In an interview with Chris Hall, Andrew Marlatt, senior director of operations and recruiting, stressed that the 2017 recruiting class had to be smart, tough and dependable. Across the board, the entire administration for the UW Football program agrees that the biggest concern in recruitment is to have a good fit—not only for the team, but for the individual players as well.
Head coach Paul Chryst firmly believes that this class is a great fit, and one to keep an eye on. Of the Badgers’ official 29 freshmen commits, seven came earlier this year. The rest are a mixture of scholarship and walk-on players that round out the class. However, there are a few individuals that are poised to have big impacts for UW in the coming years.
One of the most highly-anticipated incoming freshmen is quarterback Jack Coan from Sayville, New York. “Certainly as a player I love his skills he exhibits, he can throw the ball, I think he has tremendous poise and competitiveness,” Chryst told UWBadgers.com. Chryst also mentioned his tremendous work ethic, which he said makes him a perfect fit for the Badger family. Having utilized a two-quarterback system this past season, Coan throws yet another wrench into the offensive gameplan.
Another exciting addition is center Kayden Lyles, whose father played for the UW in the mid-1990s and whose brother Karé is an active Badger quarterback. Lyles said that his main interest in UW stemmed from conversations with the coaching staff, who “told me that I had to earn everything I get. And that was a challenge I wanted to face.”
One more player that the Badgers are looking forward to having next season is Danny Davis. With a dramatic and long-awaited official signing on National Signing Day, wide receiver coach Ted Gilmore said this four-star wide receiver from Springfield, Ohio, was a “good fit character-wise, and obviously a good football player. He brings his size and is a good athlete.” The coaches firmly believe that Davis will make big waves in his time at UW.
As with every year, the Badger coaches express a sincere interest in each of the 29 members of the 2017 recruiting class. But it’s clear that there are some—among them Coan, Lyles and Davis—that have a real shot at making a profound impact come fall.
