Notes: In Recruiting Dollars, Wisconsin Gets the Most Bang for its Buck

MADISON, Wis. – Understandably so, Wisconsin football head coach Paul Chryst was excited about the 21 high school prospects who signed a national letter intent to join the Badgers football program in 2021. Some other excited people? The athletic department’s bookkeepers.

Even in a prolonged recruiting dead period that has erased the high cost of the spring evaluation period, official visits and private planes, the Badgers signed a class that ranks No.15 in the Rivals recruiting ranking and likely did it without breaking the bank.

“We are excited about the group we were able to sign,” head coach Paul Chryst said Thursday. “We try to do studies and look at what you’re spending and are you being smart in what you’re spending, really in everything in your program. A big piece of that pie is recruiting.”

While the amount of money Wisconsin football spent on recruiting in 2020 isn’t available, the number will be even smaller than what UW usually spends, proving the Badgers get more bang for their buck than anybody else in the country.

In its 2018 fiscal report, Wisconsin spent $350,695 in recruiting. Of the 50 Power-Five schools that report data, the Badgers were the lowest, a whopping $2.275 million less than top-spender Alabama and $19,000 less than East Carolina. In its 2019 fiscal report, Wisconsin spent $431,352 in recruiting that still put them last among Power Five schools and $3.2 million behind Georgia.

Tennessee’s 2021 class finished No.14 in the Rivals rankings, but the Volunteers had to spend $2.247 million and finished with the same number of four-star recruits (eight) and one fewer five-star recruit than Wisconsin did.

“We got guys who work at it, build relationships with players,” Chryst said, “and I think our players do a great job.”

Safety Collin Wilder became the first UW senior to confirm that he would return for the 2021 season, taking advantage of the NCAA’s decision to make 2020 a non-counter year in a player’s eligibility clock. Wilder is third on the team in tackles (21) and that decision is a big boost for the secondary, especially if fellow senior Eric Burrell decided to pursue a professional career after earning his master’s degree in educational leadership and policy analysis.

“At the beginning of the season, my mindset was I’m going to have the best season of my life this year and then God willing have a chance to get drafted,” said Wilder, who earned a communication arts degree. “That way I could have the mindset of just being focused on having a great season. With the way this season has gone without our control, personally for my situation, I don’t think it’s the best way for me to go out.”

Left tackle Cole Van Lanen confirmed following the home loss to Indiana that he will not return next season. Fullback Mason Stokke and defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk have both accepted invitations to post-season bowl showcases, signaling they will not be back. All three players earned their undergraduate degrees.

Other seniors who graduated over the weekend who haven’t confirmed their choices include QB Jack Coan (Real Estate & Urban Land Economics), WR Jack Dunn (Finance, Investment & Banking and Real Estate & Urban Land Economics), RB Garrett Groshek (Personal Finance), CB Kobe Knaak (Agricultural Business Management), WR Adam Krumholz (Communication Arts), LB Mike Maskalunas (Finance, Investment & Banking and Real Estate & Urban Land Economics), DE Garrett Rand (Life Sciences Communication) and CB Caesar Williams (Life Sciences Communication).

Offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph said this week that he wouldn’t be surprised if senior receivers Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor both choose to return. Neither player is expected to play Saturday against the Gophers.

Groshek, who got married over the summer, said there’s been a lot of conversations between the classmates about the complexities of returning.

“The biggest thing is guys graduating having to go back and do more school, whether it’s finishing up your major, undergrad or finding the right fit for a grad program,” Groshek said. “Looking forward to next season, obviously all the training, it’s strenuous, it’s long.

“With still so much uncertainty with COVID, is next season going to be any different than this season? Is it going to go on? Is the vaccine going to help or are things going to still be the same? Trying to sort through and find as many answers as you can about the questions that you have, just try to make the best decision, go with your gut and make the best decision that’s best for you.”

Devin Chandler didn’t make many headlines when he joined Wisconsin’s 2020 recruiting class. Lost in the pomp and circumstances somewhat by committing on signing day, Chandler was the third receiver in the class and the lowest-rated prospect of the 20 who signed in the Rivals rankings.

But with redshirt freshman Stephan Bracey missing the last two games and injuries to other wide receivers, Chandler has earned opportunities.

Making his college debut against Indiana, Chandler had two kick returns for 37 yards and narrowly avoided disaster after muffing another near the goal line. He had one return for 21 yards last week at Iowa and caught the first two passes of his career, going for 28 yards.

“He’s a great athlete,” Dunn said of Chandler. “I tell the young guys all the time they’ve got a lot more ability than I’ve ever have or ever will have. How good they want to be, it’s all up to them. I was impressed by Devin coming in and taking advantage of his opportunities. For a young guy like that, a true freshman, any playing time that he can get his huge for his growth and development. It’ll pay dividends in the long run. He’s going to be a really good player.”

Having three games canceled and sitting one game under .500 didn’t do the Badgers any favors when it came to first-team all-conference selections.

Van Lanen (coaches) and tight end Jake Ferguson (media) were the only UW players to earn a first-team all-conference selection, the fewest by the Badgers since 2015. The two players made the second team by the other outlet. Right guard Logan Bruss was a consensus third-team selection, Stokke and sophomore Tyler Beach were honorable mention by the coaches.

The awards on defense were scarcer. Despite Wisconsin have the conference’s top rushing, passing and overall defense, as well as the No.2 scoring defense, the Badgers didn’t put a single player on the first or second team. Williams was a third-team selection by the coaches and Loudermilk and inside linebacker Jack Sanborn earned a third-team distinction by the media.

Inside linebacker Leo Chenal, safety Eric Burrell and cornerback Faion Hicks earned honorable mention status by one or both groups. Punter Andy Vujnovich was an honorable mention selection by the coaches.

UW has had at least one first-team all-conference selection for 31 straight years.

“Particularly this year, it was tricky (selecting the teams) because there’s not a lot of information,” Chryst said. “Usually in a normal season, you are seeing a lot of guys playing. Your record will drive a lot of it. I thought the guys that were mentioned had a really good year. Where it falls, first-team, second-team, third-team and honorable mention, I think it’s impactable in many ways by the team that you have … Individual awards will come and they’ll be bigger when you have a more successful team.”