Fox Sports Wisconsin released their Wisconsin Badger 2010’s all-decade defensive team yesterday and I’m here to run through their…
Fox Sports Wisconsin released their Wisconsin Badger 2010’s all-decade defensive team yesterday and I’m here to run through their selections.
Defensive end: J.J. Watt, Alec James
Though Watt only played one season during the 2010-2019 decade he is an easy selection for this list. Here’s their thought process of including Alec James on the list:
With linebackers schemed to make the majority of plays in a 3-4 defense, James still managed to put up decent numbers. From 2016-17, he had 85 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and even five passes broken up. Not too shabby for a position not destined for a lot of production.
Defensive tackle: Beau Allen
Wisconsin Badger and Philadelphia Eagle legend Beau Allen was the quintessential Badger nose tackle and went on to win a Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2017. Nothing bad to say about this selection.
Their paragraph on Allen:
Playing in Wisconsin’s 4-3 defense in 2011-12, Allen combined to post 13 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. When the Badgers moved to a 3-4 in 2013, Allen fit right in. Even though nose guards don’t put up the numbers in a 3-4, Allen still had 20 tackles, two TFL and 1.5 sacks in his final year.
Outside linebacker: Vince Biegel, Joe Schobert
Here is my first minor problem with this list. For me at least, T.J. Watt is an easy selection and should be on the team with Schobert.
Here’s their explanation:
Biegel was a three-year starter who finished with 191 tackles, 39.5 tackles for loss and 21 sacks. In 2014, he had 16.5 TFL and 7.5 sacks and the next season 14 TFL and eight sacks. Bigel was named to the All-Big Ten teams each of his three seasons as a starter. Schobert was, simply put, a playmaker at linebacker. In 2014 he recorded 13.5 TFL, three sacks, seven passes broken up and two forced fumbles. He followed that up in 2015 with 19.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks, an interception, three PBU and five forced fumbles en route to being named the Big Ten linebacker of the year and to numerous All-America teams.
Inside linebacker: Chris Borland, T.J. Edwards
Easy selections.
Borland played in both Wisconsin’s 4-3 and 3-4 defenses – and thrived in each. From 2011-13 he produced 359 tackles, 37.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, two interceptions, 15 passes broken up and 10 forced fumbles. He had at least 104 tackles in each of those years. In 2013, Borland became the first Badgers linebacker to be named a first-team All-American since 1951. A four-year starter, Edwards did everything. He stopped the run, could play in coverage and even get after the quarterback. He finished with 367 tackles, 37.5 TFL, eight sacks, 10 interceptions, 25 passes broken up and two forced fumbles.
Safety: Michael Caputo, D’Cota Dixon
No disagreements here, though seeing these names being the best the team had last decade gets the blood pumping when thinking about how good the duo of Hunter Wohler and Braelon Allen will be in the coming years, but that’s aside from the point.
Here’s what they had to say about the two safeties:
Caputo:
Just a tenacious player, Caputo played strong safety his senior year but started at free safety as a sophomore and junior, so that’s where we’re placing him. From 2013-15, Caputo had 234 tackles, including 10 for loss, with three interceptions, 20 passes broken up and four forced fumbles. His 2014 season was one for the ages for a Badgers safety – 106 tackles, six TFL, 7 PBU and four fumble recoveries.
Dixon:
Here at FOX Sports Wisconsin we love a safety who can hit and cover. Caputo fit that bill. So did Dixon. From 2016-18, Dixon recorded 158 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, five interceptions, 15 passes broken up and three forced fumbles. Injuries did limit him, but that kind of production – not to mention some leveling tackles – gives him the nod.
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