The south end zone keeps fans connected to the action in the stands rather than separated into a luxury box. Bryce Richter

At the end of the UW football team’s 2021 home schedule, the athletic department sprang into action. Shortly after staffers cleaned out the last of the debris following the Badgers’ victory over Nebraska, crews moved in and began deconstructing and reconstructing Camp Randall’s south end zone, aiming to have the stadium ready for play again when the 2022 season began nine months later.

In spite of supply chain issues that affected many construction projects, Camp Randall met its schedule. The firm JP Cullen completed its work just ahead of deadline, and the Badgers unveiled their new seating section when Illinois State arrived on September 3. Well, mostly.

“We had one set of basically 150 chairs that were not here for the first game,” says senior associate athletic director Jason King, “but we were able to rent chairs temporarily. And I don’t think, frankly, anyone knew [the correct chairs] weren’t there.”

The south end zone adds a new section of premium seating to the stadium, an area that keeps fans “inside the bowl,” in King’s terms — connected to the action in the stands rather than separated into a luxury box. The new section also connects Camp Randall to the Field House so that fans can experience both of the UW’s historic sports facilities at the same time.

“People are impressed by the Champions Club Bar, which really ties the Field House into the space,” King says. “The backdrop to the bar is actually the facade of the Field House. And above it are the windows that allow you to see from the bar area into the Field House.”

King notes that fans seem intrigued by the new south end zone, but many will have to experience it from afar. Season tickets sold out this year.

YouDub Marketplace is helping players like Badger football’s Graham Mertz navigate the new landscape of college athletics after the NCAA adopted a policy to allow student-athletes to profit from their use of name, image, and likeness. Jeff Miller

Good news, Wisconsin sports fans: you can now book your favorite Badger.

In April, UW athletics launched the YouDub Marketplace, where businesses and Badger fans alike can pitch profitable opportunities to UW student-athletes. The online marketplace is helping players and the public navigate the new landscape of college athletics after the NCAA adopted a new policy to allow student-athletes to profit from their use of name, image, and likeness (NIL).

While companies can use the platform to arrange formal sponsorship and advertising deals, fans can pitch any concept — a social media shout-out, an autograph, a special appearance — at a starting rate of $30. The student-athlete then has seven days to review the pitch. UW athletics recently partnered with Altius Sports Partners, an NIL education firm, to provide guidance to student-athletes. The players also have access to free campus resources, including legal advice and contract review from the UW Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic and business coaching from the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center.

YouDub Marketplace visitors are greeted with a photo grid of Badger student-athletes, and clicking on each profile brings up a biography, links to social media accounts, and a list of personal interests. Quarterback Graham Mertz x’23’s profile displays his personal logo and his interest in food, gaming, and music. Volleyball star Devyn Robinson x’24’s profile notes she’s a pet owner.

The marketplace, developed by NIL technology company Opendorse, is one of the first of its kind in college athletics.

UW Marching Band director Corey Pompey ushers in a new era for the Badger Bash at Union South. Bryce Richter

Fifty years ago, Badger Bash — the ultimate pregame festivity for Wisconsin football fans — was born.

When the original Union South opened in 1971, former Wisconsin Union manager Merrill “Corky” Sischo noticed a sea of Badger fans passing through the building for food and drinks before home football games. He connected with Mike Leckrone, then the fresh-faced director of the UW Marching Band, and together they threw the first official Badger Bash outside Union South in 1972.

The event started as a low-stakes opportunity for the marching band and pompon squad to warm up in front of a small audience. But by 1974, more than 3,000 fans were packing Union South’s grounds. They came for increasingly razzle-dazzle performances as well as brats and beer. In the early years, the event extended to after the game, with polkas and jazz by the Doc De Haven ’58 band in the Carousel room.

“As the crowd continued to grow, the performance became more ‘formulated’ but was still very relaxed,” Leckrone said shortly before his retirement in 2019.

Today, Badger Bash’s recipe largely remains the same. The free tailgate begins two and a half hours before every home football game, hosted by local celebrity emcees. Classic Wisconsin tailgate fare is still served, alongside more than 100 food and beverage options. (Bloody Mary bar, anyone?) The marching band, UW Spirit Squad, and Bucky himself take the stage around 90 minutes before kickoff with a preview of the halftime show and a plentiful helping of hip-swinging UW hits. The event is rounded out with kid-friendly activities and rivalry-related competitions. And fans without a ticket to the game can stick around and watch on the big screen at The Sett.

