PHOENIX - Michael Furtney met with new offensive coordinator Phil Longo and offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. a few days after he entered the transfer portal on Dec. 6.

The meeting, according to Furtney, was “freaky.” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

While getting acclimated, the two assistants were watching film when they called the redshirt senior. His father happened to be in town, so the two told Furtney to bring him to the meeting to discuss their vision.

Longo and Bicknell Jr. checked off just about every box Furtney had in mind when he entered the portal. Some parts of what they shared were actually word for word what the offensive lineman ideally envisioned.

“If I had a proverbial chalkboard next to me of a list of all the things I wanted out of a coach, it was almost freaky how accurate they were,” Furtney said.

“There were times where I swear they said things word for word of how I would have worded it in my head, and I’m one of those people that believe in signs. I was like, 'you know what, I don’t think anywhere I can go in the country could be better than the place I’m at already.'”

Furtney's entrance into the portal wasn’t a decision he took lightly and one he didn’t necessarily want to make. Rather, he felt it was best even though his “heart's pulling you in a different way.” After all, Furtney had seen his former offensive line coach, Joe Rudolph, head to Virginia Tech and envisioned starting more in 2022. With coaching staff turnover inevitable whether or not he transferred, Furtney was ultimately looking to dictate the transition in order to put himself in the best position to play at the next level.

As it turns out, the best spot in Madison.

“I felt like for me to position myself best for the league - because that’s my end dream - I felt like, you know, what maybe I needed to control that change,” Furtney explained. “Those were my thoughts then… It wasn’t really the thing I wanted to do but it felt like the thing I had to do, but I was overjoyed when I realized I didn’t have to. I can have the best of both worlds.”

Speaking of getting the best of both worlds...

Just about an hour after leading Wisconsin to a win over Oklahoma State in his first start during his five years at UW, Chase Wolf confirmed he would return for one more year.

The news came one month after Wolf was accepted into the real estate master's program at Wisconsin.

“It was kind of the best of both worlds,” Wolf said. “Coach Fickell recruited me out of high school, so he’s a familiar face. I know that he’s a great coach, and what he’s going to bring in is going to help this team propel to the next level. To also further my education, it kind of lined up perfectly.”

Entering fall camp, the veteran signal caller did not see himself returning for one more year. After an injury Wolf suffered the last day of fall camp, which sidelined him for 10 weeks, he wasn’t sure what his plans would be for the next season.

“It was more of a feel thing for me,” Wolf said. “I just wanted to see how I felt with my passion for the game. I didn’t want to regret anything. I didn’t want to call it quits and then a couple months down the road regret not playing another year.

"I got the rest of my life to work. I think just with what’s coming to Wisconsin, I’m excited to get to work with Brady Collins, the new strength coach. It just matched together and I thought this was the sign I needed to come back.”

Wolf's return adds a veteran to the what will be an intriguing shakeup at the quarterback position. With the addition of Tanner Mordecai, who is transferring over from SMU, the room now includes five scholarship quarterbacks next spring: Wolf, Mordecai, Nick Evers, Myles Burkett and early enrollee Cole LaCrue.

Wolf's play against the Cowboys leaves some intrigue as to what he can in Longo’s offense. He will also add some competition to the room when spring camp rolls around.

“It’s a very quarterback-centric offense," said Wolf, who met with Longo after he was hired. "We will determine some of the checks and the pass game, so it really puts an onus on the quarterback. I’d like to be the guy in charge when a play is called my way.

“I like knowing that I have full control over it and I think it’s going to be good offense for all of our playmakers, everybody up front, too. I think the running backs coming back, too, because it’s not just spread, Air Raid, we’re going to run the ball and I think it’s going to be good for everyone.”

Neither path back was linear, but both Wolf and Furtney are excited about what is building in Madison.

“Absolutely,” Furtney said when asked if it’s fair to say the vision and the future excites him.

“I truly do believe in what they are proposing and this plan they have for this team. I think it’s what one of those things where I’m eating what they’re cooking. They truly do believe in this vision they have for this team. It’s going to be something special.”

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