Tag: Wisconsin football news

Badgers PFF grades: Top 5 offensive players from loss to Michigan State

Here’s a look at the top 5 highest graded offensive players from Wisconsin’s loss to MSU, according to Pro Football Focus:

Interim head coach Jim Leonhard and the Wisconsin Badgers (3-4, 1-3 Big Ten), who were seven-and-a-half point favorites, failed to win back-to-back games for the first time this season, losing a 34-28 heartbreaker in double-overtime at Spartan Field on Saturday afternoon.

Just one week removed from Wisconsin’s best offensive performance of the season, the Badgers reverted to who we thought they were, mustering 283 total yards (131 passing, 152 rushing) on a mere 4.5 yards per play.

Sophomore running back Braelon Allen, who was without his partner in crime, Chez Mellusi, was asked to carry a significant load on Saturday to the tune of a career-high 29 carries for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

The offensive line, however, was a disaster against MSU, allowing five pressures while also picking up five penalties – three of which belonged to left guard Tanor Bortolini.

Coach Leonhard has his work cut out for him moving forward because the program needs an offensive identity – and fast.

Here’s a look at the five highest-graded offensive players from Wisconsin’s loss to Michigan State, according to Pro Football Focus.

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Michigan State Spartans game recap: Everything we know

Wisconsin #Badgers vs. Michigan State game recap:

Interim head coach Jim Leonhard and the Wisconsin Badgers (3-4, 1-3 Big Ten), who were seven-and-a-half point favorites, failed to win back-to-back games for the first time this season, losing a 34-28 heartbreaker in overtime at Spartan Field on Saturday afternoon.

Sputtering offense, losing the turnover battle, getting penalized eight times for 72 yards, and consistently poor tackling isn’t a recipe for success – who would have thought?

One week after Wisconsin’s best offensive performance of the season, the Badgers took steps backward, mustering 283 total yards (131 passing, 152 rushing) on a mere 4.5 yards per play.

Wisconsin’s defense lacked identity, gave up several big plays through the air, and allowed 389 total yards of offense on 5.9 yards per play.

According to Pro Football Focus, Wisconsin’s defense had 13 missed tackles – which isn’t going to cut it.

The program’s odds of winning a Big Ten West title seems out the door at this point, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but a bowl game isn’t a guarantee, either.

Here’s a recap of Wisconsin’s road loss to the Michigan State Spartans:

ESPN’s FPI projection for Wisconsin’s contest vs. Michigan State

Wisconsin enters Saturday’s contest vs. Michigan State as seven-and-a-half-point favorites:

The Wisconsin Badgers (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) enter Saturday’s road contest against the Michigan State Spartans as seven-and-a-half-point favorites and are looking to stay hot after a convincing 42-7 win over Northwestern this past week. 

Ahead of Saturday’s matchup, ESPN’s FPI model gives Wisconsin an 52.5% chance of winning on the road against the Spartans in East Lansing. 

This projection makes a lot of sense. Despite it being a road contest, both teams have endured their fair share of struggles this season – but neither are lacking talent. I anticipate a pretty even matchup between the two programs. 

For Wisconsin, I’d love to see the Badgers come out and play with the same energy they did last weekend and continue building on it as they push for a Big Ten West title (someone has to win it). 

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Former five-star OT Logan Brown enters the transfer portal

A Wisconsin Badgers reserve OT has entered his name into the Transfer Portal:

Madison, Wis. — On Wednesday evening, Wisconsin Badgers offensive tackle Logan Brown, whose been with the program for the last four seasons, announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal.

“To Wisconsin Football, thank you for the opportunity for the last 4 years,” Brown said in a post on social media. “I will be entering the transfer portal and will be continuing my academic and football career elsewhere.”

This decision comes shortly after former head coach Paul Chryst, who recruited Brown, was fired by Athletic Director Chris McIntosh.

Per the 247Sports composite, Brown was the No. 17 overall prospect in the 2019 recruiting class, the No. 4 OT in the country, and the No. 1 player in Michigan.

This season, the former five-star recruit was given every opportunity to earn the starting job at right tackle. Still, inconsistent play, specifically in pass protection, kept him from ever cementing his place among the top five offensive linemen.

According to PFF, the 6-foot-6, 313-pound tackle played 209 snaps and allowed a team-high four pressures this season.

Redshirt freshman Riley Mahlman won the RT job out of fall camp, and in-state product Trey Wedig appears to have surpassed him on the depth chart as well – closing the door on any immediate opportunities. 

A fresh start seems to make the most sense for both sides at this point.

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Wisconsin releases week 7 injury report for contest vs. Michigan State

Seven players are ruled out, and six others are listed as out for the season in Wisconsin’s injury report for week 7 vs. Michigan State:

Madison, Wis. — On Monday, the University of Wisconsin released its official injury report ahead of its week seven matchup vs. the Michigan State Spartans. 

The unranked Wisconsin Badgers (3-3) are coming off an impressive performance against Northwestern in Jim Leonhard’s first game as head coach. Still, UW has seven players ruled out due to injury against Michigan State and six others listed as out for the season.  

It seems as though Wisconsin loses a significant contributor just about every week, which held true yet again—this time, losing senior running back Chez Mellusi, the Badgers’ No. 2 RB behind Braelon Allen.

UW will need as many healthy bodies on the field as possible this weekend as the Badgers look to keep things rolling under coach Leonhard and push for a Big Ten West title.

