Mason Posa made a bold promise after the Minnesota loss

It's hard to find hope after watching Wisconsin win only four games and lose to its rival, Minnesota, for the second straight year. There wasn't much to give Wisconsin fans optimism in the game, or even afterward, as the postgame press conference wasn't particularly inspiring. However, true freshman star linebacker Mason Posa did give a confidence-boosting quote, and it came in the form of a bold promise.

He said, "Next year, I promise you, and I swear by it, we're gonna change this program. It is going to be a winning program." He isn't just blowing smoke; he believes it, and his optimism should inspire Wisconsin fans. There is some hope coming, but it's all in the youth on this team and what Luke Fickell does in the portal.

The young players are working to give Wisconsin fans hope for next season

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It's not just the quote that's amazing, but it's who said it. The future of this program is on the back of players like Posa. He's a current star but also a future star for a university that has produced countless NFL linebackers.

The hope for the future has a lot to do with the young core. Mason Posa is a star as a true freshman linebacker. There's also Cooper Catalano, Eugene Hilton Jr., Carter Smith (wasn't great today, but the tools are there), or redshirt freshmen Dilin Jones, Gideon Ituka, Emerson Mandell, and truly even punter Sean West.

That's the future, and yet, and more importantly, Luke Fickell has to go to the transfer portal to bring in stars, especially at quarterback. This team could not move the ball at all this season and finished the year as one of the worst scoring offenses in ALL of the FBS. Not just the Big Ten but all of D-I football.

That work starts now, Fickell. Right now.