Wisconsin players detail 'Squatfest' at Big Ten Media Days

We got a deeper look inside Fickell's notorious SquatFest event.

Picture: @BadgerFootball (X) /

Big Ten Media Days began on Tuesday in Indianapolis and Wisconsin was one of six teams to speak to the media. Hunter Woehler, Jake Chaney and Jack Nelson were the three Badgers players to join head coach Luke Fickell at the event.

Fickell brought Director of Football Strength & Conditioning coach Brady Collins with him to Wisconsin last offseason, having previously worked together at Cincinnati where they created a summer workout event called "Squatfest."

"Basically, you'll max out squat in the first half of it and then every workout imaginable you'll be doing," Chaney said. "You got punching bags on the ground, you got RDL [Romanian dead lift] station, bench press station, you got everything imaginable. Then you bring it up at the end and you'll do a finisher."

“It’s supposed to be 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙. That’s the way the game is and that’s the way 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 is.”

Squatfest ‘24 ✔️ pic.twitter.com/n4wQx54k5j

— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) July 3, 2024

Fickell and his staff typically do this workout before players leave for the summer. This year it took place on July 3. The trio of Wisconsin players said that Chaney was the MVP of the event, to which he replied, "I squat pretty decent."

"We did it last day before our little break there this summer," Woehler said. "Everyone gets rowdy, the place get's loud, we get a DJ in there, lights going on, it's good stuff."

𝘚𝘘𝘜𝘈𝘛𝘍𝘌𝘚𝘛 😤@BadgerFootball players tell you about their weight room workout.#B1GFootball x #B1GMediaDays pic.twitter.com/UPglrrbMoU

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) July 23, 2024

Fickell was known for his player development at Cincinnati, turning players like Sauce Gardner, Desmond Ridder and Alec Pierce into high-end NFL draft picks. Clearly, strength and conditioning was a big part of helping them get to the NFL.