Wisconsin Badgers: Quick Receiver Placed on 2025 Polynesian Player of the Year Award Watchlist

A top returning Wisconsin Badgers receiver has made an initial watchlist for the top award given out to Polynesian players each year.

The Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award is given out to the top Polynesian athlete at the end of each season. The award was created in 2014 and even has a specific committee whom have selected notable winners such as Marcus Mariota, Ronnie Stanley, Tua Tagovailoa (twice chosen as an honoree), Penei Sewell, Talanoa Hufanga, and most recently Tetairoa McMillan.

Among the players under early consideration for the award during the upcoming 2025 season is Wisconsin Badgers receiver Trech Kekahuna, a former three-star recruit. Kekahuna has quietly become a potential crucial part of the Wisconsin offense and was included in the initial 81 players watchlist for the award.

Kekahuna is joined by fellow Big Ten Conference athletes Nico Iamaleava (UCLA), Olaivavega Ioane (Penn State), Iapani Laloulu (Oregon), Sione Laulea (Oregon), Makai Lemon (USC), Jayden Maiava (USC), Jacob Manu (Washington), Titus Mokiao-Atimalala (UCLA), Alani Noa (USC), Dylan Raiola (Nebraska), Logan Sagapolu (Washington), Justin Tauanuu (USC), Siale Taupaki (UCLA), Teitum Tuioti (Oregon), Matayo Uiagalelei (Oregon), and Keanu Williams (UCLA).

Wisconsin Badgers Receiver Trech Kekahuna Makes Early Polynesian Player of the Year Award Watchlist

Between subpar quarterback play and plenty of other receivers on the roster, both the Wisconsin Badgers and the rest of the college football world has yet to see the best version of Kekahuna on the field. During the 2025 season, however, Kekahuna will be someone the team relies on and an improvement in production seems almost guaranteed for the receiver.

A season ago, Kekahuna began to carve out more of a role for himself on the team and played 212 snaps as a slot receiver. Kekahuna could be a weapon in the slot during the upcoming season given his 5-foot-10-inch stature and elite speed.

Additionally, Wisconsin did not utilize option, trick, motion, or gadget plays nearly as much as new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes is willing to. Opposing defenses were able to clearly tell when the Badgers were doing so last season and often blew up such plays. Grimes, however, aims to bring a healthy balance of run, pass, and option plays to the offense which should allow Kekahuna to increase his production purely from a usage standpoint.

Grimes tends to run an offense that targets the slot receiver first over the outside/boundary targets in an effort to get rid of the ball quickly. Last season with Kansas, slot receiver Luke Grimm saw his targets jump from 44 the season prior with a different coordinator to 80 in his lone season with Grimes. Two seasons ago with Baylor, Monaray Baldwin had 71 targets which led the team by 14.