Wisconsin finished the 2022 season with SP+’s No. 79-ranked offense in the country. It had been three years of colossal disappointment on that side of the football with everything from poor quarterback play, untimely penalties, inefficiency on the ground and zero success against good defenses.
With Phil Longo entering as offensive coordinator and the program adding talent including QB Tanner Mordecai, WR C.J. Williams, WR Will Pauling and OL Jake Renfro, it will be challenging for the group to not improve.
SP+ currently has the group ranked No. 46 nationally. I predict that number will rapidly rise when the season gets underway.
CBSSports also sees big improvement ahead for the Badgers. Will Backus wrote this week about the six most-improved units in the country this season. Those listed: Texas’ defense, Notre Dame’s offense, Oklahoma’s offense, Clemson’s offense, LSU’s defense and Wisconsin’s offense.
From @will_backus1: Clemson offense, Texas defense among college football's most improved units entering 2023 seasonhttps://t.co/WUcO6IE1HP
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) June 26, 2023
What Wisconsin will hope to have in common with the other teams listed above is national title hopes. Notre Dame hopes to be a true contender with Sam Hartman at quarterback, the same said for Clemson and LSU hopes an improved defense can bring them to a win in the SEC Championship this time around.
It’s very good company for the Wisconsin program under first-year head coach Luke Fickell.