MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Badgers officially kicked off their spring camp on Thursday with a two-hour practice session.
It was the first time we were able to see Wisconsin’s new offensive system and plethora of transfer students. The team was clearly easing their way back into action, but still showed some signs of what to expect in 2025.
BadgerBlitz.com was in attendance for Thursday’s practice. Here are my biggest takeaways.
Kekahuna announces ascension
In a practice that felt rather simple and introductory, true highlight plays were few and far between. Yet the vast majority belonged to a single player — receiver Trech Kekahuna.
He stepped into the starting slot role after the departure of Will Pauling, and used Thursday to formally announce his ascension.
During one-on-ones between receivers and cornerbacks, Kekahuna was typically matched up with Owen Arnett. It was more of a massacre than a matchup.
The third-year slot won nearly every rep, curling and contorting his body to repeatedly find his way around the safety.
Kekahuna was being used creatively in the offense, running a couple reverse handoffs. But he was ultimately at his best during the 11-on-11 portion of practice. No receiver could create as much separation or catch the ball as consistently as Kekahuna.
“His ability to mature, to understand not just the offense, but the game, is where he has continued to grow,” Luke Fickell said after practice.
“It showed in the classroom. It’s shown in some of the off-the-field things.”
“It’ll eventually continue to show more on the field, but I think that was a challenge to him as a young guy that has an incredible competitive spirit, that has an incredible skill set and talent level. But how [is] he still able to raise the game?”
But this is a familiar story. Kekahuna was one of the big standouts of last year’s offseason camps. Yet his potential was never realized, besides the Purdue game.
He looks considerably more comfortable compared to last season, specifically when the ball is in the air.
Last year, he was an obvious athletic freak who ran the best routes and was more dynamic with the ball in his hands than any other receiver. But on Thursday, it was his ability to track the ball, to carefully contort his body, to not panic when slowing down, that didn’t come as easily last season and should create hope.
“It’s one day. It’s really hard to say,” Fickell said with a smile after I asked about Kekahuna’s improvement.
