Wisconsin

How Wisconsin quarterbacks Billy Edwards, Danny O’Neil fared, plus 4 other observations from Spring Showcase

Published

11 months ago

April 19, 2025

How Wisconsin quarterbacks Billy Edwards, Danny O’Neil fared, plus 4 other observations from Spring Showcase

MADISON – The Wisconsin football team held its Spring Showcase on April 19 at Camp Randall Stadium, fans’ first chance to see the 2025 team.

If the 7,840 fans in attendance were looking for offensive fireworks from the intrasquad scrimmage they went home disappointed.

Billy Edwards and Danny O’Neil, the Badgers’ top two quarterbacks, each engineered one scoring drive. Neither threw a touchdown pass during the almost two-hour scrimmage, but also didn’t turnover the ball.

That was a positive. So was the team’s play at running back and in pass defense.

Here are five observations from the afternoon.

Jeff Grimes’ Wisconsin offense showcases each QB’s strengths

You’re not going to get deep into the playbook in a scrimmage, but the event offered some insight into how offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes can suit the offense to different types of quarterbacks.

O’Neil, the more mobile of the Badgers top QBs, was given the opportunity to do more with option pitches and seemed to be put into space more.

Here are each players’ unofficial passing stats: Edwards – 9 of 16 for 58 yards; O’Neil 4 of 9 for 62 yards.

Forty-two of O’Neil’s yards came on a deep ball down the sideline to Joseph Griffin on the first possession. Griffin’s ability to adjust to the ball was key as he was able to slow down and keep the defensive back behind him in order to give himself space to make the catch.

Wisconsin running back Dilin Jones gets the sure yards

If the season started today, Jones, a redshirt freshman, would be the Badgers’ starting running back. His unofficial stats were 13 touches for 68 yards, an average of 5.2 yards per play. That included 10 rushes for 49 yards with a long of 13 yards and no negative yardage runs.

Jones has big-play potential, but he didn’t get greedy and pass on sure yards in order to attempt to make a bigger play.

Junior Joe Brunner gets snaps at left tackle

Since left tackle Kevin Heywood went down with an ACL injury that is expected to end his season, the Badgers have gone with the No. 1 line of left tackle Leyton Nelson, left guard Joe Brunner, center Jake Renfro, right guard Kerry Kodanko and right tackle Riley Mahlman.

In the second half Saturday Brunner played a couple of series at left tackle. For one of the series the line combination from left to right was Brunner, Kodanko, Renfro, redshirt freshman Emerson Mandell and Mahlman. For the other, the combination was Brunner, Colin Cubberly, Renfro, Kodanko and Mahlman.

Wisconsin RB Cade Yacamelli continues to produce; Gideon Ituka moves chains

Yacamelli, a redshirt junior and Jones ran with the No. 1 offense. Sophomore Darrion Dupree (leg) did not play. Redshirt freshman Gideon Ituka’s work came with the second offense.

Yacamelli was unofficially the game’s leading rusher with 94 yards in eight carries. Fifty-five of those yards came on a burst of the middle created by blocks by Kodanko and Renfro that resulted in the No. 1 offense’s only touchdown of the day. About 10 yards into the run Yacamelli ran through the arm tackle of junior safety Matt Jung.

Even without the long run, Yacamelli averaged 5.6 yards per carry

Ituka was productive as well. He ran for 51 yards and averaged 5.7 yards per carry.

The secondary makes plays

Based on the scoring system set up by the coaches, the defense won the game and the team’s pass coverage played a key role.

Freshman safety Luke Emmerich had the only interception of the day on a deep ball from freshman Carter Smith. There were two other big plays in pass defense: Miami transfer D’Yoni Hill won a one-on-one battle with Chris Brooks to break up a deep throw, and in the next series redshirt freshman Jay Harper made a similar play on a long ball throw by Milos Spasojevic to Griffin.

The defense often had the quarterback on the run, pressure that was often the result of good pass coverage.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin native and American Idol contestant waiting to see if she advances

Published

37 minutes ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin native and American Idol contestant waiting to see if she advances

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – Wisconsin native and American Idol contestant Genevieve Heyward is anxiously waiting to see if she makes it to the top 14.

Two Mondays ago, she sang “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan, and the judges had nothing but good things to say.

We spoke with Genevieve about exceeding her own expectations as she waits for the results.

