Wisconsin finally got outside for spring football practice. Here's what we saw.

MADISON – Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell held the seventh practice of the spring and for the first time the weather was good enough to allow the Badgers to work inside Camp Randall Stadium.

That allowed the staff to get a better look at the punters and kickers, who have spent all spring inside the McClain Center.

Here are several observations from practice on Saturday.

Badgers working on standard and rugby style punts

Jack Van Dyke and Gavin Meyers handled the punting Saturday and, as Fickell noted earlier in the week, the players worked on standard punts and rugby style punts.

“It’s versatility,” Fickell said earlier in the week when asked about adding rugby style punts. “We’ll do what our guys can do. We’re not going to shove a square peg in a round hole. (But) we want to be able to have some versatility. We don’t want to be as predictable. We’re trying to teach them something different.”

UW faces a difficult task in replacing Andy Vujnovich, who left after last season with a program record of 44.3 yards per punt in his three seasons. Vujnovich, who transferred to UW from Division III Dubuque, averaged 43.9 yards per punt last season. He placed 20 of his 63 punts inside the 20.

Quarterback Tanner Mordecai continues to impress; linebacker Jake Chaney returns from injury with a flourish

SMU transfer Tanner Mordecai, who has worked with the first offense all spring and is by far the most experienced quarterback on UW’s roster, has displayed a strong arm, accuracy and quick feet.

He has been able to hit players down the field in the seams and generally has thrown an accurate deep ball.

Mordecai hit Chimere Dike, who got behind Alexander Smith, for a long touchdown pass down the right sideline on Saturday.

Braedyn Locke, a transfer from Mississippi State, continued to run the second offense. Locke has generally been impressive but inside linebacker Jake Chaney got him for a big play Saturday.

Locke was under pressure from linebacker Tatum Grass and forced a pass over the middle. Chaney, who returned after missing several practices because of an ankle injury, made an easy interception and headed toward the end zone.

Walk-on Marshall Howe got plenty of work after Mordecai and Locke, followed by Nick Evers and Myles Burkett.

Shotgun snaps continue to be an adventure for reserve centers

The Badgers’ No. 1 center, Cincinnati transfer Jake Renfro, has been sidelined for most of the spring with a left foot/ankle injury. That has left Tanor Bortolini, Cincinnati transfer Joe Huber and Dylan Barrett to handle the snaps.

All three players have been a bit erratic and were again Saturday.

After practice, offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. had Bortolini, Huber, Barrett and guard/tackle Trey Wedig working on shotgun snaps.

“When our guys play a little bit more head-up on top of the center, it makes it a little bit more difficult,” Fickell said Thursday when asked about the snapping issues. “We’ll get better at it. I think the real fallout is the quarterback doesn’t get as much of an opportunity to go through the rhythm of things that he needs to do.”

Kickers get a chance to test their legs outside

The staff worked on field goals during one brief segment on Saturday.

Ohio transfer Nathanial Vakos missed right from 38 yards on his first attempt but was good on his second try, from 41 yards.

Nate Van Zelst, who hit 11 of 14 field-goal attempts and all 35 extra-point attempts last season, was good from 38 yards.

Gavin Lahm got the last kick and missed low and left from 42 yards.

Curiously, Vito Calvaruso did not attempt a kick during the segment.

Greg Gard visits football practice to do some recruiting

Daniel Freitag, a talented point guard and wide receiver from Jefferson Senior High School in Minnesota, attended football practice on Saturday.

Fickell recently extended a scholarship to Freitag, who will be a senior next year. To no one’s surprise, men’s basketball coach Greg Gard attended practice and spent time talking with Freitag.

Freitag is the only point guard UW has offered in the 2024 class. Freitag announced Wednesday he plans to attend Southern California Academy in the fall to focus on basketball.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin gets first outdoor spring football practice of 2023