The Camp: A Wisconsin Badgers Football Podcast

Wisconsin is getting ready to head to Northwestern on Saturday. Zach and Jesse preview the game, including whether the Badgers can get their run game going against one of the tougher run defenses in the country. Then they get into Jesse’s conversation with OL coach AJ Blazek and they close with their Week 8 picks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin is halfway through the regular season. Zach and Jesse evaluate the squad so far, including the best and worst surprises. Then they discuss the story from Yahoo that has the Badgers among those still in playoff contention despite having two losses. They close the show with some Overreaction or No.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin won in blowout fashion for a second straight week. Zach and Jesse get into what went right and wrong for the Badgers, including a great effort from Braedyn Locke, Tawee Walker and the whole offense. They also get into listener questions about Cade Yacamelli's role, the impact of the higher tempo offense and whether we need to revise our expectations after the last two weeks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin is getting ready to head east to face Rutgers. Zach and Jesse discuss what success looks like from the Scarlet Knights, keys to slowing their offense and whether Braedyn Locke and company can build on their performance against Purdue. They also discuss Jesse's story (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5832088/2024/10/10/mabrey-mettauer-wisconsin-quarterback-depth-chart/) on Mabrey Mettauer's progress and make their Week 7 picks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reporters got a chance to talk with Phil Longo on Monday. Zach and Jesse discuss what he had to say about the best performance his offense has had and Braedyn Locke’s future. They also clean up some things from the Purdue game, including the clock management at the end of the first half. Then they play some Overreaction or No and talk about the commitment of 2026 OL Benjamin Novak.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin put together its best all around performance of the year against Purdue. Zach and Jesse spend an extended period talking about what went right, a few minutes on what didn't go right and they close with Twitter questions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin is getting ready for a visit from Purdue. They are doing so without running back Chez Mellusi, who has left the program. Zach and Jesse discuss the reasons and what it means for the rest of the year. Then they get into Jesse's story about how Barry Alvarez and former players are viewing the Luke Fickell era and they close with their Week 6 picks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jesse is back from LA following the Badgers disappointing loss at USC. The guys discuss what went right to help Wisconsin build a 21-10 lead and what went wrong to give up 28 straight. They also dive into some listener submitted questions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was another disappointing day for the Wisconsin football team, as No. 13 USC scored 28 straight points in the second half on the way to a 38-21 win. Zach and Ben discuss the game and what it means for the Badgers moving forward. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Badgers are headed to USC this weekend. Zach and Jesse talk about what success looks like and the game plan Wisconsin could use to pull the upset. They also play some Overreaction or No and make their Week 5 picksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Badgers are back from their bye week. Zach and Jesse talk about what they heard from DC Mike Tressel and coach Luke Fickell during Monday's media availabilities. The guys get into what Tressel thinks has been holding his unit back and they discuss whether Fickell and Longo are on the same page when it comes to what the offense should look like.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Badgers are on their bye week, so Zach and Jesse take a big picture view of the program 16 games into the Luke Fickell era. The guys then play some Overreaction or No and make their Week 4 picksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Badgers are on their bye week after losing to Alabama. Zach and Jesse go through the game to talk about what went right (not a lot), what went wrong (quite a bit) and they get into listener questions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Alabama game is nearly here. Zach and Jesse preview the big matchup, including a couple key players that need to play well for Wisconsin to have a chance. They also get into the fascinating story of Alabama's last trip to Madison in 1928 and give their Week 3 picks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin offensive coordinator Phil Longo spoke to reporters on Monday. Zach and Jesse discuss what he said and debate whether he's running the offense the way he wants to. They also get into the plan for Jake Chaney's absence, play Overreaction or No and talk about Wisconsin honoring Ron Dayne on Saturday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin is 2-0 for the first time since 2020 but not everything is rosy for the Badgers. Zach and Jesse get into what went right against South Dakota and what went wrong. Then they answer a bunch of fan questions, including on Cade Yacamell’s role, Wisconsin’s leaky run defense, Phil Longo as offensive coordinator and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Badgers are gearing up for a visit from South Dakota on Saturday. Zach and Jesse discuss what a successful game would look like for Wisconsin. They also get into Aaron Witt's adversity-filled journey, the excitement around freshman CB Xavier Lucas, whether Nebraska has a brighter future than Wisconsin, the UW brick controversy and our Week 2 picks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Badgers are gearing up for Week 2 against South Dakota, but Zach and Jesse still have some things to clean up from Week 1. That includes some different personnel groups, why Brandon Lane didn't play and why Phil Longo is still signaling plays in despite there being a speaker in the QBs helmet. Then the guys play a little Overreaction or No.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Badgers opened the season with a 28-14 win over Western Michigan. Zach and Jesse get together to discuss what went right and wrong against the Broncos. Then they answer a double-digit number of questions from listeners. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's nearly game day for the Badgers. Zach and Jesse discuss what they expect when Wisconsin opens the season against Western Michigan, including what a successful game looks like. They also get into the players saying they have something to prove, what fans should be optimistic or pessimistic about, potential changes to the transfer portal and they make their Week 1 picks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin released its first depth chart on Monday. Zach and Jesse react to it, including what the injury to James Thompson Jr. means, what the RB carry count will look like, how many WRs will play, the safety rotation and more. Then they discuss Luke Fickell's comments on what the expanded playoff means for Wisconsin and college football. They close by talking about The Athletic's coaching tiers and whether Fickell still deserves to be where they have him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Badgers get the 2024 season underway on Friday against Western Michigan. Zach and Jesse preview Luke Fickell's second season in Madison, including the biggest questions entering Week 1, the toughest game on the schedule, potential trap games and they give their season record prediction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin is 10 days out from its season opener. Zach and Jesse discuss what the potential depth chart will look like and some of the tougher calls the Badgers will make. They also do some fall camp superlatives, including player most likely to have you saying “Wow, how did he do that?”, player most deserving of more attention from the media, the most improved position group, best overall player and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin held the final practice open to the media on Saturday morning and had a roughly two hour scrimmage. Zach and Jesse discuss what they saw, including a couple impressive throws from Tyler Van Dyke, edge guys making plays in the pass and run games, young secondary players finding success and some final thoughts as fall camp concludes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin was forced inside by rain on Thursday morning. Zach and Jesse discuss what they saw, including a strong day for Jake Chaney, Chris Brooks Jr., Tyler Van Dyke's arm and more. They also talk about what defensive coordinator Mike Tressel had to say and do a check-in on where things stand among the true freshmen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin has its starting quarterback and his name is Tyler Van Dyke. Zach and Jesse discuss the announcement from offensive coordinator Phil Longo, why Van Dyke earned the job, what now for Braedyn Locke and more from practice No. 13 of camp.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin was back inside Camp Randall Stadium for the first time in fall camp on Tuesday morning. Zach and Jesse discuss another practice in which Tyler Van Dyke took all the first-team reps, Chez Mellusi and Tawee Walker as a 1-2 punch, the Badgers being unranked for the first time since 2016 and whether they could have a repeat of that season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Badgers ended their two week stay in Platteville with a scrimmage lasting more than two hours. Zach and Jesse check-in after on what it means that Tyler Van Dyke got all the first-team reps at quarterback, the strong night from the pass rush, some standouts on both sides of the ball, which true freshmen could see playing time and some answers the team found along the defensive line.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a Friday Mailbag episode of The Camp. Zach and Jesse answer questions about the passing game, confidence in Braedyn Locke, how the running back reps will play out, did Alvarez or Fickell have it tougher, media expectations for the 2024 Badgers and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin returned to the practice field on Wednesday morning for practice No. 8 of fall camp. Zach and Jesse discuss the days for quarterback Tyler Van Dyke and Braedyn Locke, the stand out efforts from a couple WRs, what OLB coach Matt Mitchell had to say about his group and how kicker Nathanial Vakos and punter Atticus Bertrams are approaching the season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was practice No. 7 for the Badgers on Tuesday morning in Platteville. Zach and Jesse get together to discuss back-to-back strong days for QB Tyler Van Dyke, whether the QB competition is over, several pass rushers making their presence felt and the latest on how the running back reps are playing out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin returned to the field Monday morning in Platteville for the sixth practice of fall camp. Zach and Jesse talk about the performance from Tyler Van Dyke, some explosive plays from the running backs, how CB coach Paul Haynes is feeling about his room, the commitment of a 2025 DL and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was the first day in pads for the Badgers. Zach and Jesse talk about everything that happened, including RBs Tawee Walker and Jackson Acker impressing, the up and down day from quarterback Braedyn Locke and Tyler Van Dyke, some guys that stood out on the defensive side and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin returned to the field for the fourth time in fall camp on Friday morning. Zach and Jesse were there to take it all in. They discuss what they saw, including some big throws from the quarterbacks, a nice day from Bryson Green and a couple interceptions for Preston Zachman. Then they dive into listener submitted questions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was Day 3 of fall camp for the Badgers. Zach and Jesse discuss everything they saw down in Platteville. It includes one of the bigger questions on the team -- defensive line -- and whether the unit can be better than last year. They also discuss CB Ricardo Hallman reminding everyone why he's one of the top CBs in the Big Ten, some playmaking from young defenders, the latest on the QB battle and what to do with all that talent at RB.