WATCH: Wisconsin Badgers football players lift heavy during annual Squat Fest

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MADISON, Wis. — Weeks of summer conditioning led up to a morning of strobe lights, deafening music and face paint for the University of Wisconsin football program.
Director of football strength and conditioning Brady Collins and his staff led the Badgers through its third annual Squat Fest event Friday inside the team's weight room. One session was primarily for offensive players that started around 7:30 a.m., then another for the defense began at 9:30 a.m.
Players wore special shirts for the event, and some dressed in face paint.
Wisconsin Badgers On SI was in attendance for both sessions. Take in the experience known as Squat Fest with your own eyes and ears.
Leggggggggg presssssssssss pic.twitter.com/OVczrWBevw
— Jake Kocorowski (@JakeKoco) June 27, 2025
This was part of the Badgers finishing exercise. Using 45-pound plate, doing a variety of exercises. pic.twitter.com/uVG6KkwU1b
— Jake Kocorowski (@JakeKoco) June 27, 2025
And here's fellow Badgers DL Dillan Johnson (@DillanMJohnson1) squatting around 600 as well. pic.twitter.com/Cjrk8hGWrA
— Jake Kocorowski (@JakeKoco) June 27, 2025
So Badgers freshman OLB @NicolasClayton_ definitely looks heavier. @BCstrength said Clayton weighed 234 pounds today, ran a 4.59 40-yard dash yesterday.
— Jake Kocorowski (@JakeKoco) June 27, 2025
Collins praised Clayton's work ethic and humility. pic.twitter.com/UTLehhfybF
Badgers safety Austin Brown (@austintyler_25) squatted 500 or 505 (I think it's a 5-pound weight at the end of the barbells).
— Jake Kocorowski (@JakeKoco) June 27, 2025
S&C director Brady Collins (@BCstrength) said Brown ran a 4.4 40 and had a vertical jump of over 40" recently. pic.twitter.com/v5ZSIJCZSc
Round 2 of Badgers Squat Fest commences pic.twitter.com/Lz99mfAyFL
— Jake Kocorowski (@JakeKoco) June 27, 2025
Here's Badgers DL @charleperkins15 squatting over 600. pic.twitter.com/LDbFvnEiKY
— Jake Kocorowski (@JakeKoco) June 27, 2025
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Jake Kocorowski has covered the Wisconsin football program since the 2013 season for a few outlets, most recently at the Wisconsin State Journal/BadgerExtra. He wrote, directed and edited BadgerExtra’s “Rags to Roses” series about the 1993 Wisconsin football team that won second place in the 2023 APSE Division C Project category.
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