When the Wisconsin Badgers took the field in Iowa City last weekend and faced the Hawkeyes they were without top offensive playmakers running back Jalen Berger and wide receivers Kendric Pryor and Danny Davis.
Berger was a late scratch from the game while both Pryor and Davis have been battling injuries all season. The result of their absences, obviously, was yet another lackluster offensive performance and the team’s third straight loss.
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When the team’s game-week depth chart was released, the two wide receivers were listed but Berger was not, as his extended absence appears to be due to testing positive for COVID-19.
No Jalen Berger on the #Badgers’ depth chart…looks like another week of Watson and Groshek (Pryor and Davis are both listed but that’s happened when they missed games too) pic.twitter.com/V7xSZCT08l
— Ben Kenney (@benzkenney) December 15, 2020
Just because Pryor and Davis were on the two-deep, though, doesn’t mean they’ll be healthy to suit up against Minnesota tomorrow.
Paul Chryst gave an update on the status of both wide receivers during his game-week press conference yesterday.
“They haven’t done a ton,” Chryst said. “So they’re not ruled out but haven’t done a ton.
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The two wideouts have played a total of five games this season and their absence has caused the offense to struggle mightily.
It has been a challenging year on many fronts, including a delayed start to the season, a COVID-19 outbreak within the program and injuries to key players.
A win against rival Minnesota will do a lot to change the narrative surrounding the year, though sings currently point towards the Badgers taking the field on Saturday without their two key upperclassmen wide receivers.
They aren’t ruled out just yet, but their chances of playing aren’t looking good at this point.