WIll Pauling 2024

Football Andy Baggot

Baggot: Five things to know - Badgers welcome Coyotes

Wisconsin hosts South Dakota on Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. kick at Camp Randall

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A year after the Wisconsin Athletic Department inducted a 300th member overall to its hall of fame, it moved two steps closer to adding its 100th football player. Linebackers Tarek Saleh and Donnel Thompson are part of a 12-person class that will be honored at halftime of Saturday's non-conference game with South Dakota at 2:30 p.m. at Camp Randall Stadium.

Saleh, the school's all-time leader in sacks and tackles for losses, and Thompson, who helped captain the Badgers to back-to-back Big Ten Conference titles and Rose Bowl victories, are the 90th and 91st inductees, respectively, from a program that debuted in 1889.

The 12 honorees will be formally added at a ceremony Friday night at the Hamel Music Center, including Adam Burish (men's hockey), James Dunkleberger (men's track and field), Mark LaPorta (men's soccer), Gina Panighetti (women's swimming), Marija Neubauer-Pientka (women's tennis), Meaghan Mikkelson-Reid (women's hockey), Alex Rigsby-Cavallini (women's hockey), John Jagger (men's hockey), Pete Waite (volleyball) and Herb Kohl (donor).

Here are five more things to know as UW (1-0 overall) looks to try and improve to 3-0 overall against the Coyotes (1-0): 

QB Tyler Van Dyke led the Badgers to a 28-14 win over WMU in his first start at Wisconsin

COMPARING NOTES

Here's how senior quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, a transfer from Miami (Fla.) who was 21-of-36 passing for 192 yards with no interceptions and no TDs in a 28-14 win vs. Western Michigan, compared with other notable transfer quarterbacks in their UW debuts: 

Tanner Mordecai (Southern Methodist) was 24-of-31 for 189 yards with one TD and two interceptions in a 38-17 win over Buffalo in 2023

Danny O'Brien (North Carolina State) went 19-for-23 for 219 yards with two TDs and zero interceptions in a 26-21 win over Northern Iowa in 2012

Russell Wilson (N.C. State) was 10-for-13 for 255 yards with two TDs and zero interceptions in a 51-17 win over Nevada-Las Vegas

Alan Evridge (Kansas State) was 7-for-10 for 75 yards with one TD and one interception in a 38-17 victory over Akron

Darrell Bevell (Northern Arizona) was 11-for-17 for 142 yards with three TDs and two interceptions during a 39-18 win over Bowling Green in 1992. 

OL Joe Brunner and the rest of the offensive line played physically in Wisconsin's win over WMU

CONSERVATIVELY SPEAKING

The last time the Badgers won a game where they didn't generate a pass play or run from scrimmage of at least 20 yards was in 2019 when they faced Northwestern at Camp Randall. UW knocked off the Wildcats 24-15 even though its longest run covered 15 yards and its longest throw went for 19 yards. Wisconsin won its season-opener vs. Western Michigan 28-14 even though its longest run was a 12-yarder by redshirt sophomore running back Cade Yacamelli and its longest pass play was a 17-yard pickup from Van Dyke to senior slot receiver Will Pauling.

DL Don Davey was inducted into the UW Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010

QUITE THE EFFORT

Speaking of accomplished UW football players, Don Davey will be in Madison this weekend with a to-do list sure to make the average soul gasp. He will take part in his 14th Ironman on Sunday – his fourth in Wisconsin – then travel to Milwaukee where he'll embark upon the inaugural Tour De Wisconsin, a week-long, 700-plus-mile bike ride around the state that will help raise money so children of Gold Star families can attend a therapy camp called "Operation Healing Hearts.'' Davey starred for the Badgers from 1987 to '90 – he was voted most valuable player by his teammates as a senior and was a rare four-time Big Ten All-Academic team choice – before being chosen in the third round of the '91 NFL draft by Green Bay. He later played for Jacksonville, retiring in 1998. He was a UW Athletic Hall of Fame inductee in 2010. Davey has a daunting goal when it comes to the Ironman. He wants to keep at it until he's 90. "I'm serious,'' he said.

Freshman CB Xavier Lucas grabbed an INT in his Badger debut last Friday night

TWO TRUE STANDOUTS

Of the 30 true freshmen on the opening day roster for Wisconsin, two saw action against Western Michigan: Cornerback Xavier Lucas, whose acrobatic interception in the fourth quarter all but sealed the victory for UW, and right tackle Kevin Heywood.

RB Chez Mellusi found the end zone in his return from a 2023 season-ending injury

YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO KNOW

The Badgers had 388 yards of total offense in Week One. Going back to 1990, they averaged above that total 17 times and finished below it 17 times, including a Big Ten title-winner in 1998, an 11-win season in 2016 and a 10-win showing in '15.

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Jaheim Thomas posed

First & 10 with LB Jaheim Thomas

 

Is there a book that’s had a significant impact on your life??

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid.’’ I read it a lot when I was younger. I will always read it over the summer. I’ve been into those books for a long time. They helped me during my childhood."

What’s your favorite thing that you like about you?

“I’m determined. I’m determined to accomplish my dreams and my goals and get them regardless of my situation.”

What’s your worst habit?

"Gaming. I game a lot."

What are you good at besides football?

“I’m a big roller skater. I like to roller skate a lot.”

How do you deal with stress?

“I like to listen to music. I like to journal. I put things down on paper and that helps me a lot.”

What’s something people would never guess just by looking at you?

“I’m a conspiracy theorist. I mean a real big one. (My most outrageous are) everyone in government are reptilians; they’re like aliens. And the moon landing was fake.”

What’s the best gift you’ve ever given someone?

"Probably when I got a tattoo of my mom’s name on my right arm. She was really proud of that. Her name is Lisa."

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

"When I got my first car from my parents. It was a real old one – a 2004 Buick – but I was just happy to have wheels to get me places."

What’s the biggest favor you’ve done for someone?

“One of my friends, Tyler Scott – he plays for the (Chicago) Bears – I drove him to go see his girlfriend. I was living in Cincinnati at the time and she lived in Lexington, Kentucky. We came back (that night) because we had practice the next morning. It’s about an hour-and-30- minute drive.” 

An item on your bucket list?

“Buying my parents a house someday.”

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2024 Schedule

Wisconsin hosts three games at Camp Randall to start the 2024 season

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