Wisconsin Football News: Badgers Hire RB Coach, Engram Transferring, More
It's been a busy couple of days for the Wisconsin football program, ladies and gents, but fear not because BadgerNotes can help get you back up to speed with a roundup of some important news you may have missed.
Wisconsin Hires Fast-Rising FCS Assistant as RB Coach
With only the running back coaching vacancy remaining, the Wisconsin Badgers have reportedly found a fit.
According to FootballScoop, Luke Fickell is hiring Devon Spalding, who worked for him as a grad assistant at Cincinnati, as the new running backs coach, after spending the last three seasons at Youngstown State.
Spalding's considered a fast riser in the coaching ranks, having wrapped up his playing career in 2018. Last season, he coached RB Jaleel McLaughlin, who ran for 1,588 yards and was named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, honoring the FCS's top offensive player.
As a team, Youngstown State averaged 202.6 yards per game, marking the second consecutive season it eclipsed 200+ yards per contest.
Barring any unforeseen changes, Luke Fickell’s coaching staff is now finalized.
Wisconsin Loses Dean Engram to the Transfer Portal
One day after teasing a switch to defensive back in 2023, WR/DB Dean Engram entered the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining.
The 5-foot-9, 170-pound WR flashed in 108 snaps, catching 13 passes for 152 yards. According to Pro Football Focus, Engram finished with a 69.5 grade for the 2022 season, which was second among Wisconsin wide receivers.
In 2021, Engram started five games at DB, appearing in 13, and registered 20 tackles, three pass deflections, two pressures, and an interception, primarily as a nickel cornerback. Additionally, he finished with a 70.1 grade (good), according to PFF.
He'll now look for a fresh start after several productive years with the Wisconsin football program. Engram should be an appealing target on the transfer market because of his versatility.