After signing the No. 1 player from Minnesota, Wisconsin's director of player personnel threw major shade at Gophers

[BleedGopher]

per Teddy:

One of Wisconsin’s crown jewels in the cycle, Minneapolis, Minnesota four-star outside linebacker Kaden Johnson joined several of his classmates in signing their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday. Following Johnson’s inking of the document, the Badgers’ director of player personnel – Saeed Khalif – used the opportunity to take a jab at the division rival Golden Gophers on Twitter:


Primarily recruited by inside linebackers coach Bob Bostad and outside linebackers coach Bobby April III, Johnson is the No. 1 player in the state of Minnesota and one of the top-15 outside linebackers in the class. He committed to Wisconsin over B1G foes Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern and Purdue.

Johnson is the third-highest rated of the Badgers’ signees, trailing only four-star offensive tackles Jack Nelson (Stoughton, Wisconsin) and Trey Wedig (Wales, Wisconsin).

After signing the No. 1 player from Minnesota, Wisconsin's director of player personnel threw major shade at Gophers

These two were the class of the B1G West in 2019.

saturdaytradition.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[upnorthkid]

In all seriousness, were those Offers commitable for Johnson? Seems like he got a bunch of late steam for Nebraska and like we heard nothing about the multiple other Big ten schools

 

[Lincoln gopher]

According to Nebraska web site, they backed off late because of another linebacker committ

 

[BilldGopher]

Since to the east only Seniors get to touch The Axe, maybe he'll never get that chance....

 

[madison]

Since to the east only Seniors get to touch The Axe

This is not true.

Meanwhile, Scott Frost spent the day Saturday with Kaden so I really highly doubt he did that and said, "whoops, sorry, your offer is off the table." And PJ and his staff were in contact with Kaden ahead of Tuesday. This is according to an article in The Athletic by a Wisconsin reporter. I don't know about the other offers.

 

[DoubleB]

wisconsin was probably his only option when he committed. pretty telling for a 4 star to be regulated to scrapping by at the last minute

I dont think he really fit into the system here but I am sure we would have liked to try but Mr. Johnson decided to go east.

 

[MplsGopher]

This is not true.

Meanwhile, Scott Frost spent the day Saturday with Kaden so I really highly doubt he did that and said, "whoops, sorry, your offer is off the table." And PJ and his staff were in contact with Kaden ahead of Tuesday. This is according to an article in The Athletic by a Wisconsin reporter. I don't know about the other offers.

He did say they backed off “late”.

 

[GophersInIowa]

This is not true.

Meanwhile, Scott Frost spent the day Saturday with Kaden so I really highly doubt he did that and said, "whoops, sorry, your offer is off the table." And PJ and his staff were in contact with Kaden ahead of Tuesday. This is according to an article in The Athletic by a Wisconsin reporter. I don't know about the other offers.

Wasn't that one of the things Orr said MN did to disrespect the axe?

 

[Bigeddysprings]

Nebraska put out over 500 offers, all highly vetted. Johnson must have been the one that they had cooled on.

 

[BilldGopher]

This is not true.

No problem being corrected.

I guess a revised thought would be hoping to see The Axe cased to the west over his collegiate career.

No ill will toward Kaden himself though. Wishing him luck.

 

[madison]

Wasn't that one of the things Orr said MN did to disrespect the axe?

No. Orr didn't like that the Axe was being rented out for events like weddings and stuff.

He did say they backed off “late”.

Well, then that's super shitty of Scott Frost, to turn around two days before signing day and say "sorry, gtfo."

In any case, Chryst said Kaden committed to him last week.

 

[Hotdish]

I will commence spamming this gif in any thread regarding Kaden. Better dead than red!

 

[salzie]

wisconsin was probably his only option when he committed. pretty telling for a 4 star to be regulated to scrapping by at the last minute

I dont think he really fit into the system here but I am sure we would have liked to try but Mr. Johnson decided to go east.

Minnesota really wanted him from everything I read, just wasn't meant to be

I wish kid no ill will, except when he plays the gophers, and even then it's limited to his team losing

 

[GophersInIowa]

No. Orr didn't like that the Axe was being rented out for events like weddings and stuff.

You're right, I went back and listened to his comments. He said Fleck lied when he said WI only allows seniors to touch the axe. The interesting thing about this is I hear WI fans still say it's true all the time. That only seniors get to touch and chop the axe. I've even seen WI fans post that on here in the past.

 

[MplsGopher]

Well, then that's super shitty of Scott Frost, to turn around two days before signing day and say "sorry, gtfo."

I for one am hoping Frost is the biggest flop in Nebraska history. Doing that would certainly seem to help that cause.

 

[fmlizard]

You're right, I went back and listened to his comments. He said Fleck lied when he said WI only allows seniors to touch the axe. The interesting thing about this is I hear WI fans still say it's true all the time. That only seniors get to touch and chop the axe. I've even seen WI fans post that on here in the past.

