Heading into fall camp, all eyes will be on Wisconsin’s new-look offense under first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Engram, who comes to UW after eight seasons as an assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens.
UW, which has never been known for its passing game, has seen a steady decline in production each of the last two seasons – forcing head coach Paul Chryst to make changes to reinvigorate a sputtering Badgers offense.
In addition to learning a new offense, Wisconsin’s QB1, Graham Mertz, returns just 36.9% of his total targets from 2021, according to Pro Football Focus.
Without the trio of Jake Ferguson, Danny Davis, and Kendric Pryor, who accounted for 110 of Wisconsin’s 177 total catches last season, UW will rely upon several of their young, inexperienced wide receivers to step up and become contributors in 2022.
Entering fall camp, junior WR Chimere Dike is the odds-on favorite to become the No. 1 WR for Mertz and the Wisconsin Badgers.
As a sophomore, he was targeted 32 times and had 19 catches for 272 yards and a touchdown. According to PFF, eight of Dike’s 19 catches were contested, 14 of which went for first downs.
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) August 1, 2022
“The game is just slower for me,” Dike told UW’s, Mike Lucas. “I have played a lot of football at this point, and I know how to win on different routes. The speed of the game has slowed down, so I can process things easier. The game feels more in my control, and I feel like I can dictate what happens more.”
As the elder statesmen in the Badgers WR room, there will be ample opportunities for the 6-foot-1, 195-pound wide-out to showcase his talent in coach Engram’s new offense.
The Waukesha, Wisconsin native played just over 88% of his snaps from the slot in 2021; however, I believe we’ll see Dike moved all over the field to try and create matchup problems for opposing defenses and keep them guessing.
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) August 1, 2022
The early sentiment regarding coach Engram’s offense is that it will spread the field to utilize its playmakers better and won’t rely heavily on winning one-on-ones.
Instead, there will be opportunities to get Dike the ball in space using screens, drags, and crossers, allowing him to use his run after the catch ability to create more explosive plays for the Badgers.
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) August 1, 2022
I will not be shocked if the junior wide-out gets force-fed the ball to get the passing attack going this fall – giving the Badgers their first true WR1 since Quintez Cephus.
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) August 1, 2022
— Badger Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) August 1, 2022
Who steps up behind the former Waukesha North standout is anyone’s guess at this point.
Skyler Bell, Keontez Lewis, Markus Allen, and Dean Engram seem well-positioned to see meaningful snaps this fall. Each player offers upside, but it’s important to note that other than Dike, no WR on the UW roster has caught more than three career college passes, leaving the door wide open for competition to see the field.
Coach Whitted has combined a unique blend of size and playmaking ability in his re-tooled WR room. The Badgers’ new offense, which needs more from its passing attack in 2022, will benefit from having a true No. 1 option like Dike to build around.
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