PHOENIX -- With a little over 24 hours remaining before the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Oklahoma State, head coach Luke Fickell, along with Maema Njongmeta, Chimere Dike, Braelon Allen, John Torchio and Chez Mellusi, met with reporters in Phoenix.

Here are a handful of nuggets from the session leading with players who have emerged during bowl prep, the battle at quarterback and excitement for a "new era" at Wisconsin.

While the bowl streak Wisconsin currently holds can be overlooked or taken for granted at times, the three to four weeks allows younger players and reserves to take on larger roles. The opportunity can provide a peak into who might be ready to take a jump going into next season.

Speaking with a handful of players a day before kicking off against Oklahoma State, true freshman wide receiver Chris Brooks Jr. once again came up as a young player who has stood out. He was also mentioned during bowl prep availability in Madison earlier this month.

"I've said Chris Brooks on the offensive side of the ball. He's been a beast for us on special teams this year," senior safety John Torchio said.

Brooks Jr. was brought up by running back Braelon Allen as well as a player who has stood out. Allen also touted a pair of true freshmen in wide receiver Vinny Anthony, who has seen the field a few times this season, and tight end JT Seagreaves.

"I think offensively Chris Brooks is one, Vinny you saw flashes of him throughout the year," Allen said. "JT Seagraves, I think he can be a playmaker. He’s incredibly fast for some reason. I don’t know how or why, but incredibly fast."

On the defensive side of the ball, Torchio pointed a true freshman in his room that has emerged recently.

"Austin Brown is a young safety that I'd say is pretty athletic, pretty explosive and I'm excited to see what he does in the future," Torchio said.

While both Darryl Peterson and Alex Smith aren't young players, the two have stepped up vocally with the trio of captains - two on the defensive side of the ball in Nick Herbig and Keeanu Benton - either not taking part in the bowl game or no longer on the team.

"Darryl Peterson has definitely stepped up and started being a little more vocal," inside linebacker Maema Njongmeta said. "Alex Smith has always been the older guy in the room but he’s starting to be more vocal as well."

New head coach Luke Fickell has mentioned on multiple occasions that the decision at quarterback will be left to the current coaching staff to decide.

"People ask about the starting quarterback, and some of the situations aren't going to be my call, really," Fickell said during his arrival press conference in Phoenix. "It would be pretty arrogant of me to walk in here and think I could make a better decision in three weeks than what they have seen over a long period of time, whether it's Coach [Jim] Leonhard in his long time here or even Coach Bobby [Engram] in his one year here."

A day before the bowl game against the Cowboys, it appears the decision at quarterback is still to be determined. Players and Fickell spoke highly about how both Chase Wolf and Myles Burkett have handled the distribution.

"I’ve seen maturity whether they’re both getting reps in practice, and that’s all I do is watch," Fickell said. "I haven’t noticed any bad body language or bad demeanor that would jump out at you of 'alright, is this going to be a good situation?'

"They’ve handled it in great ways. I don’t know what they were before, how it all looked during the season with what they had there before. But I’ve been impressed with how they’ve handled the two guys kind of rolling in there back and forth."

The battle features a veteran in Wolf, fifth-year senior, and Burkett, a true freshman. Wolf has never started a game while at Wisconsin, instead coming in on a few occasions when needed or during a game that was in hand.

The time he's spent in the program has shown some character to his teammates.

"I think Chase is great. He’s a guy that has waited his turn, really," junior wide receiver Chimere Dike said. "Been a great part of the program. A lot of the guys either transfer or have a bad mentality or attitude and he’s come to practice everyday, worked his butt off and become a really talented player.

"I’m excited for him if he gets the opportunity and I know he’ll be ready."

"Graham (Mertz) left and you can kind of see the leadership step up," Torchio added. "As a backup quarterback you have to be a leader, too, but it was his chance to compete for the starting job and definitely liked what I’ve seen. I’m excited for him. If he does get the chance tomorrow I think he’s going to do really well."

Burkett, a Wisconsin native, has been eager to learn during his first year in the program.

"Myles just has a lot of maturity and since Day 1 he’s been willing to learn and doing everything he can to be ready to play," Allen said.

"I thought he did a great job throughout bowl prep. I think if he were to be the quarterback, he’d be ready for it, but I think both of them give us a great chance to win."

Most, if not every move under Fickell, has pointed to a new direction Wisconsin is going in. Maybe none more so than the hire of Phil Longo to be the team's next offensive coordinator.

Longo, who studied under Mike Leach, brings with him an Air Faid-type philosophy. That spread out approach is one that has gained a pair of fans in Allen and Dike.

"I’ve talked to Coach Longo a couple times. They’re letting us focus on the bowl game so I haven’t gotten into a ton of deep conversations with him, but he seems like a really good guy," Dike said.

"He’s really confident. The kind of offense that he brings, the kind of mentality, so definitely will be looking forward to getting to work with him. But at the same time focused on the game."

The philosophy Longo brings with him is one that Allen is excited to work with. The potential of facing lighter boxes is something that could open things up for the sophomore running back.

"Probably running into six-man boxes and not just knowing every week it’s going to be eight or nine guys in the box on every single play," Allen said when asked about what excites him about his role in the new offense.

"Playing in an offense that is more spread out, more of a threat to throw the ball deep, I think it just automatically is going to loosen up defenses. This year we saw we have guys on the outside that can make a ton of plays and I think that’s going to help me in every way possible.

"Give me more space to run, more room. Put less hits on me and I think me and Chez (Mellusi) can be dynamic in that offense."

Speaking of a new direction at Wisconsin, multiple players used the term "new era" to describe the excitement in the building under Fickell.

These past few weeks and next few days represent an odd turning point for a locker room that will send off this year's coaching staff while simultaneously welcoming the group Fickell is putting together.

With that in mind, the hope is to send off the staff with a win while jumpstarting what they're calling a "new era."

"The motivation is always there, but I think it’s just more exciting. We have more of an excitement about it because we know it’s a new era and there’s an opportunity to do something special starting tomorrow," Allen said.

"That’s kind of what it’s looking like, so I’m excited to be a part of it," Chez Mellusi added regarding the term "new era."

"I’m excited. He definitely has a blueprint for where this program is going and I’m excited to be a part of it."

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