Mason Posa on Lack of Camaraderie in 2025: 'Kinda Hard to Build a Relationship'

What was wrong with the 2025 Badgers?

Well, how much time do you have?

Wisconsin football is coming off its worst campaign since the George H.W. Bush administration, and there's no shortage of reasons. An underwhelming roster from top to bottom, a lack of financial support, a brutal schedule, horrific injury luck, the list goes on and on.

But it's safe to say we can add another rather unsurprising culprit to the list: lack of relationships and camaraderie throughout the team.

Lack of connection hurt Wisconsin last season

Wisconsin cornerback Jai'mier Scott. | Christian Borman.

The best teams are of course connected and dialed into their ultimate goal — winning — at all times. But they also typically get along to some degree, especially if they play similar positions and/or are forced to communicate and interact with each other on the field.

Speaking to rising sophomore linebacker Mason Posa after the fourth practice of fall camp, it became evident that wasn't the case for the 2025 Badgers.

“I feel like we’re really connected everywhere. Last year, I didn’t really know the corners that well. It was kinda hard to build a relationship with them," he lamented.

"This year, I’ve got friends in every position group. These are guys that I’ll hang out with outside of practice, and they’re my brothers as well. Trying to build those relationships is really key for the season.”

The quote from Posa is damning enough, but the way the linebacker said it carried weight too; he sounded irked when describing his lack of a relationship with the cornerbacks last season.

Posa and the rest of the Badgers' defense is in luck — the cornerback room is completely remade from last season. Only one player remains: the young rising star Jai'mier Scott.

Regardless, Posa made it clear that the improved camaraderie applies to the entire team. The Badgers appear to have placed an emphasis on adding good personalities, not just good athletes, to their team via the transfer portal. The early returns look promising.

"When you bring in guys like that, who are great football players and great dudes as well…the biggest thing is obviously great players but also great dudes, and I think that when we can mold around guys that we love to play with and by, I think that’s what’s gonna propel our defense this year," linebacker Tommy Heiberger said.

Chippy practices — ultimately a good thing?

Wisconsin fall camp. | Christian Borman.

Interestingly enough, both Posa and his partner in crime at inside linebacker Cooper Catalano seem to agree that increased physicality, fights and tempers flaring at practice is a positive indicator of healthy competition and good relationships on the team.

“I definitely think getting in more fights in practice is the best way to get a good practice out of it," Posa said.

Meanwhile, Catalano insinuated that head coach Luke Fickell has done a good job facilitating that mindset.

“He’s not telling us not to fight, but he’s not telling us to fight," the linebacker added.

It's hard for the fan watching on TV to asses a team's camaraderie with the naked eye; it's largely an intangible quality. But if it's indeed in a better spot this season, Wisconsin should be in much better shape.

Add us as a preferred source on Google