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Fickell and outside linebackers coach\/special teams coordinator Matt Mitchell will not be permitted to contact high school recruits from Sunday to June 21 as part of the penalties, and the program self-imposed restrictions on communications and recruiting evaluation days in the 2023-24 academic year. The program is on a one-year probation as well. Fickell made nine impermissible calls and Mitchell 19, all of which were placed before they were allowed.<\/p>\n
Former Badgers defensive line coach Greg Scruggs has a one-year show-cause order and will be restricted from recruiting communication for two months and suspended one regular season game for his role. Scruggs left Wisconsin after the 2023 season for the same role at Michigan, but he resigned months later after being arrested for DUI. Scruggs made 71 of the impermissible calls, 55 of which were too early and 16 were calls after a permissible one.<\/p>\n
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Former Wisconsin director of player personnel Max Stienecker, who left the program this winter for a similar role at Southern Cal<\/a>, also faces a one-year show-cause order and will be restricted from recruiting communications Sunday to June 21. Stienecker made 19 impermissible calls, 14 early and five after an allowed call.<\/p>\n Five other staff members not named in the report, including three assistant coaches, a recruiting staff member and a scouting staff member, combined to make 21 early calls to recruits.<\/p>\n “Wisconsin athletics is deeply committed to maintaining the highest level of integrity and holding ourselves accountable,” the department said in a statement. “We believe in doing things the right way, no matter the consequences.<\/p>\n “The issue at hand occurred two years ago under a rule that was actively being changed and no longer exists. We identified the mistake and were proactive in self-reporting and investigating and resolving the issue.”\u00a0<\/p>\n The penalties were negotiated in a settlement between the NCAA and Wisconsin after the university self-reported the calls as a Level III violation and the NCAA argued they rose to a Level II.<\/p>\n \u201cThe violations occurred as the result of a combination of factors, including the new football staff\u2019s unfamiliarity with the school\u2019s compliance processes for recruiting and logging calls,\u201d the case report reads, \u201cplus the involved coaches\u2019 and staff members\u2019 misunderstanding of rules pertaining to recruiting calls and\/or incorrect belief that rules for recruiting calls had been lifted.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Still, the three-member committee on infractions panel judged that “persons of authority condoned, participated in or negligently disregarded the violation or related wrongful conduct.”<\/p>\n This was Wisconsin\u2019s first violation deemed major by the NCAA since 2001, when the athletic department was ruled to have violated bylaws on extra benefits for athletes. That case involved impermissible lines of credit and discounts at The Shoe Box in Black Earth.<\/p>\n Wisconsin\u2019s prompt self-reporting of the violations, self-imposed penalties, absence of major violations in the past 10 years and history of reporting Level III and secondary violations were mitigating factors in the settlement of penalties, per the report.<\/p>\n Get to know members of Wisconsin football’s 2026 recruiting class<\/p>\n Benjamin Novak \u2014 Offensive line<\/p>\n Star ranking: 3<\/p>\n Hometown: Merrillville, Indiana<\/p>\n High school: Andrean<\/p>\n Height, weight: 6-6, 310<\/p>\n Commit date: Oct. 7, 2024<\/p>\n Note: A camp and multiple visits in summer 2024 led to Novak<\/a> becoming the first offensive lineman in the class.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tayshon Bardo \u2014 Wide receiver<\/p>\n Star ranking: 3<\/p>\n Hometown: Mishawaka, Indiana<\/p>\n High school: Penn<\/p>\n Height, weight: 6-0, 185<\/p>\n Commit date: March 11, 2025<\/p>\n Note: Bardo’s Hudl page lists<\/a> that he ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash as a junior.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Carsen Eloms \u2014 Cornerback<\/p>\n Star ranking: 3<\/p>\n Hometown: Fishers, Indiana<\/p>\n High school: Fishers, Indiana<\/p>\n Height, weight: 6-0, 175<\/p>\n Commit date: April 8, 2025<\/p>\n Note: Eloms has the versatility<\/a> to play multiple cornerback positions and chose Wisconsin over an offer from home-state Purdue.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ryan Hopkins \u2014 Quarterback<\/p>\n Star ranking: 4 by Rivals, 3 by 247Sports and On3<\/p>\n Hometown: Santa Ana, California<\/p>\n High school: Mater Dei<\/p>\n Height, weight: 6-3, 195<\/p>\n Commit date: April 13, 2025<\/p>\n Note: Hopkins is the kind of big-armed passer<\/a> with a mobility threat that the Badgers are targeting in their new offense.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Maddox Cochrane \u2014 Offensive lineman<\/p>\n Star ranking: 3<\/p>\n Hometown: Richmond, Virginia<\/p>\n High school: Benedictine<\/p>\n Height, weight: 6-7, 280<\/p>\n Commit date: April 20, 2025<\/p>\n Note: Cochrane was the first offensive lineman<\/a> to whom position coach AJ Blazek extended a scholarship offer after taking the job at Wisconsin.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Aden Reeder \u2014 Inside linebacker<\/p>\n Star ranking: 3<\/p>\n Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio<\/p>\n High school: St. Xavier<\/p>\n Height, weight: 6-3, 210<\/p>\n Commit date: May 12, 2025<\/p>\n Note: Reeder plays all over the box<\/a> at the prep level, but Wisconsin coaches see him fitting as an inside linebacker in Madison.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Arthur Scott \u2014 Defensive lineman<\/p>\n Star ranking: 3<\/p>\n Hometown: Streetsboro, Ohio<\/p>\n High school: Streetsboro<\/p>\n Height, weight: 6-3, 290<\/p>\n Commit date: June 1, 2025<\/p>\n Note: Scott became the first commit<\/a> off of the Badgers first major official visit weekend of the summer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben Wenzel \u2014 Inside linebacker<\/p>\n Star ranking: 3<\/p>\n Hometown: Appleton, Wis.<\/p>\n High school: Appleton North<\/p>\n Height, weight: 6-3, 215<\/p>\n Commit date: June 1, 2025<\/p>\n Note: Wenzel was the first in-state recruit to commit to the class after an offer in May quickly rolled into the first official visit weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\n Colten Bartholomew | Wisconsin State Journal
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