Duncan McKinley quickly accepts Wisconsin walk-on offer to "dream school"
According to 2020 long snapper Duncan McKinley, it took maybe a couple of minutes to accept a preferred walk-on offer from Wisconsin the night of June 26. In fact, the Eau Claire (WI) Memorial senior knew if the opportunity was presented at some point, he would take it.
“I knew even before they offered me - if they had offered me that I would accept it right away, and I did," McKinley told BadgerBlitz.com. "I talked with Coach [Taylor] Mehlhaff and when he offered me, it took me about two minutes to say yes and accept it.”
He tweeted the offer the morning of June 27. Then on Monday, McKinley publicly announced his decision to join Wisconsin's 2020 class and is now one of two in-state players, along with lineman Sean Timmis, expected to walk-on to the football program.
With his dad also on the line, Wisconsin presented the offer.
“I was super excited, and I almost felt like I had tears come into my eyes because Wisconsin has been my dream school ever since I was a little kid," McKinley said. "so I was just super happy to get that offer.”
McKinley's father, Kevin, may have been even more ecstatic about the opportunity.
“He was almost more excited than I was because he went to school there, so he has been part of the Wisconsin family forever now," the younger McKinley said. "He’s had season tickets for a couple of years so he’s just really looking forward to seeing me play there.”
According to the 6-foot-2, 175-pound prospect, Mehlhaff, UW's special teams analyst, explained what the future looks like at his position.
“He told me what the situation was right now with how they have two junior snappers (Adam Bay and Josh Bernhagen) and one incoming freshman (Peter Bowden) and how they really liked me," McKinley said. "He told me that I wouldn’t play my freshman year, but then he still would love to have me on the team. I said yes right away.”
Rated the No. 11 long snapper in the 2020 class by Kohl's Kicking, McKinley visited Madison twice in June, participating in both specialist camps on June 9 and 23. During the first session, he earned an all-camp team honor and in the second session, he placed second in the competition out of over 50 participants.
The reason for going to both camps? To demonstrate his dedication to Wisconsin.
“Yeah I wanted to show how committed I was to their program and just how much I wanted to play there," he said.
The Wisconsin staff provide both positive and constructive feedback as well for the long snapper, who has been working at the position since seventh grade with coach Kyle Stetler of Special Teams U.
“They told me that I had to get bigger because they’re a pro-punt style team, which means the snapper goes back after they snap it, and helps block," McKinley said of UW's feedback. 'I would also have to get better at blocking, too. They said I snapped a really clean ball and had good form as well.”
About two weeks prior to Wisconsin's offer, Minnesota presented a preferred walk-on opportunity as well. He camped at Wake Forest and Duke, and also received interest from Iowa State, Harvard and Yale.
According to McKinley, a couple days after the offer and subsequent silent commitment to Wisconsin, Iowa told him that they were going to give him a preferred walk-on offer as well. Previously camping with the Hawkeyes in June as well, he notified the Big Ten West program he was committed to the Badgers.
“They asked if a scholarship offer would change my mind," McKinley said, "and I said no, that Wisconsin’s my dream school."
The current plan is for McKinley to not enroll early, but the Eau Claire product now will be able to concentrate on the upcoming football and basketball seasons.
“It’s super exciting and a big relief to finally have it over," McKinley said regarding his recruiting process. "I’m ready to get going and be a long snapper for the Wisconsin Badgers.”