Better Know a Badger: 2023 WR Trech Kekahuna
After welcoming in six members of his first Wisconsin recruiting class earlier this year, Badgers head coach Luke Fickell saw the remaining nine members join the program in mid-June to begin summer conditioning, the next step building up to the highly-anticipated 2023 season opener against Buffalo. One of those players is Las Vegas Bishop Gorman receiver Trech Kekahuna.
A 5-foot-11, four-star prospect, Kekahuna was considered a lost prospect after he de-committed from Wisconsin following last October’s coaching change and committed to Arizona four days before the early signing period. Imagine everyone’s surprise when he signed his letter of intent with Wisconsin, adding a high school prospect who totaled 1,330 yards and 22 touchdowns on 61 catches his senior season.
The only wide receiver prospect in the Class of 2023 for Wisconsin, his decision adds depth to one of the deepest positions on Wisconsin’s offense entering the season. Before arriving on campus, Kekahuna spoke with BadgerBlitz about his journey to Madison and his expectations of his Badgers career.
BB: You arrived in Madison at the end of May to get a jump start on summer conditioning. Was the intensity and physicality eye-opening for you in terms of what you need to do to get prepared for college football?
Trech Kekahuna: I love Coach Brady (Collins’) energy. I love that he is up-tempo, always moving with his workouts. Nothing is slow. It’s been fun getting to watch him. I have to work on preparing mentally because it’s all mental. I just have to get my mind right and everything should fall into place.
BB: When you look back at your high school career and how your game developed as you went through varsity, how did it get better during that tenure?
TK: My work ethic developed a whole lot from freshman year. The one thing I’ll say is I got bigger and faster. I always felt I had good hands, but I learned a lot about the defense before the snap and where they are going to be before the play.
BB: Since officially signing, how did you try to prepare your body and your mindset for summer conditioning, fall camp, and moving forward?
TK: The way I did it was basically keep working hard. I would see posts on the Badgers’ Instagram of guys working hard and pushing themselves, so that helped me in my mind. I workout by myself, so I had to find something that makes me push myself to the point where I’m dead. If I can do that on my own, then I can overcome competition with the team or one of the players. It’s about getting my mind right about pushing myself to a point where I can do much.
BB: What would you list as some of your other strengths and what are some weaknesses that you know you need to improve and correct as you go through your freshman season?
TK: First thing I think of what I bring to the table is I’m a dependable guy. When it’s crunch time, I’m the guy to go to. I feel like on third down I’m going to get the first down and that I’m going to get open. That’s what I’m good at and why I work hard for and what I can be depended on if we had a game tomorrow. The weaknesses I need to work on is my blocking and being able to read quicker.
BB: A lot of Wisconsin fans have been thrilled with the hiring of Luke Fickell with his messaging to fans. You got to see him from a recruiting standpoint. What caught your attention with Coach Fickell when he started recruiting you to play for the Badgers?
TK: First thing that caught my mind was watching him on TV during the (Guaranteed Rate) bowl game. I just liked how he was getting after it and how hungry that he is. He’s a coach that wants to win and is just straight football, and that’s the type of coach that I want to be around. I am willing to do that for the next two-to-four years.
BB: The wide receiver room for Wisconsin has changed quite a bit from the time you committed until now, with both high school prospects and college players from the transfer portal. What has made you excited about the increased competition in the room?
TK: I like competition. I don’t shy away from it. I like pushing myself and that iron sharpens iron. It’s going to make all of us better and with us going eight, nine receivers deep, I need to key on staying true to myself, stay strong, and trusting God. I have to follow the experience and keep working hard and trust that He is going to help me get to a starting position.
BB: From the time you arrived on campus, what veterans have taken you under their wing and started to show up the ropes?
TK: Not specifically one, but I think they all have just welcomed me in. They are very welcoming, showing me things that I need to know. I feel all of them have helped and that just shows a lot of love they have towards me as an incoming freshman. They’ve been showing me a lot of plays, the right reads, and what we do with the quarterbacks so I can adapt to it easily and not fall behind.
BB: When did you know you were good enough to play college football, that it was no longer an after-school activity but something that you could turn into a potential career choice?
TK: I feel like my sophomore year of high school because my freshman year I got a little taste of high school football at varsity. After COVID, I just started working hard and I’d been getting better, and then things just started getting too easy. I’d be going crazy at our practices and scrimmages we had. I just found that switch that I can compete with the best. Come junior year I did great, came through with a state championship, but then I took another step going to (Las Vegas Bishop) Gorman and I put up great numbers there. I feel like I found that switch sophomore year and kept getting myself better and my mind better.
BB: Was the level of competition the main reason you transfer to Bishop Gorman for your senior season? Looking back, how important was transferring schools for you to develop?
TK: It was a personal decision. I did that decision because, after my junior year, my coaching staff said we weren’t going to have a football field where we would be playing games. I didn’t want to have that as your last high school football career. All the Bishop Gorman coaches wanted me to check the facilities out and see if I could come up there. We played them when I was at St. Louis. I went up there and I wanted to compete against the best. I saw the hard work I put in ever since I fell in love with the game of football. I just felt like I needed to show it to the nation.
BB: Do you believe your family, coaches, teammates, friends, or somebody else gives you your biggest support when it comes to your football career?
TK: My biggest support is always my family, always my ohana. They have been there since the jump, since day one. My mom, my dad, my aunts, and always God, just following Him. Whenever you need Him, He’s always there behind you following you.
BB: How excited is your family that you ultimately landed with Wisconsin on signing day?
TK: It was very exciting. Nick Herbig was a mentor and the leader for me coming out of high school, meeting him while working out with each other. For me to follow his path and for him to set the blueprint for me is great. My parents are really happy that I get to come up here and they sound very blessed. They can’t wait to see what I do this upcoming season.
BB: Since you arrived on campus, what has been the best part about being a part of this Wisconsin program?
TK: Just being around new guys and looking forward to meeting new guys. Every day I’ve been here it’s been nothing but love here. I just love it here. It’s a great feeling to meet people and have fun here.
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