Badger Bash has become so beloved that the new Union South was practically built for it. The southwest plaza is roughly double the size of its predecessor, and architects specifically designed the space to accommodate the band’s staging needs.

In 2019, Corey Pompey made his public debut as the marching band director at the home-opening Badger Bash. The band delighted the crowd with the usual Badger hits, including the “Beer Barrel Polka.” But Pompey also introduced contemporary songs from the likes of Adele, The Killers, and Cardi B. Welcome to the new era of Badger Bash.

Fortunately, the former Badger football star and native of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, seems up to the task. Measured and even-keeled, McIntosh isn’t fazed by change. He welcomes it.

“I’m really proud of the way our staff and our administration have worked through this change,” says McIntosh, who returned to the UW in 2014 after a successful business career and quickly rose through the administrative ranks. “I’m even more proud of the way our student-athletes have dealt with it. They’re the ones who are the most inspiring out of this.”

What has been your approach to dealing with all the uncertainties?

Our focus is to embrace the change. Don’t resist it. Advocate for what we think is most important, which is education. And then seek opportunity to enhance our program in ways that we couldn’t have prior to this change.

The graduation rate of student-athletes is more than 90 percent. What is the department doing to maintain that level of academic success?

We talk about coming to the University of Wisconsin as a 40-year decision, not a four-year decision. The experience that our student-athletes have here within their sport and within the classroom are two major components of it. But then there’s this other dimension, which is the human being. And we’ve got an incredible team of people who help position our student-athletes to be successful in the long game, in their lives and in their careers.

Last year was a difficult one for men’s basketball coach Greg Gard, culminating in a leaked locker room recording of senior players criticizing him. You stuck by him in the aftermath. Why was that the right decision?

I’ve been on some successful teams that have had difficult conversations throughout the year. I think it’s a healthy thing when players feel comfortable having real conversations. Those are closed-door meetings, meant for the team and for the coaches. It was an incredible breach of trust that those conversations were shared. And I thought it was important to support Coach Gard through that. He’s done a great job turning that experience into something that has helped this team achieve their success.

In December, the women’s volleyball team won its first NCAA title. How did you feel watching that five-set championship match?

My short answer is that it was torture. I’m kidding, obviously, but there were very few moments of those games that were comfortable. And that’s because it was competition at its highest. It was everything you could have asked for in a volleyball match. I was so happy for the players and for the coaches and for our staff. There have been so many sacrifices made, so many decisions over the course of years and years that have led to the culmination in winning a national championship. And I was just moved to be there and to witness the joy they experienced.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Title IX legislation. What do you see as its lasting impact on college athletics?

It would have been impossible for me, a long time ago as a student-athlete, to appreciate the impact of Title IX. It’s not impossible for me now as a father of three, including two daughters. My oldest is going to go play college volleyball next year [at Colorado State]. My youngest daughter, who’s a sophomore, aspires to do so. And my wife, Deann [’99], was an athlete here in our rowing program. So it’s personal to me. I’ve talked a lot about what access to a world-class education did in terms of developing me as a person and what it meant for the trajectory of my life. And Title IX has made that opportunity available to tens of thousands of women athletes here who are just as deserving.

In your introductory press conference, Chancellor Rebecca Blank talked about the Wisconsin way and the charge to maintain that culture here. How do you define that phrase?

In its simplest form, it’s about being successful in the classroom and competitive in our sport programs. And it’s as much about doing it the right way. That means doing it with integrity as an extension of this university. It’s shepherding a program that has been here for a long time before I came along and will be here for a long time after I’m done.

How do you think the NCAA’s new NIL policy has played out here?

I think it’s been very healthy, and I’m really supportive of it. It’s been a great opportunity for our student-athletes to capitalize on these new flexibilities. It’s a great learning experience for them, one they can take with them once they leave here. We continue to enhance our programming so that they can both be successful and avoid some of the pitfalls that may exist.

You’ve helped to develop the new Department of Clinical and Sport Psychology. Why is supporting the mental health of student-athletes important to you?