“I just think going into any of these, specifically American Idol, you kind of have to just go in, and you got to be grounded through it. But that’s the other thing I’ve learned. You just got to stay grounded and don’t have any expectations for what you think is going to happen. You almost have to ride the wave,” said Heyward.

Viewers will find out if she advances to the next round on Monday, March 30th, right here on WBAY-TV 2.

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Wisconsin

Construction is underway on Pizza Ranch restaurant in Wisconsin Rapids

Published

13 hours ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Construction is underway on Pizza Ranch restaurant in Wisconsin Rapids

Crews are starting to work on the new Pizza Ranch in Wisconsin Rapids. We have an updated timeline for the restaurant.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Crews are starting to work on building the new Pizza Ranch in Wisconsin Rapids.

Angie and Gary Hall from Kellner will be the owners and operators of Pizza Ranch when the restaurant with FunZone opens near Home Depot in Wisconsin Rapids.

Angie Hall told a Daily Tribune reporter March 24 crews started preparing and clearing the land Tuesday morning in advance of putting in the building footings next week.

Pizza Ranch also became members of the Heart of Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Tuesday morning and will host a groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. April 6 on the property, Hall said.

Construction is estimated to take about six months to complete, and Hall said they’re expecting to host a grand opening in September.

Hall said she and her husband can’t wait for this chapter to start, and they strive to live Pizza Ranch’s vision, “to glorify God by positively impacting the world,” Hall said.

Pizza Ranch is not just a restaurant and FunZone, Hall said, but will be here for the community, giving back to the community in any and every way possible, she said.

After years of rumors Pizza Ranch would open a Wisconsin Rapids location, plans have been in the works since city leaders approved initial parking plans for the site, naming the 8,137-square-foot restaurant in October.

Hall told a Daily Tribune reporter in January she and her husband would be the owners and operators of the new location. Gary Hall is currently the general manager of the Stevens Point area location, and Angie Hall is a district manager for multiple locations throughout the state.

For more information, visit pizzaranch.com.

Contact Caitlin at cshuda@usatodayco.com or follow her on Twitter @CaitlinShuda.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lutheran’s Zens is Gatorade state player of the year

Published

1 day ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Lutheran’s Zens is Gatorade state player of the year

Zavier Zens was named the 2025-26 Gatorade Wisconsin boys basketball player of the year.
The Wisconsin Lutheran senior also won the Mr. Basketball award and a third straight state title.
Zens averaged 23.4 points per game and led his team to an undefeated 30-0 season.
He was also recognized for his community service, youth coaching, and a 3.38 GPA.

Wisconsin Lutheran senior Zavier Zens rounded out a week that already saw him named to the Naismith High School All-American list, receive the Mr. Basketball Award from the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and win a third consecutive WIAA state title with his Vikings teammates by being named the 2025-26 Gatorade Wisconsin boys basketball player of the year.

In a release from March 20, Gatorade announced Zens as Wisconsin Lutheran’s second Gatorade player of the year in the past three seasons, joining his first cousin, Kon Knueppel. The 6-foot-7 Northern Iowa commit averaged 23.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and shot 61.8% from the field, leading Wisconsin Lutheran’s second 30-0 season in the past three years.

In addition to his on-court impact, the Gatorade press release highlighted Zens’ community impact as a youth basketball coach, participation in community service through his church and a 3.38 weighted GPA in the classroom among the factors leading to his selection.

“Zavier is incredible,” Greendale coach Ryan Johnson said in the Gatorade release. “He has had an incredible season as the leader of not only the top-ranked team in the state, but one of the best teams in the country. He scores at all three levels, defends at a high level and is a true leader.”

Zens scored 21 points in a 68-61 WIAA Division 1 state semifinal win over Appleton North on March 20, before adding another team-best 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting to lead a 57-37 win in the D1 state title game over Madison Memorial on March 21.

He finishes his career as the No. 3 career scorer in school history (1,611 points), No. 7 in career rebounds (463), No. 2 in career threes (154) and single-season points (703), while holding the school record for converted field goals in a season (282).

Gatorade player of the year recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., in 12 sports, including: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross-country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, as well as boys and girls track and field. In total, 610 high school athletes are recognized each year. From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports by a committee that leverages coaches, scouts, media and other sources to determine each sport’s winner.

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