Examining Wisconsin’s tight end position group as the Badgers begin spring football practice.
Spring football allows for head coach Paul Chryst to not have to worry about preparing for a game. Instead, it allows him to teach the game of football and continue to develop the players on Wisconsinâs roster as they prepare for the 2020 season. Chryst will have 15 practices beginning March 22 to help his team improve and build on what they accomplished during the 2019 season.
In this Badgers Wire feature, we will break down the tight end position for Wisconsin as it heads into spring practice.
Spring Tight End Roster
Clay Cundiff (redshirt freshman), Jack Eschenbach (redshirt sophomore), Jake Ferguson (redshirt junior), Gabe Lloyd (redshirt senior), Hayden Rucci (redshirt freshman), Coy Wanner (redshirt junior)
What we know going into spring practice
Wisconsin was hit hard by injuries a season ago but the Badgers entering spring practice are healthy, which will give tight ends coach Mickey Turner and Chryst a much better idea of what they have at the tight end position.
Ferguson was able to build off of his successful redshirt freshman season as his 33 receptions and 407 receiving yards ranked second on the team a season ago. Considering how much Wisconsin relied on Ferguson a season ago as a receiver and a blocker and what he still was able to accomplish within Wisconsin’s offense is impressive.
Ferguson was able to improve as a blocker as he was more consistent in this area and spring football will once again serve as an opportunity for him to better his all-around game as he tries to prove why he’s one of the better tight ends in the Big Ten.
After Ferguson, it is a bit of an unknown. The Badgers have some talented options as it is a matter of the rest of the tight ends starting to put it together and spring will be important for the entire tight ends room development.
One of the bigger obstacles for each tight end in Wisconsin’s program they face is learning the blocking responsibilities. If the younger tight ends on Wisconsin’s roster can demonstrate consistency in this area they’ll set themselves up for the right to earn reps when the Badgers do begin fall camp.
What we hope to find out following spring practice
Growth from the position and whether or not Turner and Chryst feel like the tight ends were able to improve over the course of spring football.
The tight ends are a big part of Wisconsin’s offense and the need for them to be consistent in the passing game, in addition to blocking is critical for the success of Wisconsin’s offense.
Although there are unknowns behind Ferguson, Hayden Rucci and Clay Cundiff will get plenty of opportunities over spring football. Rucci brings a toughness to the tight end position as he’s demonstrated his ability to block and catch and Cundiff needs to continue to improve as a blocker.
It is a matter of Rucci and Cundiff shoring up their weakness while continuing to improve on where they have had success. They will have plenty of opportunities to continue to get better as there is time to be earned on the field and the play by those two will be important in the success of Wisconsin’s tight ends.
Another tight end to keep an eye on is redshirt sophomore Jack Eschenbach who will be going through his second spring practice.
Eschenbach received some time a season ago during the nonconference portion of the schedule because of the injuries at the tight end position. As Wisconsin coaches like the potential of Eschenbach. He still may be a year away from being a contributor but because of his size as he’s listed at 6’6″ and 224 pounds could become a threat down the road but he needs to continue to add strength to his frame in order to hold up over conference play.