If it were true, it's an arbitrary and divisive "rule" that makes little fairness or sense. All the not-seniors work just as hard as the seniors. It would mean some of their very best players like Jonathan Taylor and JJ Watt would never get to touch the Axe.

TBH I would rather we didn't rent the Axe out for non-U functions either and didn't know that was going on.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

He scared.

 

[madison]

You're right, I went back and listened to his comments. He said Fleck lied when he said WI only allows seniors to touch the axe. The interesting thing about this is I hear WI fans still say it's true all the time. That only seniors get to touch and chop the axe. I've even seen WI fans post that on here in the past.

It's a common misconception. But I mean there was a big picture in the Strib of Jonathan Taylor holding the Axe. We all know Taylor isn't going to be with Wisconsin next year, but he's still not a senior.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

You're right, I went back and listened to his comments. He said Fleck lied when he said WI only allows seniors to touch the axe. The interesting thing about this is I hear WI fans still say it's true all the time. That only seniors get to touch and chop the axe. I've even seen WI fans post that on here in the past.

The whole story of what the actual rule was and etc is kinda silly anyway. Whatever rule there was.... was probabbly just as much about rhetoric as was PJ's speech and all meant to elevate the Axe's importance.

It's all the same thing.

 

[WriterGoph]

It's a common misconception. But I mean there was a big picture in the Strib of Jonathan Taylor holding the Axe. We all know Taylor isn't going to be with Wisconsin next year, but he's still not a senior.

Don't you have your own board to post on? If we needed Badger insight, we'd go to an incest chat group on the darkweb.

 

[Panthadad2]

Funny how Fadger general trolling of Minnesota has increased exponentially recently. Gratifying.

 

[GoldenRodents]

!W#%X%*!

 

[Pompous Elitist]

Win some, lose some.

Kaden didn’t want to be part of the school. Big deal. The bigger question in my mind is why Wisconsin seems to produce 4 star offensive linemen every year while the rate seems far lower in MN. Grade inflation and tip of the hat to U of Wisconsin’s development ability or is this a real phenomenon?

 

[upnorthkid]

Don't you have your own board to post on? If we needed Badger insight, we'd go to an incest chat group on the darkweb.

Necessary /s

 

[Gophs24]

This is not true.

Meanwhile, Scott Frost spent the day Saturday with Kaden so I really highly doubt he did that and said, "whoops, sorry, your offer is off the table." And PJ and his staff were in contact with Kaden ahead of Tuesday. This is according to an article in The Athletic by a Wisconsin reporter. I don't know about the other offers.

they got a higher rated OLB commit on Sunday. we will never know....but for all we know Frost could have told him "hey we are taking one more OLB in this class and we arent holding the scholly for you"

and the complete opposite could be possible as well. Kaden could have told frost that he wasn't coming so Frost moved on and hard sold the last OLB spot to the kid that committed on Sunday


regardless...Kaden is a huge get for the Badgers. I was surprised to see that they had 5 OLB commits in this class. So to have 4 already committed and they still took Kaden tells you how highly they think of him.

 

[paulser21]

Win some, lose some.

Kaden didn’t want to be part of the school. Big deal. The bigger question in my mind is why Wisconsin seems to produce 4 star offensive linemen every year while the rate seems far lower in MN. Grade inflation and tip of the hat to U of Wisconsin’s development ability or is this a real phenomenon?

We have them here but maybe not quite at the rate that Wisconsin does. I mean look over the last few years at what Minnesota has produced but hasn't been able to land. Ragnow, Hassenhauer, Benhart, Carroll, Mahlman (perhaps will flip, time will tell). Granted I went back a ways but we have them here, just need to get them in the boat.

 

[GophersInIowa]

It's a common misconception. But I mean there was a big picture in the Strib of Jonathan Taylor holding the Axe. We all know Taylor isn't going to be with Wisconsin next year, but he's still not a senior.

What I've been told many times by WI fans is it's seniors but they make an exception for a junior that is more than likely not returning like Taylor.

 

[salzie]

What I've been told many times by WI fans is it's seniors but they make an exception for a junior that is more than likely not returning like Taylor.

I've heard only seniors touch the axe many times too

 

[madison]

What I've been told many times by WI fans is it's seniors but they make an exception for a junior that is more than likely not returning like Taylor.

Tight end Jake Ferguson had the Axe and so did safety Eric Burrell. Neither one is going pro and neither one is a senior.

I don't know where stories like this get started. They probably let seniors do most of the chopping because it's the last chance they'll have to hold the Axe, but there's certainly no rule about only seniors getting to hold it.

 

[salzie]

Tight end Jake Ferguson had the Axe and so did safety Eric Burrell. Neither one is going pro and neither one is a senior.

I don't know where stories like this get started. They probably let seniors do most of the chopping because it's the last chance they'll have to hold the Axe, but there's certainly no rule about only seniors getting to hold it.

well maybe after last year they changed hte rule since a good senior class didn't get to touch axe and they realize they most likely won't dominate the rivalry every year for eternity anymore