Nov 5, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers safety Hunter Wohler (24) celebrates after making an interception against the Maryland Terrapins during the third quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK
After a loaded off-season, some new faces are in the fold, and a new defensive scheme under Mike Tressel has been implemented.
While transfer additions have been the talk of the town, Wisconsin has some returning contributors who can make some noise this fall. One of those returning players, Hunter Wohler, looks to be primed for a huge year.
Wisconsin Football Star Hunter Wohler Primed for a Huge Year
Wohler, a junior safety, has reportedly been one of the biggest stock risers throughout fall camp.
“He’s a very, very talented player,” safeties coach Colin Hitschler told 247Sports. “He loves…loves the game of football and loves being out here every day. You can’t ask for anything more than that. As a leader, he brings energy people feed off him, he’s passionate about what he does.”
The Muskego, Wisconsin native is coming off a season where he only played six games due to a leg injury. He was still productive in the handful of games he played, logging 21 tackles, nine passes defended, and one interception.
On top of those marks, Wohler came in as the fifth-best tackler on the Wisconsin football team for players who logged over 100 snaps in the 2022 season (79.1), according to Pro Football Focus.
Wohler will be filling in the “dollar” position under Mike Tressel’s new scheme, converting the junior into a safety/linebacker hybrid. Needless to say, Wohler fits that mold to a tee. He already has the hard-hitting nature of a linebacker, but pairing that with his ball skills and speed to keep up with receivers makes the dollar position a seamless fit.
The versatility Wohler provides will be vital for Wisconsin this season. He’ll likely play the most snaps of anyone in UW’s safety group in 2023. Now that he’ll play in a position that compliments his skill set best, Wisconsin football fans should expect a huge year from Wohler.
Final Thoughts
With his instincts, speed, and bruising nature, Wohler looks to be a breakout candidate for Wisconsin in 2023.
There is a wealth of talent at the safety position. Heck, it’s arguably one of the deepest rooms in program history. Though the depth chart is somewhat bloated, Wohler will be one of the premier players in the group. Pairing his skill set with guys like Travian Blaylock and Kamo’i Latu — who complement Wohler very well — will be a nightmare for opposing defenses.
We are just over a week away from Badgers football, folks. The wait is nearly over.
Nov 6, 2021; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Jackson Acker (34) carries the ball as Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Christian Izien (0) pursues during the second half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers football team are heading into its bye week with a commendable 3-1 record, having made an impressive 1-0 start in Big Ten play. However, when UW returns for Week 6, they’ll face a rather unconventional streaming situation that fans must adapt to.
On October 7th, Wisconsin will take on Rutgers in a matchup streamed exclusively on Peacock, a popular streaming platform. This game will kick off at 11 AM Central Time, and it’s safe to say that casual fans might be left scrambling if they don’t plan ahead.
Peacock, known for its wide range of content, is making strides in the world of sports streaming. While it might not be the traditional platform for college football games, it offers an opportunity for fans to explore new ways of enjoying their favorite sport.
For Wisconsin football enthusiasts, this means making sure they have access to the Peacock streaming service before the game day arrives. It’s a chance to venture beyond the usual cable or network broadcast and try out a different medium for following their beloved Badgers.
The team’s bye week provides fans with ample time to prepare and ensure they don’t miss the action when Wisconsin takes on Rutgers via the Peacock platform. As the Badgers continue their journey in the Big Ten, it’s worth considering adding the platform at $5.99 a month — because they’ll also air several basketball games this winter.
So, mark your calendars, tell your parents ahead of time, and get ready to cheer for Wisconsin Badgers football on Peacock when they face Rutgers in Week 6.
Sep 22, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Chez Mellusi (1) is taken off the field in a cart after suffering an injury during the second half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
The injury looked bad on replay, but the cart coming out for the former Clemson transfer, along with an air cast being placed on his leg, heightened fears for the worst. Ultimately, it was confirmed that Mellusi would miss the rest of the 2023 season with a fractured fibula.
Mellusi’s fracture marked his third significant injury during his tenure with the Badgers. He was named the starter in 2021 after transferring in from Clemson but ultimately suffered a season-ending ACL tear. He would return for his 2022 campaign but miss four games in the middle of the season due to a broken arm. Now, just four games into the season, Mellusi will miss the final eight games of the regular season.
Where Does Wisconsin Football Go From Here?
Without Mellusi, Wisconsin football will look to its young talent to replicate his production, which could be challenging. The fifth-year senior logged 51 carries for 307 yards and four touchdowns through four games. He also tacked on three receptions for 12 yards.
