Fullback John Chenal said he and inside linebacker Leo Chenal have been put against each other in every one-on-one drill possible. It started when they were kids playing flag football, but when Leo joined the University of Wisconsin football team one year after John, coaches went out of their way to match up the pair.
John and Leo went up against each other in a collision-based, head-to-head drill early in this year’s fall training camp. The matchup didn’t draw a crowd – practice was still in full swing – but the cheers from other teammates were louder than any previous one-on-one.
The Chenal brothers don’t have a running tally on their matchups.
“I’m not going to comment on who wins all the time,” John said. “It’s like 50-50 who wins. It’s always fun when the team gets around like, ‘Oh, who’s going to be the big brother today?’”
Division I football bonds teammates together, but so does growing up in the same house. The Badgers have three sets of brothers on their roster – the Chenals, Ruccis and Sanborns. Playing a high-level sport poses its challenges, but it also offers some benefits. Members of the team often say they consider themselves family members, but adding in actual siblings only deepens the idea.
Sibling antics
Freshman offensive lineman Nolan Rucci strolled into practice Aug. 18 sporting a new haircut. The UW freshmen each year are subjected to crazy new hairstyles to “earn their stripes.”
Some players had a new set of actual stripes buzzed into their hair, but Nolan lost everything but the tail end of his mullet. His older brother, sophomore tight end Hayden Rucci, couldn’t help but laugh at the new style.
He then made sure to point out his freshman year haircut was worse than his “little” – Nolan has 4 inches on his older sibling – brother’s new look.
As soon as the whistle blows, it’s all seriousness for the Ruccis. They said they like to keep the sibling rivalry off the field.
“I remember I was standing back at practice and I found myself coaching (offensive) tackle, giving pointers to Nolan,” Hayden said. “I was like ‘Whoa, I don’t play tackle, I play tight end.’”
It’s a bit different when you’re a freshman and your brother is a senior. Bryan Sanborn cannot catch a break when it comes to his brother’s teasing – on or off the field. Bryan said Jack always comments on what his younger brother is wearing. It can be a completely normal outfit, but he’s going to poke fun.
If it’s not clothes, it’s hand placement. Bryan said Jack often catches when his hands are in the wrong place.
“He’s still my younger brother, so I’m going to pick on him,” Jack said of his fellow inside linebacker. “But I’m also going to be there for him. Just like I’m going to pick on all of the freshmen occasionally. At the end of the day, I love them all.”
Bryan doesn’t get to tease his “big dog” first-string older brother nearly as much as he gets picked on.
Brotherly perks
Bryan Sanborn and Nolan Rucci came into their first training camp with an advantage – brothers who had been through it before. There’s a benefit to having a family member present to help make the adjustment from high school to college.
Jack remembers how grateful he was to senior players when he was a freshman, and he wants to return the sentiment. Jack is helping his brother in any way he can, from making sure Bryan is on time to helping him learn the playbook.
“Every time I make a mistake, he’s the first one that’s there to correct me,” Bryan said. “He’s been a great teacher for me right now just being a young guy, having him with how special of a player that he is and just absorbing all the information that he has, the knowledge of the game. I’m just taking it all in like a sponge.”
Nolan said he leaned on all of the older players, but especially his brother, when training camp got overwhelming.
“If I have any questions, concerns, anything like that, even life advice, he’s there for me,” Nolan said. “I don’t think I would have had that anywhere else.”
Badgers family
Leo Chenal said he and John always were together growing up, that it just felt right for him to continue his relationship with his brother at the collegiate level. The innate trust Leo has with his brother allows him to take criticism and improve.
“You push each other more than you would another teammate,” Leo said. “Just because we know exactly what our weaknesses are, we know what irritates each other, so we’re always going to be competitive no matter what. And then it’s a whole other level of competitiveness with each other.”
Hayden and Nolan Rucci are three years apart. They only played one year together in high school, which left Hayden itching for a chance to sport the same jersey again as his brother.
When it came time for Nolan to decide his collegiate team, Hayden said he wouldn’t let his younger brother pick any school but UW. Nolan said Hayden opened his eyes to more than the style of play.
“When I saw Hayden with the guys in his class and just seeing them be such good friends, it really drew me in,” Nolan said. “And it drew some new recruits in, too. We just have to keep adding to the brothers.”
UW commits Barrett Nelson and Joe Brunner have brothers on the team, too.
Senior inside linebacker Jack welcomed his brother, freshman Bryan, onto the team this year. The Sanborns play the same position, so Jack said he tends to nitpick Bryan’s performance.
Jack doesn’t hold back on helping the other players even though they aren’t related.
“You just want everyone to succeed,” Jack said. “I’m not out here only looking out for Bryan, I’m looking out for everyone. I want all of the young guys … to do well. I’ve got blood, but I’ve also got a few hundred (brothers).”
Whether related by blood or not, all six players agreed it’s a Badgers family.
“Every single person here loves each other like they’re their own brothers,” Bryan said. “Having a blood-related sibling on the team, yeah we’re actually brothers, but every single player on this team is brothers. And we’d do anything for each other.”
