5 takeaways from Wisconsin football's 10th spring practice: Tyler Van Dyke on the mark
MADISON – Wisconsin football is down to five spring practices after the team worked on the grass field north of Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday.
Neither coaches nor players were available for interviews, but here are some highlights/observations from the session that lasted about 2 ½ hours.
Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke shows off the strong arm that intrigues team's staff
Working with his fourth offensive coordinator in the last four years, Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke has suffered through some inconsistency so far this spring.
Van Dyke made several impressive throws Saturday and showed the ability to fit the ball into tight windows.
His most impressive stretch was a three-play sequence in which he completed passes to Quincy Burroughs, Trech Kekahuna and freshman Kyan Berry-Johnson.
On the throw to Burroughs, Van Dyke fit the ball between safety Braedyn Moore and cornerback Jace Arnold.
On the throw to Kekahuna, Van Dyke fit the ball between linebacker Jaheim Thomas and nickel cornerback Owen Arnett.
On the throw to Berry-Johnson, Van Dyke rolled to his right and threw an accurate ball on the move.
Reserve cornerback Amare Snowden shows progress in one-on-one work
Cornerback Amare Snowden, who will be a redshirt freshman next season, has struggled in coverage so far this spring.
Snowden, 6-4 and 208, often has been beaten off the line of scrimmage during a drill featuring the defensive backs going one-on-one against the wide receivers.
Cornerbacks coach Paul Haynes said recently that Snowden’s biggest challenge is to improve his foot quickness. Once Snowden is beaten off the line, he struggles to recover. By contrast, Snowden flourishes if he can successfully jam the receiver at the snap because of his size and long arms.
Snowden put together two solid reps during the drill Saturday.
On the first play he maintained tight coverage against Tyrell Henry, a transfer from Michigan State, and was able to break on the ball for an interception.
On the second play he stayed on the hip of walk-on Davion Thomas-Kumpula and broke up the pass.
Those plays didn’t come against UW’s top wide receivers, but they represented progress.
Transfer cornerback RJ Delancy III continues his solid play
Cornerback RJ Delancy III, who transferred to UW from Toledo, began working with the No. 1 unit on Tuesday.
During the one-on-one drill Saturday, Delancy had tight coverage against Burroughs on a deep route and was able to bat the ball away for an incompletion.
On his next chance, Delancy was beaten on a deep route by Vinny Anthony II. The ball was a bit underthrown, however, and Delancy recovered beautifully to intercept the pass.
That play drew congratulations from Haynes.
Outside linebacker Aaron Witt suffers a minor setback, unrelated to his foot injuries
Outside linebacker Aaron Witt, who was out for almost three full seasons because of persistent issues with his right foot, is out again.
Witt was a spectator Saturday with his right arm in a sling. He had been getting work with both the No. 2 and No. 1 units.
According to a UW official, Witt is expected to miss the remainder of spring ball but be ready for preseason camp.
Joey Okla, former Arrowhead standout, takes in UW practice
On April 9, Joey Okla announced on social media he planned to transfer from Illinois with three seasons of eligibility remaining.
On Saturday, the offensive lineman from Arrowhead High School was at UW’s practice.
Okla was an all-state performer as a senior in 2021. He redshirted at Illinois in 2022 and played in one game last season.
UW’s staff is looking to add depth on the offensive line and Okla, who plays on the interior, could be a perfect fit.
Plus, the 6-2, 320-pounder wore shorts to practice Saturday. The temperature was 40 degrees.
More: Riley Nowakowski suddenly the veteran among the tight ends
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 5 takeaways from Wisconsin spring practice: Tyler Van Dyke on the mark