Mental health is just as important as physical health. It’s only been relatively recently that it’s been treated that way. And it’s the right thing to do. I’ve been public about my own experience here as a student-athlete. It was taboo to admit [mental health issues]. If you were talking to somebody or seeking help, you didn’t want it to be found out. And I’m proud of the fact that’s not the case today.

Did you receive any advice from former Athletic Director Barry Alvarez that sticks with you today?

Barry has always been there for me, in different ways, in different roles. All I have to do is pick up the phone and give him a call. The first question that Barry would always ask in every decision is, “What’s best for the kids?” And I don’t think that asking that question will ever serve us wrong.

Bradie Ewing ’12 is among more than 60 former walk-ons who have pledged some $700,000 to support this brotherhood of Badger alumni. David Stlukka/UW Athletics

Wisconsin football is known for having a strong walk-on program that is integral to its success, and now this brotherhood of Badger alumni have united to support students who are following in their footsteps.

Scott Young ’95, who walked on as an outside linebacker for the Badgers from 1991 to 1995, called on his fellow former walk-ons to provide funds to help players who don’t benefit from athletic scholarships. Bobby Adamov ’99, Steve Baffico ’96, Chris Maragos ’10, Bradie Ewing ’12, Matt Davenport ’99, Joe Schobert ’16, and Mark Tauscher ’99, MS’03 were some of the first to jump on board, and the fund grew quickly, aided by the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association’s own David Gilreath ’21, a former Badger football standout who went on to play in the NFL.

Tauscher says the donors were motivated by the powerful impact that their UW–Madison experience had on both their on- and off-the-field success. “I think we all just took a ton of pride in the fact that we were able to make a difference on the football team and moving forward,” he says. “What was awesome was that so many guys were excited about doing something to give back to the university in a way that was really personal to them.”

More than 60 former walk-ons — now joined by former scholarship players — have pledged some $700,000 to support non-scholarship players, many of whom find remarkable success on the field. (See “Walk-Ons: Despite the Odds,” from the Fall 2015 On Wisconsin.)

Young, who is now senior vice president–wealth management for UBS Financial Services in Greenwood Village, Colorado, says that Wisconsin is the only NCAA football program in the country with a scholarship organized by former players for the benefit of current walk-ons. Gifts have come in from gridiron athletes who attended over the past 40-plus years.

The walk-ons fund was recently merged with another scholarship fund created in honor of the late Father Mike Burke, who served as the team’s chaplain for some 30 years. Burke “was so meaningful to all of us,” says Young. “He was the officiant for more than 100 players’ weddings [during his tenure]. We absolutely love Father Mike.” The merging of the two funds into one, now called The Walk-On Scholarship in Honor of Fr. Mike Burke, has also prompted gifts from many former scholarship players.

The donors hope to create a perpetually endowed scholarship to provide a full ride for one deserving walk-on player each year. “It’s going to change a kid’s life,” says Young. Coach Paul Chryst ’88 will announce the winner at a football practice, and Young hopes to have many donors present when a student “who will be so much like us” learns the good news. “The room is going to explode when that kid gets that scholarship,” he says. “This is paying it forward and giving back.”

The Badger football team’s high-tech mouthguard will measure details such as speed, impact, direction, force, location, and severity.

Researchers at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health are partnering with the National Football League to study on-field head impacts in order to reduce injuries at the professional and collegiate levels. They will collect data from high-tech mouthguard sensors used by the Badger football team that measure details such as impact speed, direction, force, location, and severity.

Insights gleaned from the data will help decrease head impacts and inform the NFL’s approach to injury reduction. UW football players have the opportunity to opt in to the NFL’s novel program.

“Reducing the risk of sport-related concussions is a priority for athletes, coaches, and health care providers alike,” says Daniel Cobian ’06, PhD’10, assistant professor of orthopedics and rehabilitation and co–principal investigator for the study. “The more we learn about sport-related concussions, the better we can protect our student-athletes from these injuries and maintain a desirable balance between the benefits of sport participation and the risk of injury.”

Data collected from athletes will be anonymized and analyzed by the NFL Players Association’s independent engineering experts and affiliated consultants. UW researchers will also get a statistical analysis that can help the Badger football team advance player health and safety.

The NFL launched the mouthguard sensor program in 2019.