Here is a look at Wisconsin football’s injury report for Week 7:

Film Room: A look at the wrinkles Jim Leonhard added to Wisconsin’s offense

Film Room: @DillonGraff look’s at the new wrinkles Wisconsin added to the offensive playbook. #Badgers

Wisconsin Badgers interim head coach Jim Leonhard took over the program on short notice and quickly acknowledged that the offense needed to make some adjustments – as not to beat a dead horse.

Making said adjustments seems easy on paper, but doing this during week six of the college football season gives little time to overhaul what the team has been running since spring and fall camp began.

Before his first game as head coach, Leonhard asked his offensive staff to find a way to manufacture touches for the team’s best playmakers and make them more dynamic.

“We have to play off our passing game,” said Leonhard. “Teams are going to stop the run. They are going to load the box and dedicate a lot of attention to our running backs and o-line. We have to be able to balance that a little bit.”

Bobby Engram heard this message clearly and answered the call, producing a season-high 515 total yards (322 passing, 194 rushing) and scoring 42 points on 7.6 yards per play.

During the 42-7 throttling of Northwestern, anyone with two eyes could see that things looked much different, specifically as it pertained to the offense.

With the proverbial handcuffs removed, the coaching staff added several wrinkles on offense that kept the Wildcats off-balance all afternoon and accentuated the strengths of UW’s best weapons.

Graham Mertz threw for 299 yards and five touchdowns, Braelon Allen rushed for 135 yards with a passing touchdown, and Chimere Dike caught 10 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns.

If I had told you that would be the outcome after the Illinois game, you would have thought I was using illicit drugs – and I wouldn’t have blamed you.

Wisconsin’s top playmakers had a field day against Northwestern and, to the untrained eye, played loose, confident, and fast, a stark contrast from the offense we’ve watched over the past couple of seasons.

Let’s take a look at a few of the unique offensive installations implemented against Northwestern:

See where PFF ranked Graham Mertz among Power 5 QBs in week 6

Pro Football Focus took notice of Graham Mertz’s big day in Evanston last weekend:

This past weekend in Evanston, Wisconsin, Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz put on an absolute clinic against Northwestern.

He completed 20-of-29 passes to seven different receivers for 299 yards and five touchdowns, becoming the first Wisconsin QB in school history with multiple five-touchdown performances.

The Kansas native was also credited with three “big time” throws and completed 14 passes for first-downs.

In addition to everyone else, PFF also noticed Mertz’s standout performance on Saturday – grading him out at 90.1, which qualifies as elite for those who aren’t familiar with their grading scale.

According to PFF, this was the highest-graded performance among all Power 5 QBs for week six – ahead of C.J. Stroud, Jason Bean, Bo Nix, and Cameron Rising.

It will be interesting to monitor Mertz’s gameplay under Jim Leonhard as the season progresses, but the early returns have been more than promising.

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Interim head coach Leonhard provides an update on safety Hunter Wohler

Jim Leonhard gave an update on injured safety Hunter Wohler on Monday:

Wisconsin Badgers starting safety Hunter Wohler sustained a leg injury in the season opener against Illinois State and has been on the shelf ever since.

During interim head coach Jim Leonhard’s weekly media availability, he mentioned that Wohler hasn’t practiced yet, but has done significantly more in his rehab and indicated a potential return sometime around the Badgers’ upcoming bye week.

Even in a limited capacity, his return will help bolster the Wisconsin secondary significantly.

Safeties Kamo’i Latu and Preston Zachman have helped fill in during his absence, and Latu, more specifically, has made a noticeable impact – recently picking up a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award after his two-interception performance against Northwestern.

While the update was vague, it’s still highly encouraging that one of UW’s most talented young players is nearing a return to the field.

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Wisconsin S Kamo’i Latu wins B1G Defensive Player of the Week

The Utah transfer had two interceptions against Northwestern:

Following a whirlwind week for the Wisconsin football program that led to a 42-7 dismantling of the Northwestern Wildcats, the Big Ten honored a Badgers defender for his standout individual performance.

Safety Kamo’i Latu, a Utah transfer, was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. The 6-foot, 195-pound S registered his first career interception in the first quarter, picking off Ryan Hillinksi and picked up another INT in the third.

Latu is the first Badgers defensive player to record a pair of interceptions in the same game since The Grit Factory CEO Collin Wilder did it against Nebraska last November.

The Hawaii native also registered three solo tackles and picked up an elite grade (91.5), according to PFF, which was the highest among Wisconsin defenders.

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Report: RB Chez Mellusi suffered serious injury vs. Northwestern

Wisconsin could be without one of its top running backs for the rest of the season:

It was first reported by Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and later confirmed by Wisconsin Badgers interim head coach Jim Leonhard that running back Chez Mellusi suffered a serious wrist injury and has been ruled out indefinitely.

The loss of Mellusi is a pretty crushing blow for UW’s offense, which traditionally makes its living running between the tackles.

The 5-foot-11, 210-pound RB has registered 223 yards rushing through six games and one touchdown on 56 carries (4.0 YPC). He’s also added two catches for 25 yards and a receiving touchdown.

For Wisconsin, this means in order to keep sophomore Braelon Allen healthy, they’ll need to rely more heavily on Isaac Guerendo, Julius Davis, and Brady Schipper to lighten the load.

Wisconsin faces Michigan State on Saturday at 4 PM ET on Fox.

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Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Dillon Graff on Twitter @DillonGraff.