Tag: Spencer Lytle

A former Wisconsin linebacker picks his next school

A former Wisconsin linebacker picks his next school

Former Wisconsin linebacker Spencer Lytle officially has his next destination. Lytle appeared in 15 games over three seasons as a Badger. The California native spent 2020-22 with the Badgers, and will now be heading back to his home state.

Lytle announced he is headed to Stanford. The former Badger mentioned that Stanford has been his “dream school.”

Lytle excelled in the classroom at Wisconsin, and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. “Beyond thankful to receive an offer from my dream school,” the former Badger said in a Twitter post. “With that being said, I am also committing to Stanford University to finish out my athletic career and education.”

Projecting Wisconsin’s 2020 Spring Defensive Depth Chart

Who will open up on Wisconsin’s spring depth chart on the defensive side of the football?

Wisconsin’s defense in 2020 will be missing not only two key players but also two key leaders to not only the defense but the entire team. Those two players being 2019 team captains outside linebacker Zack Baun and inside linebacker Chris Orr. Despite Wisconsin losing Baun and Orr to graduation the Badgers still return an impressive nine starters from last year’s defense.

In this Badgers Wire feature, we project what the spring depth chart on defense will look like when the Badgers open up spring practice.

Projected Spring Depth Chart Defensive Line: DE 1. Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand, 2. Matt Henningsen and Isaiah Mullens NT 1. Keeanu Benton 2. Gio Paez

Loudermilk and Rand were able to stay healthy over the course of their redshirt junior seasons and as long as they stay healthy they have established themselves as starters at the defensive end positions. Henningsen used last year’s spring practice to put him in a position to have a terrific redshirt sophomore season. If Henningsen can put together a productive spring like he did in 2019 should allow him to take another step in his development. Mullens appeared in 13 games mostly on special teams as he registered one tackle. With backup defensive end David Pfaff graduating he’ll have a chance in spring football to show why he deserves to be apart of the defensive line rotation. At nose tackle, Keeanu Benton will be going through his first spring practice and will receive plenty of valuable practice reps as Bryson Williams could miss all of spring football as he continues to recover from his left leg injury that he suffered this past season. If Williams can’t go that will mean more reps for redshirt freshman Gio Paez as it will be critical that he takes advantage of his reps.

Projected Spring Depth Chart Linebackers: OLB 1. Noah Burks and Izayah Green-May, 2. Spencer Lytle and Jaylan Franklin ILB 1. Jack Sanborn and Leo Chenal 2. Mike Maskalunas and Maema Njongmeta

Christian Bell would’ve had a chance at competing for one of the starting outside linebacker positions opposite of Noah Burks but instead elected to transfer. That leave’s Green-May as the likely starter opposite of Burks when Wisconsin opens spring football. Green-May initially started the 2019 season as a starter but suffered a right arm injury early in the season, which caused him to miss time. Green-May was able to put together a productive fall camp and the practice habits he developed last year will need to continue if he wants to establish himself as the starter once again. Outside linebackers coach Bobby April will also give Franklin and Lytle a look as a starter opposite of Burks. Making it an important spring for both of them as the Badgers look for a starter who can complement Burks. Wisconsin may lose Chris Orr at middle linebacker but the transition between Orr and Leo Chenal should be a smooth one. Chenal gained valuable experience last year as he played as a true freshman. Chenal will receive plenty of reps over spring football and he should be able to take a nice step in his development. Maskalunas will be Chenal’s top competitor for the other starting inside linebacker position as he’s been serviceable during his time at Wisconsin. Njongmeta redshirted last season and will be going through his first spring practice.

Projected Spring Depth Chart Cornerbacks: 1. Faion Hicks and Rachad Wildgoose 2. Caesar Williams and Semar Melvin

Hicks has been a regular starter at cornerback for Wisconsin the past two seasons and that shouldn’t change heading into spring practices. Wildgoose and Williams started eight and seven games respectively a season ago. The trio has been Wisconsin’s most consistent group of cornerbacks. Semar Melvin is coming off a redshirt season but he was able to take advantage of the redshirt rule by playing in four games without burning a year of eligibility. Melvin was up and down, which is understandable but the reps he does receive during spring practice will be invaluable as he looks to build off of his freshman season. Jim Leonhard will also likely rotate in Donte Burton and Deron Harrell too as the starters at cornerback or with the second string cornerbacks too.

Projected Spring Depth Chart Safety: FS 1. Eric Burrell, 2. John Torchio SS 1. Reggie Pearson, 2. Collin Wilder

Wisconsin Football Season Review: Outside Linebackers

How well did Wisconsin’s outside linebackers play during the 2019 season?

Wisconsin finished its fifth season under head coach Paul Chryst as Chryst improved his overall record to 52-16 and has a posted a 34-10 record in conference games. After not winning the Big Ten West Division title in 2018 the Badgers were back in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship game as the West representative for the fourth time in the last six years since the Big Ten went to its current format.

In this Badgers Wire feature we will examine the play of Wisconsin’s outside linebacker from the 2019 season and take a sneak into what the 2020 season may have in store for the position:

Zack Baun was simply terrific for Wisconsin’s defense in 2019. If the Badgers were going to be improved as a defense the Badgers were going to need Baun to deliver.

Baun certainly did and then some as he finished his season leading the team in both tackles for loss (19.5), sacks (12.5), and quarterback hurries (10) as his 76 tackles ranked third on the team.

With Baun having such a strong season he was able to earn First team All-Big Ten and earned All-American honors as well.

Most importantly with Baun being dominant at times the Badgers were going to need someone opposite of him at the other outside linebacker position to take some pressure off of him.

Initially, that responsibility appeared that it was going to go to redshirt sophomore Izayah Green-May as he won the other starting outside linebacker position out of fall camp. However, Green-May suffered an injury early on in the season causing him to miss the game against Central Michigan.

With Green-May out with a right arm, injury opened the door for Noah Burks. Burks took his starting opportunity and ran with it as he finished out the season as the starter along with Baun.

Burks finished the year with 36 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups, and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown.

Green-May only ended up playing in 10 games finishing the season with five tackles and a sack. Wisconsin also relied on at times at the outside linebacker position in Christian Bell and Tyler Johnson the two combined for 11 tackles and each had a sack.

With Baun consistently getting in opponents, backfields was one of the reasons why the Badgers were able to average 3.3 sacks over conference play, which ranked second. Creating that pressure on the outside also led to forcing quarterbacks to hurry up their decision making process in the pocket. As Big Ten quarterbacks completed an average of 50.3 percent (145-for-288 of their passes as that percentage was the second-lowest over Big Ten play.

2020 Wisconsin Outside Linebackers
Losing Baun to graduation hurts but Burks was able to make some nice strides between his redshirt sophomore season and redshirt junior season. Burks will need to continue to develop and take that next step in order to continue to find ways of getting in opponents backfields. Although it wasn’t the season Green-May was anticipating after he won the starting outside linebacker job out of fall camp he’ll need to continue to add weight and strength in order to hold up over Big Ten play. The Badgers will also need to see the continued development out of redshirt sophomore Jaylan Franklin and redshirt freshman Spencer Lytle as both will be counted on to take on a bigger role in Wisconsin’s defense. True freshman Nick Herbig enrolled early at Wisconsin, which will allow for outside linebackers coach Bobby April the chance to start working with one of Wisconsin’s prized recruits on the defensive side of the football.