Wisconsin

Wisconsin preseason camp: 5 observations from a 75-plus-play scrimmage

Published

2 years ago

August 4, 2024

Wisconsin preseason camp: 5 observations from a 75-plus-play scrimmage

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — When Luke Fickell reflected on preparing Wisconsin’s football team for last season, one of his regrets was that he and the coaching staff didn’t do enough scrimmage and live tackling situations during practices. He set out to rectify that this preseason to better understand how players would react and who he could trust in Year 2. So when the Badgers donned full pads for the first time Saturday morning at UW-Platteville, the team spent more than an hour working through what Fickell said was a 75-plus-play scrimmage.

Here are five observations from an entertaining and informative session.

1. Five days into preseason practices, Tyler Van Dyke and Braedyn Locke are still competing for the starting quarterback job. Fickell said after practice that he would go through “at least the next few days” before making further evaluations but that he would like “to get something into play sooner rather than later” for offensive continuity. The goal Saturday was to ensure both players earned equal reps.

During the scrimmage sequence, Van Dyke handled six drives with the first- and second-team offenses and Locke handled five. Mabrey Mettauer earned three drives with the third-team offense. Van Dyke and Locke led two touchdown drives apiece, though all those series began at the defense’s 25-yard line.

Locke began the scrimmage with the first-team offense and went three-and-out, though he put a good ball on receiver Bryson Green that he dropped with cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean in coverage. Van Dyke’s first series with the second-team offense also ended in a three-and-out when redshirt freshman cornerback Jace Arnold delivered a nice tackle on tailback Cade Yacamelli on a swing pass.

Locke’s biggest mistake came after he helped lead the second-team offense down the field and into the red zone. With the offense at the 11-yard line, he targeted receiver Haakon Anderson in the front-right corner of the end zone but didn’t see redshirt freshman cornerback Amare Snowden standing in front of Anderson. Locke’s pass went right to Snowden for an interception.

Once the drives began at the 25-yard line, Locke had more success. He took a sack on first down when defensive lineman James Thompson Jr. tagged him after what appeared to be a poor read in the RPO game. But on third-and-18, Locke stepped up and completed a pass to receiver C.J. Williams for 15 yards, which set up a fourth-and-3 run that running back Tawee Walker converted. Walker finished the drive on the next play with an 8-yard touchdown run.

Locke’s final drive with the first-team offense also resulted in a touchdown. He completed a 22-yard pass to running back Jackson Acker down to the 3. Two plays later, he tossed a 3-yard touchdown to receiver Trech Kekahuna.

Van Dyke, like Locke, had moments he likely wanted back. On third-and-6 from the defense’s 10-yard line, he missed running back Darrion Dupree open in the left flat and instead threw incomplete over the middle to Vinny Anthony with safety Preston Zachman in coverage. Then, on fourth down, defensive lineman Elijah Hills batted down Van Dyke’s pass in the backfield for a turnover on downs.

But Van Dyke responded with a pair of touchdowns on his final two drives. He sold a play fake to Dupree well and completed a 14-yard pass to receiver Tyrell Henry. On third-and-goal from the 6, he found Henry again across the middle for a touchdown.

Wisconsin’s third-team offense also scored a touchdown. Freshman running back Gideon Ituka ran around the left side for a 23-yard gain, and Mettauer completed a 1-yard touchdown pass to freshman tight end Rob Booker II.

Fickell waved off penalties that officials called on the offense three times to help the unit gain momentum. Van Dyke completed a 13-yard pass on third down to Kekahuna at midfield, and Fickell waved off an illegal procedure penalty. That drive ended with kicker Nathanial Vakos making a 38-yard field goal.

2. Could Walker, an Oklahoma transfer, contend for the starting running back spot? Based on how he has performed thus far, it certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility. With projected starter Chez Mellusi held out of contact drills Saturday, Walker was the first running back up with the top group and looked like a man on a mission.

During one drive with Van Dyke at quarterback, Walker produced consecutive 9-yard runs, first pushing the pile forward up the middle and then rushing around the left side and knocking a couple of would-be tacklers backward. His best sequence came a series later with Locke at the helm of the first-team offense.

On a fourth-and-3 from the defense’s 18-yard line, Walker unloaded on a defender right at the first-down marker and kept going for a 10-yard run. Then, on first-and-goal from the 8, he slipped past diving safety Austin Brown, shed a tackle attempt from inside linebacker Tackett Curtis and dragged safety Hunter Wohler across the goal line for a touchdown.

Tawee “The Tank” Walker.@RMBwee pic.twitter.com/kZe7PdOkuO
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) August 3, 2024

Walker has consistently stood out since spring practices for his power and burst in a 5-foot-9, 218-pound package. But his talent was even more evident when defenders attempted to wrap him up. Mellusi, who has sustained injuries in each of the past three seasons, figures to form a one-two tandem in some capacity with Walker. But the Badgers landed a big addition in Walker, who has one year of eligibility remaining.

