The Wisconsin Badgers have entered a crucial but electrifying transition as a number of roster spots have opened up for this football team. Amidst the chaos in the transfer portal, the Badgers found some stability after the return of one player who turned out to be an critical element of the defense. Preston Zachman announced on social media that he will return for a sixth and final year of eligibility at Madison.
Tasks have not been completed pic.twitter.com/3daKxVcq3L
— Preston Zachman (@ZachmanPreston) December 17, 2024
Preston Zachman returns to the Wisconsin Badgers
The NCAA rules are a bit complicated. Add to that an additional year since Covid-19 is still in effect, and the situation becomes even more confusing. With that in mind, how did the Badgers manage to bring back Zachman for another season?
Zachman was listed as a redshirt senior last season. Because he lost the 2020 and 2021 seasons, he still has one final season of eligibility left to operate. The 6-foot-1 reserve could have entered the NFL draft or transferred, as many other Wisconsin Badgers players have done, but Zachman chose to stay.
Fits the Wisconsin Badgers
The former three-star recruit from Pennsylvania committed to the Wisconsin Badgers after receiving some attention prior to graduating in 2020. He became a fixture on the Badgers’ defense following the 2022 season and will play that role one final time in 2025.
Due to the Badgers’ penniless performance in 2024, the team is forced to make wholesale changes to its lineup. The defense lost players like linebacker Kamo’i Latu, linebacker Braedyn Moore, CB Jace Arnold, CB Amare Snowden and a host of other names on the defensive line.
The only remaining safety was expected to be Austin Brown, and there were many questions at that position, even with the addition of Matthew Traynor from Richmond via the transfer portal.
Now Zachman will provide the Badgers with a familiar, confident voice in the room, and they hope he can repeat his 2024 success. In total, in 2024, he provided the Wisconsin Badgers with 58 tackles, two interceptions and six pass deflections.
With much of the defense and Hunter Wohler gone, the Wisconsin Badgers will be looking for a consistent presence to aid the defense, and they may be able to do that with Zachman’s return.
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