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Wisconsin Badgers losing an assistant coach to a rival Big Ten school

Wisconsin Badgers will be shaking up their roster and their coaching staff after a disappointing 4-8 season.
Benjamin Worgull|
Apr 11, 2023; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin running backs coach Devon Spalding talks with running back Chez Mellusi (1) during practice Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis.
Apr 11, 2023; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin running backs coach Devon Spalding talks with running back Chez Mellusi (1) during practice Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

MADISON, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin will need to make a third new hire to its coaching staff for the 2026 season.

After three seasons at Wisconsin, running back coach Devon Spalding has been hired to coach the same position at Michigan State under new Spartans head coach Pat Fitzgerald. The news of Spalding being a target for the Spartans was first reported by Football Scoop.

Spalding arrived at UW after four seasons coaching the running backs at Youngstown State, where he helped Jaleel McLaughlin become the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher.

His results at Wisconsin were mixed. While he coached Braelon Allen in 2023, leading to the tailback being drafted in the fourth round of 2024 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, Spalding coached a backfield that was led by running back Tawnee Walker (864 yards, 10 touchdowns) and Darrion Dupree (317 yards, one touchdown).

Spalding's position dealt with multiple injuries to several tailbacks in 2025. The result was Dupree lead the Badgers with 363 yards and two rushing touchdowns, the lowest team-leading total for the Badgers since 1967. Despite ranking 23rd in rushing percentage (58.5 percent), the Badgers rank No. 115 nationally in rushing yards per game (116.7).

During his tenure, Spalding helped Wisconsin land Dupree, four-star tailback Dillin Jones and three-star tailback Gideon Ituka. He was also heavily involved in the recruitment of 2025 four-star Byron Louis, where Wisconsin was a finalist, and 2026 four-star Amari Latimer.

Latimer flipped to West Virginia on the first day of the early signing period, and Jones has entered the transfer portal after being limited to seven games with an injury.

Spalding returns to Michigan where he played high school football at John Glenn High School in Canton, where he earned Division 1-2 All-State honors as a senior, as well as playing running back and wide receiver at Central Michigan from 2014 to 2018. For his career, he played in 41 games at CMU. He rushed for 1,457 yards on 307 carries and scored 13 touchdowns.

In addition to Spalding and Jones, Wisconsin junior Cade Yacamelli plans to enter the transfer portal. Dupree and Ituka are the only two returning scholarship running backs, although the Badgers recently signed Qwantavius Wiggins in the 2026 recruiting class.

Wisconsin will host Michigan State at Camp Randall some time next season. The Badgers will also play Minnesota, Rutgers, and USC at home and travel to Iowa, Maryland, Penn State, Purdue, and UCLA in a critical season for head coach Luke Fickell, who is 17-20 overall and 10-16 in conference play in three seasons.

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Benjamin Worgull
BENJAMIN WORGULL

Benjamin Worgull has covered Wisconsin men's basketball since 2004, having previously written for Rivals, USA Today, 247sports, Fox Sports, the Associated Press, the Janesville Gazette, and the Wisconsin State Journal.

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