Wisconsin Badgers Preview 2022: Offense
The Wisconsin offense is going to start airing it out a bit more? That might be a tad extreme – this isn’t going to be Air Bucky – but new offensive coordinator Bobby Engram wants to open it up a bit. He sure knows how to get a running game going – he was working with the Baltimore Ravens before this – but the passing attack needs more pop, too.
More than anything else, the offense has to move like it did over the second half of last year. The overall stats don’t quite tell the whole story – for this team, being eighth in the nation in time of possession is a bit bigger than averaging a mere 371 yards per game – but the passing game wasn’t consistent, the third down conversions weren’t there, and the line wasn’t quite as dominant as it should’ve been. However …
The offensive line should be stronger. It wasn’t bad at all – on the contrary, it was fantastic in pass protection and plowed for over 211 rushing yards per game. It’s Wisconsin, though. It’s the gold standard for offensive lines. It’s needs to own the good teams, too.
It loses OT Logan Bruss and OG Josh Seltzner, but all-star parts are back with Joe Tippmann a potentially dominant center once he’s 100% healthy, and with Jack Nelson likely to grow into a next-level talent at left tackle.
The good and the bad with the Badger front is the versatility – great when injuries strike, but rough on the consistency. This year the idea is to come up with the right five, stay with it – with a little luck – and let the issues work themselves out.
The backs are there to make this thing hum. Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi are right there with the best duos in college football, combining for over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. Allen was a breakout star, and Mellusi was fantastic before getting knocked out for the year in November.
Okay, okay, it’s been avoided long enough … can Graham Mertz become the quarterback who can take the passing game up a few notches like he’s supposed to?
The former super-recruit has been way too rocky over his two seasons – throwing ten touchdown passes and 11 picks last season – but the talent and arm are there. Two years in, the decision-making process has to speed up. Chase Wolf is a decent veteran who can step in and produce if Mertz is struggling.
The talent in the receiving corps was terrific last season, but it wasn’t able to show it often enough. It’s not starting over this year, but most of the key parts are gone – Chimere Dike is the leading returning receiver with 19 catches for 272 yards and a score.
Keontez Lewis is coming in from UCLA, Skyler Bell is a promising young deep threat, and it’s Wisconsin – there will be a decent tight ends who can catch the ball in the middle of the field. Replacing Jake Ferguson, though, is a problem.
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Wisconsin Badgers Preview 2022: Defense
The defense put up a national championship-caliber season. For a time it was working at a historic level – finishing No. 1 in total defense, No. 1 against the run, No. 3 in third downs allowed – buuuuuuut …
There weren’t that many killer offenses on the slate. Even so, if it was so easy to be amazing everyone would do it – the D that allowed a ridiculously low, and nation’s best – 4.1 yards per play wasn’t the problem.
A whole lot of starters have to be replaced, but the program has been able to keep defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. He’s destined to be a top head coach somewhere, but for now, all the work he did to get the players working in a rotation should pay off.
The back eight is a slight concern, but …
The defensive front three will be a brick wall. Keeanu Benton on the nose and Isaiah Mullens as a 3-4 end can’t be moved. There are plenty of big parts ready to fill in when needed – forget running inside on this bunch.
The pass rush comes from the linebacking corps, but leading tackler Leo Chenal is off being a Kansas City Chief and inside presence Jack Sanborn is trying to be a Chicago Bear. Nick Herbig is back after coming up with 64 tackles and a team-high nine sacks, but the other three sports are a wee bit green. However, like on the line, the rotation should be strong.
The Badgers were fourth in the nation and No. 1 in the Big Ten in pass efficiency defense, but they lose three good starters including both corners. John Torchio is back at one safety spot, and Jay Shaw is coming in from UCLA to take over one of the corner gigs.
Overall this group should be fine in time, but it would be a huge help if Justin Clark (Toledo), Cedrick Dort (Kentucky), and Bryce Carey (Northern Illinois) can play big roles early on.
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