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Luke Fickell identifies core young players Wisconsin Badgers will be counting on in 2026

Despite over 30 transfer portal additions, Luke Fickell is looking for some of his returning players to establish the nucleus of who the Wisconsin Badgers are this season.
Lorin Cox|
Wisconsin Badgers offensive linemen Colin Cubberly (78) and Emerson Mandell (75, left) are key young players Luke Fickell is counting on
Wisconsin Badgers offensive linemen Colin Cubberly (78) and Emerson Mandell (75, left) are key young players Luke Fickell is counting on | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers revamped their roster in the transfer portal this winter with over 30 new players coming to Madison.

Many of them will compete for and win starting jobs, giving the Badgers a new look for the 2026.

With all of the new faces taking over, head coach Luke Fickell is looking at some of his returning players to establish the nucleus of who the Badgers are this season.

In a video with Wisconsin general manager Marcus Sedberry, he said its the players who are back for their second or third year in the program that will be key, and a lot of them are in the trenches.

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"That's where the core of a lot of these things is going to be that we're counting on," Fickell said. "The guys that have been in the program, the (Kevin) Haywoods of the world, even the (Colin) Cubberlys and the Emerson Mandells are going into their third year, and they've had some experience."

He mentioned left tackle Kevin Haywood, right guard Colin Cubberly and right tackle Emerson Mandell by name, when it comes to offensive players.

It's a good bet that all three of them will have a spot in the starting lineup, despite the Badgers bringing in five new offensive linemen in the transfer portal.

Related: How Wisconsin Badgers big transfer portal class compares to rest of the Big Ten

When talking about defensive guys, Fickell also focused on linemen who have been in the program multiple years.

"Perk (Charles Perkins) is what we're talking about, those guys that transferred in last year but are going into their second year," Fickell said. "We're expecting a lot of things from him as far as what he did last year and what he will continue to do moving into the fall here."

He also named Tyrese Fearbry and Michael Gardner as two key returners that fall in a similar category of bringing experience that has them ready to take a step forward in 2026.

Defensive line was another position that Wisconsin prioritized in the portal with four new interior players and three new edge rushers.

But expect the returning Badgers, headlined by Sebastian Cheeks, to lead the rotation up front.

Wisconsin will be relying on transfers to make up for a lack of experience at positions like safety, cornerback, tight end, wide receiver and running back, but the trenches will feature more home-grown talent.

The Badgers will live and die by what they can do up front, and their success this season will be a measurement of their coaching staff's ability to develop young talent where it matters most.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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