Luke Fickell Provides Updates on Key Players With Spring Practice Underway

With spring practice up and running in Madison, key pieces of information about the 2026 Wisconsin Badgers are already beginning to trickle in.

Head coach Luke Fickell spoke to the media Thursday morning following Wisconsin's first practice, and touched on the status of several important players.

Below are the top takeaway's from Fickell's first presser of spring ball:

Transfer DL Standing Out

West Virginia Mountaineers defensive lineman Hammond Russell IV (99). | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Wisconsin signed four defensive lineman out of the transfer portal in an effort to restock a room that lost its top four players from the 2025 season. Its lone incoming defensive lineman that hails from a Power Four school has quickly made an impression:

"I think, just like (Jay'Vair) Suggs brought us last year — and obviously we had Ben Barten who was a sixth-year guy last year — you need some veteran experience," Fickell said of West Virginia transfer Hammond Russell IV.

"I think as he's come in, and I wasn't quite sure with some of these guys, there's a definite veteran experience in the way he handles things, in the way he understands even the leadership and the dynamics of the locker room.

I've been impressed not just with the way he's played but with the way he's handled everything, and put himself in a position where I think he's gonna show a lot of things this spring."

The Badgers will rely heavily on transfers once again up front on defense, and Russell appears to be in the midst of locking down a key role early.

Leaders Emerging

Wisconsin linebacker Mason Posa (8). | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The leaders of the 2026 Badgers extend beyond the older veterans in the locker room. Two of the best players on the team will be true sophomores in the fall: Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano.

"You have your Aaron Witt's and you Matt Jung's, who I think bring something a little different, but then you also have your Cooper Catalano's and your Mason Posa's who played a really big role last year and kind of showed a different leadership that I think we haven't had here, whether it's an older guy or a younger guy," Fickell said.

It's no surprise that Catalano and Posa are considered leaders among this group, as they rose up the depth chart as true freshman to emerge as the nucleus of this defense by mid-season. It's also encouraging to hear about the leadership of Witt and especially Matt Jung, the fifth-year senior safety who figures to be relied upon heavily.

Kevin Heywood Update

Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Kevin Heywood (55). | Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Wisconsin lost Heywood, its presumed starting left tackle, to a torn ACL last spring practice. He appears to be essentially over the catastrophic injury that was the first of many for what became a severely battered Badgers squad last fall.

"The best thing that Kevin did is, he didn't wait until the offseason," Fickell said of his young offensive tackle. "He was in a position where, in his mind, he could make it back the last couple games of the season, which, there was no way we were gonna put him out there and do that.

"Where Kevin took some steps is, even when he wasn't able to play, even when he wasn't able to be on the field, he had a role. He had a role in part as a leader, he had a role in part as bringing that offensive line together, especially the guys within his class. He didn't wait until he was cleared...to try to establish himself as a player and a leader; he really kind of did that from the time he got over the injury."

Heywood appears primed to compete for a starting tackle spot once again.

Veteran Transfer Safety Will Have to Earn His Role

Missouri Tigers safety Marvin Burks Jr. (1). | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

There's no shortage of question marks in Wisconsin's safety room, something Fickell readily acknowledged:

"I do think there's some depth there too. We're gonna find out. Just because a guy like Marvin (Burks) comes in who's been a two-year starter, doesn't exactly mean they just walk in the door and they're the guy. I think we all know that competition brings out the best in everybody."

Burks figured to be the Badgers' clear and obvious top safety based on his experience and the lack thereof in the rest of the room. Still, Fickell isn't just ready to hand any starting roles over, though he remains by far the favorite for the starting free safety gig.

Sophomore former cornerback Cairo Skanes also joined the safety room this offseason, and the coach dropped some interesting intel about how Wisconsin might use him:

"Moving Cairo in there, trying to move him around a little bit, he's playing some nickel as well. It just gives us some flexibility. We've gotta find a way defensively to always put the best 11 players on the field."

Skanes could be primed for some action at slot cornerback/nickel, which is a position that looked extremely thin behind Ohio State transfer cornerback Bryce West.

Two Injury Updates

Wisconsin Badgers running back Gideon Ituka (10) | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Gideon Ituka emerged as one of Wisconsin's better running backs last season with a decisive, physical running style. He also suffered a serious injury against Indiana that knocked him out for the rest of the year, and potentially the 2026 season as well.

"He had a surgery not too long ago, hopefully he'll be out and around with us, but I don't envision him being on the football field right now. I don't know what that leads to, but I hope we've got him out here with us and he's a part of the team in some capacity."

Ituka appears to be trending towards missing the 2026 season entirely. Given that Wisconsin signed three transfer tailbacks in the portal, that's far from surprising.

Fickell also mentioned that Barrett Nelson, the redshirt senior offensive lineman that's played four career games, isn't expected to play during spring ball.