Wisconsin

Torchio continues Wisconsin’s run of success with walk-ons

Published

2 years ago

September 8, 2022

Torchio continues Wisconsin’s run of success with walk-ons

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s historical past of growing walk-ons into key contributors prompted John Torchio to take a leap of religion and cross up a scholarship supply from the hometown faculty he grew up following.

Torchio lived 10 minutes away from California’s campus and frequently attended Golden Bears dwelling video games. His father and grandfather performed there. He even remembers former Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers visiting his home a few instances through the reigning NFL MVP’s faculty profession.

That’s why so lots of Torchio’s associates had been shocked when he made his faculty alternative.

“Everybody was like, ‘What the heck? What are you doing?’ “ Torchio stated. “I guess on myself.”

The gamble is paying off in a giant means for Torchio and the Nineteenth-ranked Badgers, who host Washington State on Saturday after each groups gained their season openers.

Torchio scored on a school-record 100-yard interception return and recorded a sack final week in Wisconsin’s 38-0 victory over Illinois State. Now on scholarship, Torchio leads a security group attempting to climate a number of accidents.

“The blokes actually respect him,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst stated. “They respect him as a result of he’s according to who he’s. He has all the time been a superb teammate, all the time locked in.”

Wisconsin already has taken a few hits on the security place with Travian Blaylock sustaining a season-ending knee harm in spring observe and Hunter Wohler hurting his left leg towards Illinois State. That has compelled the Badgers to lean extra on Torchio.

He’s the newest Wisconsin walk-on to mature right into a featured performer.

Since 1990, Wisconsin has produced 107 walk-ons who went on to earn scholarships and 25 who reached the NFL. The listing is headed by J.J. Watt, the three-time NFL defensive participant of the 12 months.

“I wouldn’t select to show down a scholarship and stroll on someplace that didn’t deal with a walk-on like (Wisconsin does) or have the historical past,” stated Torchio, who stated he additionally had presents from San Jose State and Rice, amongst others. “I used to be very conscious of it.”

It hardly mattered to Torchio {that a} future Corridor of Fame quarterback from Cal stopped by his home just a few instances.

Torchio was just some years previous when Rodgers performed for Cal from 2003-04. Rodgers recalled Wednesday how he and former Cal punter David Lonie visited the properties of some alums as a part of their window-washing enterprise on the time.

“Dave and I nonetheless be in contact a bit of bit, and it’s nonetheless certainly one of our jokes about how actually that summer time he was contained in the air-con, hanging out and consuming snacks and ingesting rose and I used to be exterior with the wipers busting my (rear) and dying exterior,” the Inexperienced Bay Packers quarterback stated.

By the point Torchio was sufficiently old to begin his faculty choice course of, he was aware of Wisconsin as a result of his sister, Katharine, performed soccer for the Badgers. Considered one of her associates at Wisconsin was Jack Cichy, a former walk-on linebacker chosen within the sixth spherical of the 2018 draft.

When he was contemplating colleges, Torchio reached out to Cichy to study extra about his walk-on expertise. Torchio’s personal time at Wisconsin has given him a good higher understanding of why walk-ons reach Madison.

Torchio remembers that when he acquired placed on scholarship earlier than the 2021 season, some teammates hadn’t even realized he’d been a walk-on.

“That’s what most likely stands out as totally different from different applications,” Torchio stated. “Nobody cares if you happen to had been a walk-on or not. If you can also make performs and do your job, you’re going to get a shot.”

Torchio has made probably the most of his photographs.

Though the Illinois State sport was solely Torchio’s fifth profession begin, he already has 4 interceptions. His three interceptions final season tied for the group lead.

No marvel teammates confer with him as “Jewellery Thief.” Torchio stated the weird nickname got here from Wisconsin tight ends coach Chris Haering, again when Haering was teaching particular groups.

“It’s acquired a superb little ring to it,” Torchio stated. “I prefer it.”

Torchio’s nostril for the soccer was evident Saturday. Torchio advised teammate Nick Herbig he was about to choose off a cross simply earlier than delivering the longest interception return in class historical past.

“A lot of being a ball hawk is knowing the way to use that imaginative and prescient on the quarterback and exhibiting up on the proper place on the proper time,” defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard stated. “He has had that from day one.”

As becoming a moniker as “Jewellery Thief” could be, Wisconsin cornerback Jay Shaw says he has his personal nickname for Torchio.

“My title for him is ‘Little Leonhard,’ “ Shaw stated. “As a result of in that movie room, he’s one of many embodiments of what Coach Leonhard was doing right here again in his day.”

