The Most Telling Quotes From Wisconsin Football Players and Coaches This Spring

Say what you will about head coach Luke Fickell's tenure at Wisconsin — he's allowed plenty of media access throughout his spring and fall camps in a time where college coaches still don't have to open up anything to the public.

Wisconsin once again made each of its 15 spring practices open to the media, and with it came plenty of availabilities and press conferences. Each position coach spoke to reporters this spring, as well as a handful of key players.

We learned plenty about the Badgers on the practice field, but there's plenty more to be gleaned from even the most media-trained players and coaches in Madison. With that, he's our favorite quotes from the spring, and what they mean for this fall:

"There’s a lot of things that we do that he and I sorta came up with together. Late nights deciding how we’re gonna block a certain front."
OC Jeff Grimes on OL coach Eric Mateos

Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes. | Christian Borman

The camaraderie between Grimes and Mateos is real, and their time together at both BYU and Baylor means they're constantly on the same page. Considering that deploying a stout offensive line is the main thing this offense needs to do to be successful, that's a great sign.

"The competition that you can see between them is all positive, the energy in the corner room is as good as I’ve seen in quite some time in a corner room."
DC Mike Tressel on his cornerbacks

Wisconsin desperately needed to upgrade its cornerback room. After spring, it's hard to argue with the fact that it got longer, faster and more talented at the position. Will that translate to improved play?

“He believes it’s his time now.”
DC Mike Tressel on Jai'mier Scott

Wisconsin cornerback Jai'mier Scott. | Christian Borman.

Jai'mier Scott likely would've been the biggest standout of the spring it it wasn't for true freshman gunslinger Ryan Hopkins. Scott could legitimately push for a starting role this fall.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re playing the 1 unit, the 2 unit, the 3 unit, there’s quarterbacks that can sling it and take off…It’s exciting to see our offense have those tools.”
DC Mike Tressel on Wisconsin's QBs

The Badgers appear to have upgraded at quarterback across the board. We of course won't be able to verify that until the fall, but athleticisim-wise, this is the best QB room Fickell has had in Madison. It's also arguably his deepest, but again, we'll revisit come fall.

"All those things that you thought you saw, we saw, those last couple years watching him play, it’s held true.”
Luke Fickell on QB Colton Joseph

If this doesn't fire you up, I don't know what will. By all accounts, Joseph has needed some time to acclimate mentally, but his physical tools and traits appear to be exactly as advertised.

“Our coaches always emphasize scrambling. When the first play’s not there, there’s always a second play that’s within the play."
QB Colton Joseph

Wisconsin appears poised to really make the most out of its skillsets, not just at quarterback but at every position. In Kenny Guiton's room, however, these signal-callers can run. The Badgers' quarterbacks last season could barely execute the first passing play, let alone a second, improvised one. This offense figures to look a whole lot different.

“He’s one of the best communicators that I’ve seen at linebacker in my career."
OLB coach Matt Mitchell on LB Mason Posa

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

We knew Posa was a freaky athlete with an extremely rare feel for the game. But one of his superpowers is his ability to communicate and get the defense aligned correctly, something he's said "comes really easy for me."

"I think so much of what gets taught, tempo offenses, that’s been a big thing over the years, that’s made o-linemen more concerned about conserving energy rather than just emptying the tank on that play."
OL coach Eric Mateos on run-blocking

This reads strongly like a not-so-veiled shot at the Badgers' prior offensive coordinator, Air Raid-minded play-caller Phil Longo. But it should also ease the minds of Wisconsin fans everywhere — Mateos knows how to establish the run.

“Having Coach Mateos here, it really just lit a spark up in us."
OT Kevin Heywood on Eric Mateos

Both Fickell and Grimes heaped praise on the offensive line this spring, at times un-prompted. It's early, but Mateos could wind up being one of the most consequential position-coach hires in quite some time.

“I’m really excited to see what kind of player I can be through a full season of college football.”
LB Mason Posa

Again, another run-through-a-brick-wall kind of quote. Posa is going to explode this season.

“When you look at talent, you look at his footwork and things, he’s probably one of the best I’ve ever been around, footwork-wise."
Coach Paul Haynes on CB Jai'mier Scott

The praise for Scott continues. He's got a lot of tools in his toolbox, but you love to see the footwork catching Haynes' eye, because that's a more technical, fundamental aspect of playing corner. The things you can't teach (height, length, speed) already come quite naturally Scott.

“For me, it was making sure what happened last year doesn’t happen again."
WR Eugene Hilton on returning to UW

Wisconsin WR Eugene Hilton. | Christian Borman

Hilton has a very mature, business-like approach at the podium — and on the field, for that matter. He initially elected to hit the portal and received plenty of big-time interest from SEC programs, but ultimately elected to return because he believed in the changes Fickell and company made.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever had a high school senior come in and split reps with the twos."
QBs coach Kenny Guiton on Ryan Hopkins

There's been no shortage of acclaim showered onto the true freshman Hopkins, but this quote probably stands out the most. Especially considering the fact that Guiton later said, "To be honest with you, I’m not into wasting reps. If you’re getting those reps with the twos, it’s for a reason."

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