MADISON, Wis. – After six members of the University of Wisconsin’s 2022 class joined the program this past January to participate in offseason conditioning and spring practices, the Badgers will welcome the other nine members in late June.
BadgerBlitz.com continues its annual "Better Know a Badger" series, where we check in with the incoming freshmen as they begin the transition from being prep standouts to college athletes. Today we check in with Penn-Trafford athlete Cade Yacamelli, who scored 28 total touchdowns and rushed for 1,766 yards in leading Penn–Trafford to its first state title in school history his senior year.
Yacamelli picked Wisconsin over 17 offers that included Air Force, Army, Harvard, and Navy.
RELATED: Cade Yacamelli commits to UW | Badgers getting a "dynamic player" | Commitment 101: Cade Yacamelli
The main question is, do you know what position the Wisconsin coaching staff is going to start you at when you arrive on campus?
Cade Yacamelli: It looks like I’m still going to come in as an athlete. I’ve talked to Coach (Mike) Caputo (a UW Defensive Assistant) about it and he laid it out by saying it seems like I’m good at both, and they don’t really know yet. I’m going to go in as an athlete and then it’ll just be whatever happens up there happens. That’s probably what it’s going to be. I really don’t know. I wish I knew because I’m training in both right now. It is what it is.
What positions exactly are you working on?
CY: I believe I’m only a running back or safety. I’ve been doing a couple of RB stuff, a lot of safety stuff, and I’ve also been doing some receiver work, too. I can run routes but if I was to play offense, I think that something I’m good with is my versatility. I figured I might as well keep that and not just train strictly running back.
When you train for running back and safety, what are some of the similarities, and what are some of the differences you have to focus on with your skillset and physicality preparing for those two roles?
CY: Well, it’s one position moving forward and one position moving backward, so it’s kind of weird. I have to train at all aspects of the ball, which I feel in general makes me a better athlete. I feel like I’m good at both, which I am happy about. Safety is more coverage and hits, obviously, needing to stick your foot in the ground and get downhill, which is kind of like a running back. A lot of running backs are taught, at least at the high school, to take one cut and go, which is something my coach preached to me a little bit. I am training at both, and I feel confident at both.
If you must pick one, is there a favorite you would prefer to do at Wisconsin?
CY: Honestly, it doesn’t really matter to me. I’ll play wherever the team needs me. I know that sounds really cliché and all, but it really is true. When I was younger, I loved running back, but it’s kind of weird, this year I fell in love with safety. I just want to play when it comes down to it and help the team. If I can do that, I’ll be happy.
Where else have you been preparing to make the adjustment to college life and college athletics?
CY: Basically, I’ve been preparing to live on my own. My mom is teaching me how to do stuff, little household stuff you need to know. Not only that and with training, I’ve actually received the playbook. Even though I’m pretty much done with high school here, it’s almost like I’m taking another class because I’ve been in the playbook for hours every day. I have the formations down, kind of the motions down, but I still feel like I have a long way to go, which is not really pleasing. But if I’m going to do it, I’ve got to study because I’ve got nothing to do. I’ve been knee-deep in that playbook.
What’s been the hardest thing that mom has taught you that you’re trying to pick up?
CY: The laundry thing was a little new to me, but what actually threw me the curveball was I didn’t know how to run a dishwasher (laughing). She explained that to me and how different it is with other appliances. I mean, I’ll do it on Mother’s Day, but I’ve got to ask dad for help.
What do you think your strengths are as you start college?
CY: One thing that I feel I’m pretty good at is I feel I’m a physical player. Not only that, I feel like I have really good feet and really good acceleration. That’s one thing I’ve been good at. As an offensive player, make a move on someone and accelerate past them. Defensively, I’m able to accelerate to attack or accelerate to hit. I also feel I have good instincts. This is a lot, at least during my high school career, more so toward the playoffs, I was able to creep up on certain plays where I thought it was a run and use my instincts. It worked out for me a lot.
Your quarterback in this class – Myles Burkett – called you one of the ‘most athletic guys in this signing class, hands down.’ What’s your reaction when you hear a teammate say that about you?
CY: All you can do is kind of smile. That’s really awesome to hear. It makes me feel good about myself, but I’ve got to keep working and live up to that hype, so to speak. I got to bring that to Wisconsin, and that’s what I plan to do.
You had close to 20 offers during the recruiting process, but Wisconsin was your only scholarship opportunity from a major conference. Why do you think other power-conference schools were reluctant to offer you?
CY: To be honest with you, I don’t really know. I’ve kind of always thought of that. I don’t understand why. A lot of people have asked me that, and I really can’t answer. In a way, I am kind of happy it ended up the way it did because I had to earn it. That made me more proud of myself when I got it because it wasn’t handed to me. I really had to go out and earn it. Everything comes sweeter when you earn it.
Looking back, what do you think earned your Wisconsin offer?
CY: I think I just had to show them the kind of player that I am. I feel like a lot of people didn’t know the kind of player I was. A lot of people told me that if I go up to camp at Wisconsin, I probably would get it (an offer). I was really interested in Wisconsin. They were definitely my number one. It was definitely a stressful camp because you want to do everything right, but I had confidence and a chip on my shoulder. I went out confident and felt I did everything I needed to do. I was able to work out at three position groups – running back, receiver, and safety – and it worked out that that put me at all three (positions) and I excelled at all three. It was definitely my perfect fit.
Who are you living with this fall?
CY: Tight end JT Seagreaves. I actually met him on my official visit and we kind of spent the whole visit together. I got to know him pretty well, and he got to know me, too, which is pretty cool. Through the whole thing, we’re laughing about things, making jokes about things, and seems like my kind of guy. A lot of guys on the team seem like my kind of guys, too, another reason why I was proud of being committed to Wisconsin. But JT reminds me of some of the buddies from high school, so why not ask him to room with me? I asked and he said, ‘heck yeah.’ It was kind of cool. We set it up toward the end of our official visit.
Where does your biggest support come from?
CY: I feel like my biggest support comes from my family, but teammates are a close second though. My family has been my number one supporter and they are always going to be the best thing for you. A lot of teammates had my back, a lot of guys were unselfish, and they were with me, and I was with them. We had a great well-rounded team this year. My teammates are my best friends, that’s how I look at it. I expect my Wisconsin teammates to become my best friends, too.
Did you feel your senior season prepared you for your first year in college athletics?
CY: I feel like everything kind of prepared me. People will ask me if I’m ready and I’ll say I’m ready, but I’m also kind of nervous. It’s the unknown. You never really know what’s going to happen, but I know I made the right choice. I just have to go up there, work hard, and earn it. That’s everything I fully expect to do.
From getting recruited by Wisconsin until now, what has been the best part of this experience so far?
CY: Best part about it is I’m living my dream. A lot of people don’t get to do that. Obviously I feel blessed, lucky, and you dream as a little kid playing in a stadium like Camp Randall. Not only playing in a stadium like that but playing on a team that wins. Wisconsin is known for consecutively winning and being a good program. To be a part of that type of program that I am proud to be a part of, playing in front of all those fans, it’s something to dream about. It’s something I’ve always wanted.
_________________________________________________
*Chat about this article in The Badgers' Den
*Check out our videos, interviews, and Q&As on our YouTube channel
*Subscribe and listen to the BadgerBlitz.com podcast (as seen on Apple, Google, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts)
*Follow us on Twitter: @McNamaraRivals, @TheBadgerNation, @RaulV45
*Like us on Facebook