3. The other running back standout Saturday was a player who hasn’t garnered many headlines at the position this offseason: Acker. Without Mellusi, Acker earned first-team reps and took advantage of them. He showed great blocking ability by picking up outside linebacker Leon Lowery on a blitz. He later ran up the middle, gained 9 yards and subsequently lowered his pads to hit the hole for a short first down.

Acker helped lead the first-team offense to a touchdown during a three-play sequence with Van Dyke. Wisconsin began the series at the defense’s 25-yard line. Acker caught a pass over the middle for 9 yards, broke through multiple defenders on the ground for a 15-yard run down to the 1, then scored on a touchdown up the middle. Wisconsin was flagged for holding, but Fickell waved off the penalty. Acker later caught a 22-yard pass over the middle from Locke down to the 3-yard line on a third-and-10 from the defense’s 25.

Fickell said it remains to be seen what Acker’s role could be this season. He has the potential to serve in a de facto fullback role as the lead blocker for another tailback. He also has solid running and pass-catching abilities. But with as much talent as Wisconsin appears to possess at running back, particularly with Dupree and Dilin Jones, the staff has a lot to determine.

4. Running backs coach Devon Spalding has begun to give Dupree and Jones more looks with the second-team offense, ahead of Ituka, who has worked with the third-team offense. Dupree earned three consecutive carries during a sequence with the second-team unit and Locke at quarterback. He turned nothing into something on another series with Locke when he made a spin move at the line of scrimmage for 4 yards. Jones had a couple of good runs as well, including a 12-yarder around the left side.

5. Kicker Nathanial Vakos had an uneven day. During a pre-scrimmage session, he made 2 of 4 attempts, misfiring from 37 and 42 yards before drilling a 48-yarder. Portland State transfer Gianni Smith took the second reps and made 1 of 2 attempts. Vakos made a 38-yarder during the scrimmage, Smith connected from 28 yards and Gavin Lahm made one from 33 yards.

(Photo of Tawee Walker courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics)

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Wisconsin

How many homes could be built in Northeast Wisconsin in 2026?

Published

10 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Press Room

How many homes could be built in Northeast Wisconsin in 2026?

(Stacker) – Homebuilding plays a critical role in maintaining a steady housing supply and keeping prices at sustainable levels. As the U.S. population grows, more housing is needed to meet demand. Since the Great Recession, construction has lagged well behind what is needed, which is one of the main reasons home prices are so high today.

Supply has slowly increased over the past few years but is still below what is needed for the market to balance out. Until that gap closes, prices are likely to remain elevated, and many buyers will likely struggle to afford a home.

So, how many homes are getting built in Northeast Wisconsin in 2026? Is construction increasing or decreasing?

Redfin Real Estate analyzed the rate of housing permits issued in the cities of Appleton, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Oshkosh and Sheboygan over the past 13 months to find out.

Appleton

Appleton housing permits January 2025-January 2026(WBAY)

2026

January – Building permits: 29 (1.2 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 57 (2.3 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 52 (2.1 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 46 (1.9 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 74 (3.0 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 74 (3.0 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 60 (2.5 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 183 (7.5 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 53 (2.2 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 128 (5.3 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 139 (5.7 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 86 (3.5 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 246 (10.1 per 10k)

Fond du Lac

2026

January – Building permits: 10 (1.0 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 12 (1.2 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 12 (1.2 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 11 (1.1 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 20 (1.9 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 21 (2.0 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 15 (1.4 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 17 (1.6 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 16 (1.5 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 21 (2.0 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 19 (1.8 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 11 (1.1 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 20 (1.9 per 10k)

Green Bay

2026

January – Building permits: 304 (9.3 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 84 (2.6 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 67 (2.0 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 97 (3.0 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 166 (5.1 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 141 (4.3 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 93 (2.8 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 185 (5.6 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 120 (3.7 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 88 (2.7 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 155 (4.7 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 156 (4.8 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 62 (1.9 per 10k)

Oshkosh

2026

January – Building permits: 16 (0.9 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 15 (0.9 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 23 (1.3 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 22 (1.3 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 46 (2.7 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 61 (3.6 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 54 (3.1 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 77 (4.5 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 26 (1.5 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 87 (5.1 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 125 (7.3 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 16 (0.9 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 79 (4.6 per 10k)

Sheboygan

2026

January – Building permits: 3 (0.3 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 13 (1.1 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 31 (2.6 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 27 (2.3 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 9 (0.8 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 19 (1.6 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 22 (1.9 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 11 (0.9 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 11 (0.9 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 15 (1.3 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 174 (14.7 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 13 (1.1 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 38 (3.2 per 10k)

