The Jump Around

It's a two-episode week for The Jump Around! Some more details have emerged regarding the the Wisconsin Badgers' refusal to allow cornerback Xavier Lucas enter the transfer portal amid an alleged NIL dispute. The College Football Playoff semi-finals begin tonight, and Jim Rutledge makes his picks for the Orange Bowl with Penn State versus Notre Dame and the Cotton Bowl with Ohio State vs Texas. ESPN senior college football writer Adam Rittenberg also joins to discuss why he included Luke Fickell in his recent "Way-too-early 2025 college football coaching hot seat tiers" article. He also discusses how far the Wisconsin Badgers are from making the College Football Playoff today compared to when Luke Fickell was first hired, the program's recent coaching changes with Jeff Grimes and Kenny Guiton, lack of NIL regulation, and the growing rivalry and connection between Wisconsin and former coach Bret Bielema's Illinois program.

The Wisconsin Badgers continue to re-shape their coaching staff this offseason, moving Kenny Guiton to QB coach and reportedly hiring Western Michigan's Jordan Reid as the new WR coach. Plus, the team is adding more defensive reinforcements through the transfer portal. How do we expect these recent additions will mesh with Jeff Grimes' new offensive scheme and the existing scheme under Mike Tressel? Also, ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg put Luke Fickell in his list Way-too-early 2025 college football coaching hot seat tiers, but why is Jim Rutledge confident that Luke Fickell is still more likely to be successful than his peer Bret Bielema at Illinois. Ben Brust joins Jim Rutledge on The Jump Around to talk Badger men's basketball bouncing back in their first two games of their Big Ten schedule, why skeptical fans like Jim Rutledge should be excited about this year's team, and who "the guy" is between John Tonje and John Blackwell, and he explains if any of the Badger football program's transfer portal and coaching changes have eased his frustrations heading into Luke Fickell's third season.

The Wisconsin Badgers have been busy in the transfer portal, adding almost a dozen new players including QBs Billy Edwards Jr. and Danny O'Neil and tight end Tanner Koziol. How impactful will Edwards be in Jeff Grimes' new offense, and what are the team's most impactful transfer additions on offense and defense so far? Plus, Will Pauling, C.J. Williams, Tyler Van Dyke and Braedyn Locke have all entered the portal. What's the biggest loss for the Badgers so far, and what positions need to be addressed after this first wave of transfer portal movement? Anthony Davis, Former Badger RB and current Dean of Students at Georgia State University, joins to discuss how the current state of the transfer portal has impacted the Badgers, academics in college football, and fandom in general!

The Wisconsin Badgers have officially hired Jeff Grimes as their new offensive coordinator! Many Badgers fans are excited about returning to a physical style of football, but are the Badgers done adding offensive coaches this offseason? Ari Temkin of Big 12 radio joins to give his insight into the Jeff Grimes hire, his results at Baylor and Kansas, and what Badgers fans can expect from their new offensive coordinator! Braedyn Locke also entered the transfer portal and Trech Kekahuna will return to the Badgers after entering the portal last week. But, who are some names and what types of players should the Badgers look to add in the transfer portal?

The Wisconsin Badgers lost their final chance to make a bowl game and lost 24-7 to Minnesota in the Axe Game. How can Luke Fickell improve the program this offseason without bowl practices, the disappointment level for fans and even Badgers legend Barry Alvarez, and when will we find out who's going to be the new offensive coordinator? Also, the transfer portal opens next week and players are already announcing their departures, and the early national signing day for the 2025 recruiting class is tomorrow. Former Badger and current member of Seahawks Football Operations, LaMar "Soup" Campbell, joins to talk about the Badgers losing their bowl streak and being swept by all 3 rivals, Luke Fickell's messaging to players and fans, his experience with player development and identification while working in NFL personnel departments, and maintaining what made Badgers football strong while adapting to modern college football.

The Wisconsin Badgers have one game left to secure bowl eligibility after losing 44-25 to Nebraska. They're also playing to keep Paul Bunyan's Axe in the trophy game against Minnesota. Can the 5-6 Badgers keep their 22-year bowl streak alive, and how important is this game for Luke Fickell going into this offseason and beyond? Former Badgers player and DB coach, Ben Strickland, joins to talk about the Axe game versus Minnesota, his legendary moment against the Gophers in 2005, the current state of the Badgers program, in-state recruiting for high school coaches, and acknowledging the past while embracing the future for Wisconsin football! Also, the Badgers gained a commitment from four-star QB recruit Carter Smith. What does his commitment signal for the future of the Badgers' offense?

Wisconsin Badgers offensive coordinator Phil Longo was fired after Saturday's 16-13 loss to No. 1 Oregon, and Luke Fickell declined to name an offensive play caller going forward! Did the Badgers let a historic win slip away at Camp Randall, is it finally time to make the change from Braedyn Locke at QB, and who are the names to watch for the Badgers' next offensive coordinator? Winningest QB in UW history, Joel Stave, joins to talk about Longo's firing, the Badgers' offense and quarterback struggles, and the 10-year anniversary of Melvin Gordon's recording-setting game against Nebraska!

Wisconsin Badgers football hosts No. 1 Oregon and basketball hosts No. 9 Arizona!  Wisconsin is facing the AP No. 1 team for the first time since 2010, and Badgers fans like Ben Brust are becoming extremely frustrated with the struggles in Luke Fickell's first two seasons. Jim Rutledge reacts to the comments from Ben Brust and the response from new ESPN Madison host Barry Alvarez this week, discussing if it's unfair to compare the start of Fickell's tenure to Indiana football's immediate turnaround with Curt Cignetti? New ESPN Madison teammate and Badgers legend Barry Alvarez also joins to discuss the opportunity vs Oregon, the mindset to pull off an upset, fans' frustration with Luke Fickell's first two seasons, and the importance of coaching and player recruitment/retention in the NIL age!

The Badgers football team is sliding into the bye week after a crushing 42-10 loss at Iowa. Was this the worst loss of the Fickell era, what did Barry Alvarez have to say about the team's coaches heading into the final 3 games, and can they salvage things before No. 1 Oregon comes to Camp Randall? Krissy Birdsall also joins to recap the Badgers men's basketball season opener versus Holy Cross, how the roster looks after losing 8 players to the transfer portal, and Greg Gard's proposal to change nonconference schedules in CBB. Badgers volleyball star Anna Smrek joins Jesse Nelson to discuss to discuss the team's season, taking on No. 3 Penn State at the Field House this weekend, and more!

The Badgers football team is coming off a deflating 28-13 loss to Penn State. Can Wisconsin bounce-back with wins in the three upcoming rivalry games, and can they secure bowl eligibility this Saturday versus Iowa? Plus, will we get to see the Badgers' long-term plan at QB plan over the next four weeks, what is at stake for Braedyn Locke, and Krissy Birdsall joins to discuss the continued problems surrouning the student section at Camp Randall! Former Packer and Hawkeye offensive lineman, Bryan Bulaga, joins to discuss the Heartland Trophy game (not the Freedom Trophy), whether Iowa and Wisconsin are still true peers in the Big Ten, his outside perspective of the Badgers as they continue their identity change under Luke Fickell, the mixed feelings from Iowa fans about the state of their program under Brian Ferentz, and he gives his predictions for this Saturday's game at Kinnick Stadium!