Badgers Staff Foresees Big Contributions From Pass Rushers

The Badgers added some difference-makers at OLB.

Improving the pass rush was a top priority for Luke Fickell and the University of Wisconsin football team during the off-season. In 2023, the Badgers managed just 9.5 sacks from its outside linebackers room.

Darryl Peterson, who led the unit with 4.5 sacks, is back for his redshirt junior season. However, his counterpart CJ Goetz, who contributed 4.0 sacks, has graduated after playing 702 snaps last season. They also bid farewell to rotational pieces Jeff Pietrowski and Kaden Johnson.

Nevertheless, the Wisconsin football coaches bolstered the position group by bringing in transfers Leon Lowery Jr. from Syracuse and FCS All-American John Pius from William & Mary to provide a shot in the arm. The Badgers also welcomed two four-star OLBs, Thomas Heiberger and Anelu Lafaele, in the 2024 recruiting class to complete the room's overhaul.

"We've got a completely different group at the outside linebacker room," Matt Mitchell told reporters. "A lot of new faces, so we're working through a lot of things. Obviously, teaching a lot of guys our defensive structure and individual skills, techniques. Just trying to work through that process, and as we go through that process, try to evaluate kind of where some guys are at and what skill sets they bring to the table."