Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell spoke to the media ahead of their Week 1 matchup against Miami (OH).
The Wisconsin Badgers are set to take on Miami (OH) in Week 1 of the college football season on Thursday. After a disappointing end to last season, finishing 5-7 and failing to clinch a bowl game for the first time since 2001, head coach Luke Fickell and the Badgers are ready to start their season against the RedHawks at Camp Randall.
Fickell, entering his third season with the team, spoke to the media today in a press conference. He went over a lot, including a familiar opponent, the depth chart and results from fall camp.
Injury Updates
Fickell provided updates on multiple players ahead of Thursday night’s matchup. The most notable is center Jake Renfro (knee) should return after taking most reps in practice as of late, according to the coach.
Additionally, tight end Tucker Ashcraft will not be playing Week 1, as he is still recovering from a lower-body injury. It’s unclear when he will make his debut, but Fickell confirmed he will be out against Miami (OH).
“Tucker will not make it. I don’t know if we officially know how long he’ll be out for,” Fickell said. “Jake should be good. He’s practiced the last four or five days, so he looks good, looks healthy. So I feel like we’re in a good place there.”
Two Freshmen Could See Significant Time
Some of the Badgers’ fall camp buzz surrounding freshman wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr., son of former NFL receiver T.Y. Hilton. In the press conference, Fickell noted that he made more of a jump in terms of consistency and that he could see plenty of snaps against the RedHawks.
“We saw those flashes in spring ball but, like a young guy, you see more of a rollercoaster,” Fickell said. “What you saw in fall camp was the consistency… I don’t think we would hesitate a bit to play him a bunch of plays.”
On the defensive side, cornerback Cairo Skanes should also see time, per Fickell. Senior Nyzier Fourqurean is still dealing with a lawsuit against the NCAA, and until then, anticipate the true freshman to get good reps on Thursday.
“Cairo’s an interesting one in the sense that, with all the things that have gone on with Nyzier and not knowing, he’s put in a position where he got an unlimited amount of reps,” Fickell said.
Fickell on Miami (OH) QB Dequan Finn
The RedHawks have an underrated threat at quarterback in Dequann Finn. The sixth-year senior was the starter at Toledo before transferring to Baylor for the 2024 season. After seeing action in three games, he’s now with Miami (OH).
Fickell talked about the challenges he could pose to the Badgers, as Finn was evaluated by Wisconsin when he was in the transfer portal.
“Obviously, at Toledo, he’s done a phenomenal job, and some would say a dual-threat guy,” Fickell said. “But that doesn’t take away from his ability to throw the football.
“So I think, more than anything, when you look at a quarterback that’s been through a lot of different things— obviously three or four years at Toledo, a year at Baylor— you see a maturity as they continue to grow… I would expect nothing but the best.”
Category: General Sports