Nationally

2026

January – Building permits: 1,386,000 (44.2 per 10,000 population)

2025

January – Building permits: 1,460,000 (46.6 per 10,000 population)
February – Building permits: 1,454,000 (44.2 per 10k)
March – Building permits: 1,481,000 (47.2 per 10k)
April – Building permits: 1,422,000 (45.4 per 10k)
May – Building permits: 1,394,000 (44.5 per 10k)
June – Building permits: 1,393,000 (44.4 per 10k)
July – Building permits: 1,362,000 (43.5 per 10k)
August – Building permits: 1,330,000 (42.4 per 10k)
September – Building permits: 1,425,000 (45.1 per 10k)
October – Building permits: 1,411,000 (45.0 per 10k)
November – Building permits: 1,388,000 (44.3 per 10k)
December – Building permits: 1,455,000 (46.4 per 10k)

National permit data is a seasonally adjusted annual rate; metro-level permit data is the non-seasonally adjusted total number of permits issued per month.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for May 9, 2026

Published

22 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for May 9, 2026

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 9, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from May 9 drawing

15-41-46-47-56, Powerball: 22, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 9 drawing

Midday: 2-4-4

Evening: 8-4-5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 9 drawing

Midday: 7-3-4-7

Evening: 3-3-5-1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning All or Nothing numbers from May 9 drawing

Midday: 03-04-05-06-07-09-12-13-14-16-19

Evening: 03-08-09-12-13-14-15-17-20-21-22

Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Badger 5 numbers from May 9 drawing

05-14-18-25-27

Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning SuperCash numbers from May 9 drawing

02-09-16-28-32-35, Doubler: Y

Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Megabucks numbers from May 9 drawing

02-20-36-39-40-41

Check Megabucks payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.

Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?

No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.

When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.

That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **

WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin multi-county police chase, 2 people from Illinois arrested

Published

1 day ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin multi-county police chase, 2 people from Illinois arrested

article

Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office

FOND DU LAC COUNTY, Wis. – Two people from Illinois were arrested following a police chase that started in Fond du Lac County and ended in Winnebago County on Friday, May 8.

Initial traffic stop

What we know:

According to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, just after 1 p.m. the sheriff’s office got an alert for a stolen vehicle out of Illinois heading northbound on I-41 from County Road Y.

It was learned that the vehicle was involved in two different police chases in the past week in Illinois, but had eluded officers each time.

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A short time later, a deputy spotted the vehicle on I-41 near Winnebago Street. The deputy continued to follow the suspect vehicle northbound, waiting for more deputies to get into position to attempt a high-risk traffic stop. Once those deputies were in position, a high-risk traffic stop was conducted. The vehicle initially pulled over and stopped, but right after deputies got out of their squad cars and started telling the people to get out of the vehicle, it instead fled northbound on I-41.

Chase into Winnebago County

What we know:

The chase went into Winnebago County, with the vehicle failing to pullover and instead speeding up. As the chase continued, the vehicle continued driving recklessly, passing by other vehicles on the interstate, including passing on the shoulder and weaving between vehicles, all at a high rate of speed.

The vehicle exited I-41 and ran three red lights. The chase continued southbound on State Highway 26, with the vehicle continuing to pass vehicles at a high rate of speed on the two-lane highway.

The vehicle then went off the road and drove through the yard of a home before circling around in the yard, traveling through the ditch, and reentering the highway going northbound. It then went into a field near County Road Z and Clay Road.

As a sergeant with the sheriff’s office was moving in to perform a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT Maneuver), the suspect vehicle went into reverse and rammed the front of the squad. The vehicle then attempted to leave the field by traveling through a ditch and back up onto the road, where another sheriff’s squad ended the chase by intentionally striking the vehicle and pushing it off the road and back into the ditch.

The vehicle rolled over in the ditch, came to rest upright, but was then disabled and could not move. Two people got out of the vehicle and were taken into custody. The vehicle started on fire and a fire department had to respond to extinguish the fire. Both people from the vehicle were evaluated by medical personnel on scene.

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Facing charges

What we know:

The driver of the vehicle was identified as a 23-year-old man from Des Plaines, Illinois. He was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail on the following charges:

Fleeing/Eluding an Officer
1st-Degree Reckless Endangering Safety (2 Counts)
Resisting/Obstructing Officer
Delivering Illegal Articles by Inmate (Ecstasy Pills).

The driver’s criminal history in Illinois was flagged as armed and dangerous with previous weapons offenses, dangerous drug offenses, and criminal damage to property.

The passenger of the vehicle was identified as a 23-year-old woman from Franklin Park, Illinois. She was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail on the following charges: