Wisconsin Sports Headlines – 5/25/2020

The Latest Sports Headlines: 

>>Defensive Coordinator Expects Edge Rush Rashan Gary To Step Up In 2020

(Green Bay, WI)  —  Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine says he expects second-year edge rusher Rashan Gary to take on a much bigger role this coming season.  Pettine held a conference call with reporters Friday, telling them Gary “needs to make a big jump.”  The first-round draft pick produced two sacks, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits last year.  The departure of Kyler Fackrell and the Packers’ wish to lessen the load on Za’Darius and Preston Smith creates more opportunities for Gary.  He played 244 snaps last year while both of the Smiths were on the field for almost 900 snaps apiece.

 

>>Brewers Won’t Furlough Operations Staff Whether Play Resumes Or Not

(Milwaukee, WI)  —  Reports confirm the Milwaukee Brewers have decided not to furlough members of the team’s baseball operations staff – whether the season is played, or not.  ESPN and MLB-dot-com reported the decision first.  Those reports don’t say anything about people working in the business operations area.  Many teams have notified members of their baseball operations staff that they will be furloughed June 1st.  The Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals have committed to their baseball staffs at least through the end of June.

 

>>NBA Starts Talks To Resume Season At Disney Sports Complex

(Celebration, FL)  —  The NBA has started exploratory talks with the Disney company about playing the remainder of the current season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex starting in July.  Workers at Walt Disney World are said to be preparing some hotel spaces for the NBA and an employee has said the site is ready to host the players and officials for as long as it takes.  Questionnaires have been sent to all team owners as the league tries to come up with a feasible plan.  A conference call will be held Friday when some major decisions could be made.

 

>>Kicker Leaves UW Football Program

(Madison, WI)  —  Several sources are reporting a potential starting punter or placekicker is leaving the Wisconsin Badgers football program.  The university is expected to confirm the departure of Blake Wilcox this week.  Wilcox red-shirted last season after joining the program as a preferred walk-on from Kettle Moraine High School.  Wilcox was rated among the top-three punters and top-five kickers in the nation by Kohl’s Kicking Camp.  He was expected to challenge for the starting punter position this fall.