Leonhard was a walk-on security at Wisconsin who earned All-America honors and performed 10 seasons within the NFL. Torchio performs the identical place and would like to observe an analogous path.

In fact, he tries to soak up something Leonhard tells him.

“It’s good to know my coach, the man who’s telling me approach, has been in my footwear and made a bunch of performs,” Torchio stated.

Torchio is exhibiting he could make massive performs as properly. The Badgers want that to proceed all season.

___

Extra AP faculty soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Join the AP’s faculty soccer e-newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25.

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Wisconsin

Gas prices drop lower during busy holiday travel season in Wisconsin

Published

7 hours ago

November 26, 2024

Press Room

Gas prices drop lower during busy holiday travel season in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Gas prices are the cheapest they’ve been since the pandemic, just as people prepare to travel for the holidays.

According to AAA Wisconsin, the average gas prices is $2.86 per gallon in the state, a new low since 2020.

”We’ve had so many disruptions in the last four to five years between Covid and then the Ukraine conflict that has sent prices either far down or bringing them to historic highs,” AAA Director of Public Affairs Nick Jarmusz said. “We kind of forget what normal is.”

He said the low cost at the pump is a result of peak summer travel season ending, an even supply and demand for fuel and fewer global crises.

”Right now we’re in a pretty favorable balance between lower demand and pretty plentiful supply and no real disruptions to speak of,” he said.

Gas prices drop lower during busy holiday travel season(Marcus Aarsvold)

People can save more money at the pump if they drive the speed limit.

”By sticking closer to the speed limit, avoiding aggressive driving in situations, you can actually increase your fuel efficiency by about 40% or up to 40%,” Jarmusz said. “Which can add up to pretty significant savings.”

If trends continue, he also said prices might drop even more. ”Really, I would not be surprised to see these prices continue to go down,” Jarmusz said. “I don’t think we’ve seen the lowest prices we’ll see this year yet.”

According to AAA the best times to travel before Thanksgiving on Thursday is in the morning hours on Tuesday and Wednesday. Roads will be busiest in the afternoons.

Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app.

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Wisconsin

Game 12 Wisconsin football two-deep for Minnesota Gophers game Nov. 29 at Camp Randall Stadium

Published

15 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

Game 12 Wisconsin football two-deep for Minnesota Gophers game Nov. 29 at Camp Randall Stadium

MADISON – A look at the unofficial two-deep for the Wisconsin football team heading into its game against Minnesota at 11 a.m. Friday at Camp Randall Stadium.

OFFENSE

Quarterback

1 – Braedyn Locke, 6-1, 205, redshirt-soph.

2 – Mabrey Mettauer, 6-4, 230, fr.

Running back

1 – Tawee Walker, 5-9, 218, sr.

2 – Darrion Dupree, 5-10, 205, fr.

Receiver

1 – Bryson Green, 6-3, 213, sr.

2 – C.J. Williams, 6-2, 196, jr.

Receiver

1 – Vinny Anthony II, 6-0, 188, jr.

2 – Quincy Burroughs, 6-2, 212, r-soph.

Slot recever

1 – Will Pauling, 5-10, 187, r-jr.

2 – Trech Kekahuna, 5-10, 187, r-fr.

Tight end

1 – Riley Nowakowski, 6-1, 243, r-sr.

2 – Tucker Ashcraft, 6-5, 255, soph.

Left tackle

1 – Jack Nelson, 6-7, 316, sr.

2 – Barrett Nelson, 6-6, 302, r-soph.

Left guard

1 – Joe Brunner, 6-5, 313- r-soph.

2. – James Durand, 6-5, 305, r-fr.

Center

1 – Jake Renfro, 6-3, 302, r-sr.

2. – Kerry Kodanko, 6-2, 308, r-sr.

Right guard

1 – Joe Huber, 6-5, 310, r-sr.

2 – JP Benzschawel, 6-6, 312, r-jr.

Right tackle

1 – Riley Mahlman, 6-8, 308, r-jr.

2 – Kevin Heywood, 6-8, 325, fr.

DEFENSE

Line

1 – Ben Barten, 6-5, 308, r-sr.

2 – Elijah Hills, 6-3, 282, sr.

Line

1 – Curt Neal, 6-0, 290, r-soph.

2 – Cade McDonald, 6-6, 285, r-sr.

Outside linebacker

1 – Darryl Peterson, 6-1, 248, r-jr.