Mellusi did earn a bulk of the carries through four games, with Braleon Allen dinged up. Luckily, Allen looks to be back to his usual self, so they won’t need to rely on a younger back to take the majority of the carries. Still, the depth is a big question mark for Wisconsin’s running back room now.
Behind Allen, the Badgers have Jackson Acker, Cade Yacamelli, Grover Bortolotti, and Nate White to fill out the rotation.
Acker, a redshirt sophomore, has sparingly seen some time on the field as the RB3. The Madison native has appeared in three games thus far, logging eight carries for 31 yards as well as one reception for three yards. As the RB3, he’ll be expected to step up in the wake of Mellusi’s injury when Allen needs a breather.
Converted safety Cade Yacamelli will be the likely candidate to fill Acker’s shoes in the RB3 role. He hasn’t appeared in any offensive snaps thus far, but he has seen some time on the field with special teams. Reports out of spring and fall camp indicated that Yacamelli had something in the tank as a running back, but it remains to be seen in live game reps.
It’s not the best situation for Wisconsin to be in, but UW does have plenty of contributors at tailback who could take some snaps if need be. Although this situation is a tough one all around, there could be a bright spot.
Chez Mellusi Could Return to the Wisconsin Football Program in 2024
Since Mellusi sustained his injury during the fourth game of the season, Badgers fans shouldn’t rule out a sixth-year return from the standout tailback.
Although Mellusi didn’t see starter-level snaps during his time with Clemson, he never used a redshirt year. Plus, his sophomore season was impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, giving him another year of eligibility.
So, the choice for Mellusi comes down to focusing on his health and looking to sign with an NFL team as a UDFA or moving on to the next phase of his life outside of football. On the other hand, he could return for a sixth year to boost his draft stock. It certainly wouldn’t hurt the Wisconsin Badgers, who is looking at Allen potentially heading to the NFL draft after the season and having an influx of young running backs coming into the fold, such as Darrion Dupree, Dilin Jones, and Gideon Ituka.
Although Mellusi’s injury is devastating for a number of reasons, there is a small bright spot in that we could see him don the cardinal and white one more time.
Wisconsin football is now headed into the bye week starting 3-1 on the season. They’ll take on Rutgers on October 7th in Madison as both teams look to improve to 4-1.
Sep 22, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers defensive end James Thompson Jr. (90) celebrates after sacking Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Hudson Card (1) during the first half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports
In this post-game recap, we dissect the performance of the Wisconsin Badgers by analyzing their snap counts and Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades for each position group — and include a few stats that help add context to the ole eye test.
By analyzing these metrics, we can gain a clearer insight into the individual contributions of each unit to the team’s overall performance. While you can’t take these figures as gospel, this allows us to identify strengths, key contributors, and areas where Wisconsin football excelled.
Let’s dive in.
Wisconsin Football Defensive Snap Counts & PFF Grades
Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver TJ Sheffield (8) is tackled by a group of Wisconsin Badgers players during the NCAA football game, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Wisconsin Badgers won 38-17.
Defensive Line:
Rodas Johnson – Snap Count: [36] – PFF Grade: [47.4]
James Thomspon – Snap Count: [35] – PFF Grade: [64.6]
The most peculiar thing about Wisconsin football beating Purdue on Friday night was senior inside linebacker Maema Njongmeta essentially not playing at all. Full disclosure: I didn’t notice it until somebody pointed it out — but he appeared to see the field for one snap on fourth down late in the game. Luke Fickell said he was available — and I have a hard time believing something more isn’t going on here — but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
The safety rotation was also somewhat bizarre to me for several reasons: Travian Blaylock sat in favor of a heavy dosage of Preston Zachman. I was also disappointed that Austin Brown couldn’t build off a strong performance against Georgia Southern.
I don’t need to get super in-depth on this one, but the defensive front seven was BAD. James Thompson Jr. is quickly becoming a stud on the defensive line — but other than him — there weren’t any individual performances to write home about. Nobody on the Wisconsin football defense registered more than two pressures on the night, and the Badgers finished with 16 total.
Lastly, a Wisconsin Badgers defense that’s struggled with giving up chunk plays all season (bottom third in the NCAA) also has a huge tackling issue — and was credited with 16 missed tackles as a team. This Wisconsin football defense isn’t talented enough to overcome these sloppy mistakes and is a clear point of emphasis to clean up during the bye week.