-5, 275, SR (that’s right...he was all-state on both sides of the ball)
It should also be noted that Barten was named the Small School Defensive Player of the Year. Here is what wissports.net had to say, bolding my own:
Small School Defensive Player of the Year honors went to Stratford defensive lineman Ben Barten. A two-way star, Barten was a key part of a Stratford defense that did not allow a point until the state semi-finals. Despite sitting out the second half of most games as a result of blowouts, he has recorded 58 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and three sacks for the Tigers. A Badgers commit who earned First Team All-State on both offense and defense as a junior, he has was a two-way choice this season.
Current football commits playoff highlights
- We tweeted about this on Saturday, but 2021 3-star QB Deacon Hill is on a tear in the California state playoffs.
Quarter final Tape. Semis on Friday
— Deacon Pe’a Hill (@dhillsb10) November 19, 2019
19/25
361 pass yards
4 pass tds
1 rush td
65 rush yards https://t.co/f24cYUoPLF
His team hadn’t even won a playoff game in 30 years and now they find themselves in the semifinals thanks to Hill’s dominant performance. He’s going to fit in well here methinks.
I think the best part about my game last night besides hearing that final buzzer go off is when they played JUMP AROUND #OnWisconsin ⚪️
— Deacon Pe’a Hill (@dhillsb10) November 17, 2019
Current basketball commits updates
- 2021 4-star commits PG Chucky Hepburn (Bellevue, Neb.) and PF Matthew Mors (Yankton, S.D.) took in Wisconsin’s win over Marquette at the Kohl Center on Sunday. It was the first time either of them had seen a competitive game in Madison, and they couldn’t have picked a much better one tbqh.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ #Badgers pic.twitter.com/WLU2XMmYrm
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) November 17, 2019
- The Badgers basketball social media team did a really nice job on signing day last week. This shit matters, so it’s nice to see Wisconsin care about it and do it well. Not every school does.
Signing Day for @BadgerMBB via @venus_tim, @brandonharrison, @jerryxmao. pic.twitter.com/pkA9UjKXjv
— SkullSparks (@SkullSparks) November 15, 2019
- Lakeville (Minn.) North is basically a Wisconsin feeder program now.
Super fun to watch these two‼️ @tjwahl01 @Reuvers35 #pantherproud pic.twitter.com/GJnayA3BTf
— LN Basketball (@LNHoopsOx) November 17, 2019
In-state players offered by dumb schools that aren’t Wisconsin
- If I were a football coach in the midwest and there was an offensive lineman from the state of Wisconsin that the Badgers were even thinking about offering, I’d offer him. No questions asked. 2022 4-star OL Joe Brunner (Whitefish Bay) is a no-brainer, but still.
Blessed and Honored to have received an offer from The University of Notre Dame, thank you @aarynkearney @CoachJeffQuinn pic.twitter.com/oK6eMGJmgl
— Joe Brunner (@brunnerjoe_) November 17, 2019
- Shit, did I tell my plan to someone at Notre Dame?
I’m so blessed to receive an offer from the University of Notre Dame!!! I want to thank @CoachJeffQuinn, and @aarynkearney for giving me this amazing opportunity!! Thank you so much! #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/jNTb0TaiOu
— Carson Hinzman (@HinzmanCarson) November 17, 2019
2022 4-star OL Carson Hinzman (Hammond) was also offered by the Irish over the weekend. Brilliant strategy, Brian Kelly!
- 2021 CB JaVaughn Byrd (Milwaukee) got his first FBS offer last week. Thomas Hammock knows what kind of kids there are in Wisconsin and he has made it a point to offer a lot of them while at NIU.
I am BEYOND blessed to say I have received my first D1 offer from Northern Illinois University A GREAT Thanks to @CoachAWilkins @CoachAgpalsa @NIUCoachHammock @travisWSN @McNamaraRivals pic.twitter.com/BmsE0Qs2wK
— JaVaughn Byrd (@ByrdJavaughn) November 16, 2019
- I didn’t know which section to put this in, so it’s going to go here.
#TopTen pic.twitter.com/QDUKHSrVUw
— JC Latham (@_JClatham_) November 15, 2019
2021 4-star OT JC Latham, who is originally from Milwaukee but currently attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., did not include the Badgers in his top-10.