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Wisconsin's Luke Fickell gives injury updates on Gideon Ituka, Danny O'Neil
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- Wisconsin's Luke Fickell gives injury updates on Gideon Ituka, Danny O'Neil
MADISON – Injuries could sideline two notable Wisconsin football players for the foreseeable future.
On Thursday, Jan. 8, Luke Fickell said he is planning as if running back Gideon Ituka will not be available for the 2026 season. The Badgers coach also said the soonest he expects quarterback Danny O'Neil to be cleared to play is fall camp.
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Both players suffered season-ending injuries in November.
Ituka, who emerged during the second half of the season, was carted off the field with his neck restrained Nov. 15 at Indiana after taking a hard hit during the second half. He didn't play in the final two games of the season.
The Badgers have been working the transfer portal in the event that Ituka cannot play. The team received commitments from two running backs so far: Abu Sama from Iowa State and Bryan Jackson from USC.
O'Neil, who started three games and played in three others, suffered a leg injury during the first quarter against Washington Nov. 8. Fickell said Thursday that the injury was to O'Neil's Achilles tendon.
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UW is working to bolster the depth of its quarterback room, too. In addition to Colton Joseph , who committed Jan. 4, the Badgers are searching for a second QB from the portal. As it stands the team has four healthy QBs: Joseph, rising redshirt freshman Carter Smith , rising redshirt sophomore Milos Spasojevic and incoming freshman Ryan Hopkins. In 2025 the Badgers had five quarterbacks on the roster.
More: Wisconsin football transfer portal tracker: Badgers cap Day 6 by adding veteran safety
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin's Luke Fickell shares updates for Gideon Ituka, Danny O'Neil