2 – Aaron Witt, 6-6, 247, r-jr.

Inside linebacker

1 – Jake Chaney, 5-11, 233, sr.

2 – Tackett Curtis, 6-2, 228, soph.

Inside linebacker

1 – Christian Alliegro, 6-4, 240, soph.

2 – Jaheim Thomas, 6-4, 245, r-sr.

Outside linebacker

1 – Leon Lowery, 6-3, 252, r-sr.

2 – Sebastian Cheeks, 6-3, 230, r-soph., or John Pius, 6-4, 250, r-sr.

Cornerback

1 – Ricardo Hallman, 5-10, 185, r-jr.

2 – R.J. Delancy III, 5-11, 193, r-sr., or Jonas Duclona, 5-10, 190, soph.

Strong safety

1 – Hunter Wohler, 6-2, 218, sr.

2 – Owen Arnett, 5-11, 210, r-jr.

Free safety

1 – Preston Zachman, 6-1, 212, r-sr.

2 – Austin Brown, 6-1, 210, jr.

Cornerback

1 – Nyzier Fourqurean, 6-1, 190, r-sr.

2 – R.J. Delancy, 5-11, 193, r-sr., or Xavier Lucas, 6-2, 198, fr.

Nickel back

1 – Austin Brown, 6-1, 210, jr.

2 – Max Lofy, 5-10, 188, r-sr.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Punter

1 – Atticus Bertrams, 6-3, 225, soph.

2 – Gavin Meyers, 6-1, 198, r-sr.

Field goal kicker

1 – Nathanial Vakos, 6-1, 205, jr.

2 – Gavin Lahm, 6-0, 213, jr.

Kickoffs

1 – Gavin Lahm, 6-10, 213, jr.

2 – Nathanial Vakos, 6-1, 205, jr.

Long snapper

1 – Cayson Pfeiffer, 6-0, 205, sr.

2 – Duncan McKinley, 6-2, 222, r-sr.

Holder

1 – Gavin Meyers, 6-1, 198, r-sr.

2 – Atticus Bertrams, 6-2, 225, soph.

Punt returner

1 – Vinny Anthony II, 6-0, 188, jr.

2 – Hunter Wohler, 6-2, 218, sr.

Kickoff returner

1 – Vinny Anthony II, 6-0, 188, jr.

2 – Trech Kekahuna, 5-10, 197, r-fr.

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Wisconsin

Where Wisconsin's class of 2025 ranks nationally after big-time addition of QB Carter Smith

Published

23 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

Where Wisconsin's class of 2025 ranks nationally after big-time addition of QB Carter Smith

Wisconsin football’s recruiting performance is far better than the current on-field product, to say the least.

Luke Fickell’s team has now lost four straight games after Saturday’s 44-25 defeat at Nebraska. It is just 5-6 on the season and 3-5 in Big Ten play, desperately needing a season-closing victory over Minnesota to clinch bowl eligibility.

There is more context behind that on-field performance, including the recent firing of offensive coordinator Phil Longo and historic blowout losses to rivals Iowa and Nebraska sandwiching hard-fought losses to top-ranked teams. That context doesn’t help the general trend of poor play.

But for those still optimistic about the Badgers’ future under Luke Fickell, the biggest calling card is his recruiting performance.

Wisconsin made headlines on Sunday when it landed a commitment from four-star class of 2025 quarterback Carter Smith. Smith is ranked as 247Sports’ No. 15 quarterback in the class and No. 164 overall player. Beating Florida State for his commitment was a statement for Fickell and his staff — even doing so after firing Longo just seven days earlier.

The addition of Smith brings Wisconsin’s class of 2025 to 25 total commitments — eight of which coming from blue-chip players. Notably, it rose the group four spots up to No. 21 in 247Sports’ national rankings.

The Badgers now boast the eighth-highest-rated class in the Big Ten, trailing just Ohio State (No. 2 overall), Oregon (No. 8), Michigan (No. 9), USC (No. 11), Penn State (No. 15), Washington (No. 18) and Nebraska (No. 20). The No. 21 ranking is an impressive follow-up after Luke Fickell finished the 2024 class with 247Sports’ No. 25 overall class and a Blue-Chip Ratio of 50%.

Smith’s addition continues a growing debate about how to weigh Wisconsin’s on-field struggles with its recruiting success. In reality, the 2025 football season will be somewhat defined by the performance of the 2024 recruiting class and another crop of transfers. If that strong recruiting doesn’t lead to improved on-field play, the clock may start ticking on his tenure.

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