“We are excited to establish this partnership with not only nationally recognized collegiate football programs that have a direct pipeline to the NFL,” says Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, “but also with esteemed research universities to expand the universe of inputs from which we can draw conclusions and develop recommendations for how to make the game safer.”

Camp Randall Stadium’s new south end zone will allow fans to enjoy luxury seating while also soaking up the legendary “bleachers” vibe, rather than sitting behind glass. Wisconsin Athletics

In Camp Randall’s south end zone, fans have long sat in the shadow of the Wisconsin Field House. Soon, ticket-holders in that section will have a closer relationship to the Field House, and a more luxurious place to sit.

The Camp Randall south end zone improvement project kicked off right after the 2021 football season ended, and when complete, it will offer what senior associate athletic director Jason King calls a “premium experience” that keeps fans connected to the rollicking action in Camp Randall’s bleachers.

“What we heard from [our fans is that] they were looking for an outdoor premium experience [where] you could feel like you’re a part of the game action,” King says. “Right now, virtually all of our premium opportunities are behind glass and aren’t a part of the bowl. The new south end zone project is primarily open airspace. You’re going to be in the seating bowl.”

Originally built in 1917, Camp Randall is the fifth-oldest college football stadium in the country. This will be at least its eighth significant renovation, though the first since 2005 and only the second to cut down on the number of seats: the south end zone project will reduce capacity by more than 3,000 seats to create the new section.

“Reducing the total number of seats in the stadium is, frankly, a trend in college athletics right now. More people are wanting a premium experience,” says King, adding that the new south end zone will offer a variety of improved views and amenities. “There will be loge boxes, outdoor ledge seating, [and] multiple club spaces. On the very top level, there’s a large terrace space.”

That loge level ties in with one of this project’s unusual aspects: it will unite the stadium with the neighboring Field House.

“You’ll actually be able to go back and forth through [what are now the Field House] windows,” King says. “We’ll be able to use the Field House on football game days and use Camp Randall on volleyball and wrestling game days.”

Construction should be complete prior to the 2022 football season.

McIntosh: “We will capture opportunity, and we will adapt.” Jeff Miller

It’s clear that Chris McIntosh ’04, MS’19 is prepared for change.

“We will embrace the change that comes our way, and we will capture opportunity, and we will adapt,” said the UW’s new athletic director during his introductory press conference in June.

McIntosh, previously Barry Alvarez’s right-hand man as deputy athletic director, assumes leadership of the Department of Athletics at a time of great uncertainty in college sports. Pressured by state laws, the NCAA is easing restrictions on a student-athlete’s ability to profit from his or her name, image, and likeness. The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled against limiting education-related benefits for student-athletes and signaled skepticism about the NCAA’s amateurism model.

It was McIntosh’s realistic assessment of such challenges that helped him rise to the top of a national search for the athletic director position, according to Chancellor Rebecca Blank.

“He is uniquely positioned to continue our proud traditions of success on and off the field and doing things ‘the right way,’ ” Blank said. “Chris will build upon those traditions and has a strong vision for leading the program during a time of change in college athletics.”

McIntosh’s ties to the program run deep. He played offensive tackle for the Badger football squad in the late 1990s, serving as captain for consecutive Rose Bowl–winning teams. A first-round draft pick, McIntosh retired early from the NFL because of a neck injury. He launched several successful startups before returning to the UW in 2014 as the associate athletic director for business development. Promoted in 2017, he began overseeing the day-to-day operations of the department under Alvarez while earning a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy analysis.

“He epitomizes the transformational power of the student-athlete experience at Wisconsin,” the retiring Alvarez said in a statement. “He loves the Badgers and will put out everything he has into building upon the foundation that has been established.”

For all the talk of change, McIntosh made it clear that one thing will remain consistent. “Education will be the top priority of our department,” he said.

And he made a promise to every UW student-athlete.

“I will always put you first. Always,” he said. “No matter where you are from, what sport you play, scholarship or walk-on, it doesn’t matter — we are part of the same family. The student-athlete experience here at Wisconsin can be transformational. Those that take full advantage of that opportunity are served for the rest of their lives.”

Mertz embraced mindfulness after facing adversity in his young college career.

Graham Mertz x’23 is a meditator.