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin returned to the field for the second practice of fall camp on Wednesday morning. Zach and Jesse breakdown what was a better day for the offense, some flashes from RB Darrion Dupree, Casey Rabach's impact on the OL and the excitement for Joe Brunner's debut season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin was on the field for the first practice of fall camp on Tuesday morning. Zach and Jesse recap what they saw, which included the defense making plays and the offense being a bit sloppy. They also get into individual players that stood out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fall camp is finally here. Zach and Jesse discuss what they learned at Wisconsin's local media day and look ahead to the first practice on Tuesday. They also go through some of the changes on the updated roster and the commitment of 2026 QB Jarin Mock. -- Braedyn Locke has some urgency this fall (10:28) -- Things we're looking forward to seeing on Tuesday (13:42) -- What stood out on the updated roster (21:56) -- 2026 QB Jarin Mock commits (31:21)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Badgers took part in the first day of Big Ten Media Days on Tuesday. Zach and Jesse recap some of the biggest news from the day and what they learned from their conversations with Luke Fickell and others. Then, Fickell and athletic director Chris McIntosh join the show. Max Steinecker to become Wisconsin GM (3:35) Luke Fickell on QB competition (7:20) Freshmen that could play in 2024 (10:27) Concern along the defensive line (14:52) Fickell joins the show (27:01) McIntosh joins the show (37:51) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin offensive line coach AJ Blazek joins the guys to discuss his recruiting approach, what he sees from some of the true freshmen, where things stand in the OL room in advance of fall camp and more. Zach and Jesse also discuss what questions they have for the three players heading to Big Ten Media Days and they hit a little on the debut of EA College Football 25. 2:23 -- Wisconsin in EA College Football 25 8:15 -- Questions for the players at Big Ten Media Days 17:17 -- AJ Blazek joins the showSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin is up to six 4-star players in its 2025 class. Zach and Jesse discuss the commitment of Hardy Watts and their favorite commits in the class. Then the guys get into The Athletic's fan survey results, debate who the Badgers X-factor is, talk about several number changes and give their biggest Wisconsin football 'what ifs' in the last 35 years. -- Hardy Watts commits (1:00) -- Fan survey results (15:25) -- Wisconsin's X-factor (30:51) -- biggest Wisconsin football 'what ifs' (42:09) -- Hardy Watt joins the show (56:27)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SquatFest is coming up this Friday. Wisconsin's Director of Football Strength & Conditioning Brady Collins joined the show to discuss that. He also dives into the strides guys have made this summer, where he's seen the biggest growth from last year, some of the freaks in the weight room and more. The guys also talk about the de-commitment of CB Rukeem Stroud, landing LB Nicolas Clayton, the EA College Football rankings of toughest places to play and the best Wisconsin games they've been to or covered. 1:56 -- Shake up in the 2025 recruiting class 13:55 -- EA ranks Camp Randall the No. 7 toughest place to play 19:27 -- Best games we've been to or covered 27:33 -- Brady Collins joins the showSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's late June. Media days are still a month away. Why not spend way too much time going game-by-game picking Wisconsin's schedule? That's what Zach and Jesse do. They also get into the latest commits, the Badgers looking to add more staff to the recruiting department and more. Latest commits and others that could be added (:45) Wisconsin looking to build out the recruiting department even more (5:17) Going game-by-game picking Wisconsin's schedule (13:23) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin has landed its top target in LB Mason Posa. Zach is joined by Evan Flood from 247Sports to discuss what Posa brings to the Badgers, who deserves credit in his recruitment, what it means moving forward for Wisconsin and where UW sits with its top remaining prospects.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin running back Chez Mellusi joins the show. The guys discuss where he's at physically, what he expects from the offense this year, the opportunities they have against a tough schedule and more. Zach and Jesse also get into Torin Pettaway flipping back to the Badgers and which players are still on the board for them in the 2025 class. 1:43 -- Torin Pettaway is back with the Badgers 9:47 -- Discussing the latest commits in the 2025 class 13:49 -- Which recruits are still in play for Wisconsin 28:10 -- Wisconsin RB Chez Mellusi joins the showSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a big recruiting weekend last week for Wisconsin and they've got another upcoming. Zach and Jesse discuss the commits the Badgers got and who else could be on the way. They also talk about the potential for two more night games this fall, Montee Ball being on the ballot for the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame and which players should be the next in the UW Athletic Hall of Fame.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a big recruiting weekend for the Badgers. They are expected to host 15 players on official visits, including five players already committed. Zach and Jesse discuss those guys and the importance of a weekend like this. They also get into the commitment of transfer DL Brandon Lane, debate which coaches and players are under the most pressure this fall and then finish with the potential that the opener against Western Michigan could be on Friday night.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin hit the portal hard for a defensive lineman but came up empty. Are they now done for the year? Also, one writer has Luke Fickell on the hot seat this season. The guys discuss how ridiculous that is. They also dive into the updated SP+ rankings, the Alabama game time, no Friday night games on FOX and the House vs NCAA case settlement. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everyone put out their post-spring depth chart. Zach and Jesse go through theirs, including some differences at outside linebacker, inside linebacker and in the secondary. They also discuss some interesting figures regarding the number of Wisconsin-born players on the roster. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spring ball is done for the Badgers. Zach and Jesse discuss the biggest storylines coming out of the 15 practices. They also get into which players impressed them the most and the most surprising performances before finishing with the biggest questions facing Luke Fickell heading into the summer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.