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Wisconsin football: News and notes from Big Ten Media Days

A look at some of the key news that came out of Big Ten Media Days over the past two days.

Matt Belz

In this story:

Big Ten Media Days are one of the first indications that the college football season is drawing near, and Wisconsin Badgers head coach Paul Chryst and player representatives Nick Herbig, Keeanu Benton, and Graham Mertz were all in attendance for the two-day event. 

Contents

  1. Big Ten and playoff expansion
  2. Wisconsin player health + status updates
  3. Fall roster released
  4. Other B1G team news

The annual occurrence brings together coaches and players from all 14 Big Ten institutions, and there was plenty to glean from what commissioner Kevin Warren and the coaches had to say down in Indianapolis. 

Here is a look at some of the main talking points that stood out, as they pertain to the Wisconsin Badgers and the conference as a whole.

Big Ten and playoff expansion

After sending shockwaves across college football by adding UCLA and USC earlier this summer, much of the questions for Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren centered around expansion.

Warren spoke with some added confidence during his availability and indicated that the conference might not be done in terms of realignment. Warren noted that any additions would "be done for the right reasons at the right time with our student-athletes, academic and athletic empowerment at the center of any and all decisions that we will make regarding any further expansions."

The conference commissioner acknowledged that the ability to span the entire country and cut-across multiple time zones is important for the league and played a role in adding the two former Pac-12 schools. The Big Ten is closing in on signing a new media rights deal, and having both West Coast schools in the conference should allow for games to be seen from 11 a.m. to late at night on Saturdays.

Analogous to these conversations, Brett McMurphy of the Action Network, who was in attendance for the two-day event, reported that in addition to Notre Dame, the Big Ten is considering Oregon, Washington, Stanford, and Cal from the Pac-12, as well as Miami and Florida State from the ACC as future members.

Beyond conference expansion, there were additional rumblings that a 16-team playoff could be on the table for the future of the College Football Playoff as well. This idea of 16 teams came up during ACC and SEC Media Days and resurfaced this week. It appears as though Kevin Warren and SEC commission Greg Sankey are leading the charge in college football, and the two are making decisions that align more closely than they had in the past, opening the door for 16 teams.

Wisconsin player health + status updates

Amidst all the conference realignment conversations, there was actual Wisconsin-related news as well.

As is customary, head coach Paul Chryst had very little to say in front of the entire venue but did divulge more details to local media members who were in attendance.

Some of the more notable player updates include:

  • Running backs Chez Mellusi and Isaac Guerendo are expected to participate in fall camp but will not be full-go, according to Chryst via Zach Heilprin, who was in attendance.
  • Chryst discussed the status of 2022 signee Isaac Hamm of Sun Prairie, who is not yet with the team but is taking classes at MATC in hopes of joining the team in the coming weeks per Jon McNamara.
  • Chryst also mentioned that safety Titus Toler is back on the roster after missing all last year. Toler was around the program during the season and in the spring but is now medically available to participate again, which is great news considering the lack of depth at the position. 

Fall roster released

Zach Heilprin also shared an updated look at the 2022 roster, which featured all of the up-to-date positions and weights for each player on the team.

Some of the more interesting developments include:

  • Redshirt freshman Jackson Acker is now listed as a fullback after working at the position in the spring, despite being designated as a running back on the previous roster. He enters fall camp as the likely starter at the position.
  • True freshman Cade Yacamelli opens fall camp as a safety. A former high school running back, there was some uncertainty about where he would play with the Badgers, but it appears he will begin his career at safety given the limited number of scholarship players in the room.
  • True freshman walk-on Travis Alvin joins the team as an offensive lineman after originally signing with the Badgers as a tight end. 

Notable weight changes:

  • Fullback Jackson Acker (RS FR) +6 to 238 lbs.
  • Running back Braelon Allen (SO) -5 to 235 lbs.
  • Offensive lineman JP Benzschawel (RS FR) +5 to 302 lbs.
  • Offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini (RS SO) +7 to 313 lbs.
  • Quarterback Myles Burkett (FR) +6 to 204 lbs.
  • Inside linebacker Jake Chaney (SO) +4 to 229 lbs.
  • Outside linebacker C.J. Goetz (RS SR) +8 to 240 lbs.
  • Tight end Cole Dakovich (RS SO) -10 to 250 lbs.
  • Quarterback Deacon Hill (RS FR) -11 to 251 lbs.
  • Outside linebacker Kaden Johnson (RS SO) -5 to 230 lbs.
  • Cornerback Avyonne Jones (FR) +7 to 187 lbs.
  • Wide receiver Keontez Lewis (SO) -4 to 190 lbs. 
  • Cornerback Max Lofy (RS SO) +9 to 189 lbs.
  • Defensive end Cade McDonald (RS SO) +5 to 285 lbs.
  • Offensive lineman Jack Nelson (RS SO) +7 to 310 lbs.
  • Inside linebacker Jake Ratzlaff (RS FR) +5 to 225 lbs.
  • Offensive lineman Nolan Rucci (RS FR) +5 to 297 lbs.
  • Defensive end James Thompson Jr. (RS SO) +5 to 295 lbs.
  • Inside linebacker Aidan Vaughan (FR) +6 to 213 lbs.
  • Offensive lineman Trey Wedig (RS SO) +5 to 315 lbs.
  • Safety Hunter Wohler (SO) +4 to 210 lbs.

Other B1G team news

  • Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz already ruled out two players for the 2022 season due to injuries, as wide receiver Jackson Ritter and offensive lineman Justin Britt will be unavailable this year. The Hawkeyes were already thin at wide receiver after Charlie Jones transferred to Purdue. 
  • Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is still reluctant to name a starting quarterback heading into fall camp.
  • Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker is high on former Wisconsin running back Jalen Berger, who figures to share carries with Jarek Broussard with the Spartans.

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Matt Belz
MATT BELZ

Title: Publisher, Beat Writer for AllBadgers.com, a Sports Illustrated Channel Hello, my name is Matt Belz, and I am the site manager at All Badgers. I previously wrote for multiple years at Buckeyes 5th Quarter and have been the leading publisher here since March of 2022.  When I am not covering the Wisconsin Badgers football and men's basketball teams, I enjoy being outside and spending time with family and friends.  You can follow everything I write about on several different platforms. First and foremost on our site...AllBadgers.com You can follow me personally on Twitter at @savedbythebelz or check out our Facebook page at Wisconsin FanNation on Sports Illustrated.

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