The Badgers’ star quarterback became a true believer as a redshirt freshman, after he threw for five touchdowns and completed 95 percent of his passes in last season’s opener against Illinois. The next morning, he tested positive for COVID-19 — and that’s when he put his meditation skills to use.

“You can’t control everything in life,” he says. “But when you get handed a situation, you can control your response.”

This off-season, Mertz worked closely with Chad McGehee, UW athletics’ director of meditation training, to study mindfulness more deeply. Each morning, he practices a 10-minute “body scan” to check in with himself, clear his mind, and ease into the day. These techniques, he believes, will improve his control of split-second reactions to events that unfold on the football field and in everyday life.

“It’s like having an anchor during a game that can bring you back to that steady mindset,” Mertz says. “You can never control the first thing that happens, but you can control the second thing that happens and respond to that.”

Mertz may not have embraced mindfulness so fully if it weren’t for all the adversity that he’s faced in his young college career.

A four-star prospect, Mertz was the highest-rated quarterback to come to Wisconsin since the start of online rankings in 2000. ESPN scored him the top pocket passer in the nation among the 2019 recruiting class. But the hype went on hold, as Mertz sat behind quarterback Jack Coan ’20 and had to redshirt his first season.

“I had expectations,” Mertz acknowledges, “but I also knew that I wasn’t ready for them. You have to be honest with yourself and know, ‘All right, this is what I want to do, but I also need to do the work to do it.’ ”

Mertz was ready to put in that work the following spring, but the pandemic paused all football activities for months. His second season seemed in peril altogether, with the Big Ten originally postponing fall sports. But the conference reversed its decision, and in the rapid ramp-up to a shortened season, Mertz showed enough progression to earn the starting job.

His record-breaking debut against Illinois captured the football world’s attention. He showed a certain swagger — a near-shocking sight for a Wisconsin quarterback — while tossing one precise dart after another. NFL star Patrick Mahomes wrote on Twitter: “That man @GrahamMertz5 going crazy tonight!”

But by morning, that was old news once Mertz received his COVID-19 diagnosis. Facing rising rates of positive tests on the team, the UW canceled its next two games.

Mertz never recaptured the magic when play resumed. He admits now that he suffered an unreported shoulder injury during the first quarter of his return against Michigan, and it required rehab throughout the season. After routing the Wolverines, the team lost three consecutive games. A win against Minnesota to end the regular season salvaged a bowl-game appearance for the Badgers, leading to a 48–28 victory over Wake Forest. But Mertz largely struggled with consistency, finishing the year with nine touchdowns and five interceptions in seven games.

“Honestly, it wasn’t anything close to where I want to be,” he says.

Wisconsin coaches have faith in Mertz’s ability to improve with more reps — indeed, they believed in the Kansas native before most others. He arrived on Coach Paul Chryst ’88’s radar when he attended a summer camp at the UW as a freshman in high school. But he didn’t start a game until his junior year, when he transferred to Blue Valley North in Overland Park. In his first game, he threw for 256 yards and six touchdowns. After his third game, Wisconsin offered him a scholarship — just the second program to do so. He visited campus and committed a few days later in October 2017.

“The second I walked into Camp Randall, I was just like, ‘All right, this is the whole thing. This is education. This is athletics. This is life after school and after football. This is everything I want,’ ” Mertz says.

But that was only the beginning of his recruiting journey. After Mertz led his team to a state championship and dazzled at summer camps, all of college football’s powerhouses came calling, including Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State. He received 100 texts per day from recruiters. Some rivals tried to sour him on Wisconsin, weaponizing the program’s run-first philosophy.

“That’s not a valid argument for a quarterback,” Mertz told the Athletic in 2018. “You need to run the ball to be able to throw the ball.”

Eventually overwhelmed by the attention, he shut down his recruitment and honored his original commitment. He credits the Wisconsin coaching staff for establishing trust and staying authentic throughout the process. “They never told me what I wanted to hear,” he says. “They always told me the truth.”

Now entering his third year in Madison, Mertz is focused on the “extreme details.” In addition to his mental training, he spent the off-season working on his pocket footwork and tempo.

Asked about his goals for the upcoming season, he responds: “It’s simple — win every game. I have it on my whiteboard at home. It says win. That’s all I’m looking to do.”