Badger of Honor
Fansided

Wisconsin Football Countdown: No. 9, Travis Beckum

By Jim Oxley

facebooktwitterreddit

As the countdown to the first Wisconsin football game of the season continues, Badger of Honor is taking a look at Badgers by the numbers, checking in on a different Badger or Badgers players who wore the number corresponding with the remaining days until the Badgers head to Texas to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday, Sept. 5.

Next up in our countdown, signifying 9 days until college football is back, is Travis Beckum.

A Wisconsin tight end from 2005-2008, Beckum developed into one of Wisconsin’s most prolific receiving tight ends. His numbers rank among the best wide receivers at UW, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise as he was often split wide and used as another receiver, forgoing the traditional tight end label.

Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers /

Wisconsin Badgers

He holds the Badgers records for most yards by a tight end in a season (982 in 2007) and in a career (2,149). That number would likely have been even bigger had his senior season not been cut short by a broken leg after he had totaled just 264 yards so far that season.

Still, the 2,149 career yards is fifth-best all time at UW among all receivers, trailing only Lee Evans, Jared Abbrederis, Brandon Williams and Nick Toon.

In 2007 Beckum tied Evans’ record for most catches in a season with 75, and his 159 career receptions is the most by a Badgers tight end, and is fifth-best all-time at UW.

Beckum was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award in 2006 and a finalist for the award in 2007. He was a second team All-American in 2006 and a first teamer in 2007, and was a first team All-Big Ten selection in ’07.

Beckum was the 100th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He played in New York until 2012, and has struggled with injuries since.

Also notable:

Current Wisconsin Badgers head coach Paul Chryst wore No. 9 when he was Wisconsin’s quarterback form 1986-1988.

Who wore No. 9 first?

• Guard Frank Bucci was the first Badgers player to wear No. 9 in 1931.

Who wears No. 9 now?

• Two players currently wear No. 9 at Wisconsin. On offense, senior wide receiver Jordan Frederick wears No. 9. Defensively, true freshman Titus Booker wears the number.

Stay tuned to Badger of Honor as we continue our daily countdown in preparation of the season opener against Alabama.

Next: Wisconsin Football Experience

More from Football