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Wisconsin Football’s Weakest Position Groups Heading Into Spring Practice

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Wisconsin badgers football tight end Clay Cundiff
Wisconsin Badgers tight end Hayden Rucci (87) and Clay Cundiff (85) yell in excited at quarterback Graham Mertz (5) after throwing a touchdown pass in the second quarter of the game on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, at Camp Randall in Madison, Wis. Samantha Madar/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

The Wisconsin football program had a lot of work to do this past offseason to get themselves back into contention for a Big Ten title in 2023. 

Thankfully, Athletic Director Chris McIntosh made the splash hire of the offseason- Luke Fickell, setting off a domino effect that reinvigorated the entire Wisconsin Badgers fanbase. 

Following a disappointing 7-6 season, the Badgers still have plenty of work to do when spring practice opens. The first order of business is installing new systems on both sides of the ball and establishing a pecking order (tentative depth chart) ahead of fall camp. 

And while there is undoubtedly more talent on the roster heading into this season, there are still question marks at several key position groups — let’s explore which ones those are. 

Cornerback

Wisconsin football has traditionally gotten good, not great, play from its cornerbacks. Which is about what I’d expect the Badgers to get in 2023. 

After hitting the portal hard last offseason, UW returns just one starting cornerback, Alexander Smith, who thankfully is their CB1 – which is a great starting point. 

However, according to PFF, three of their top four coverage CBs are no longer with the program – leaving plenty of uncertainty heading into 2023. 

Ricardo Hallman (who I like) and Avyonne Jones are the two young returning players that make the most sense to take over on the opposite side – at least on paper. UW also brought in Boston College transfer Jason Maitre to provide some depth and compete with Max Lofy for the nickel spot. 

Given the lack of experience in the cornerback room and the new coaching staff coming in, I wouldn’t be surprised to see someone like Jonas Duclona or Amare Snowden step into roles from the jump.

Tight End 

Wisconsin football has deployed multiple tight end sets for the past couple of decades, but those days are now a distant memory with the Badgers running Phil Longo’s offense.

UW didn’t add any TEs through the transfer portal, although they kicked the tires on a few options, meaning the Badgers will need a few in-house players to quickly establish themselves once practice begins.

Clay Cundiff is back after another brutal second season-ending injury, and if healthy, he could be an excellent pass-catching option—but health will always be a question mark.

UW also returns plenty of experience at the position, like Jack Eschenbach (401 snaps), who’s back for a sixth season + Hayden Rucci (331 snaps), and Cole Dakovich (70 snaps)—although they’re primarily blocking TEs.

With a new offensive scheme, TE coach Nate Letton will need a couple of young players that are more dynamic to flash in spring ball to help gauge where the TE room’s depth truly lies. 

JT Seagreaves and Jack Pugh are two talented, high-upside options worth watching that are better fitting for this offense.

If certain players don’t separate themselves during spring ball, don’t be surprised to see Wisconsin football go portaling again in search of a plug-and-play TE should the right one become available.

Wisconsin Football has a Huge Hole to Fill at Nose Tackle 

I’ll keep this one short and sweet; nose tackle is a huge question mark for the Wisconsin football program heading into 2023. 

Keeanu Benton was an absolute animal last season (and for his entire career), but he’s off to the NFL now, and that leaves behind a gaping hole with no apparent options to fill it. 

Can redshirt senior Gio Paez, who has flashed on a few occasions, or high-pedigree redshirt freshman Curt Neal step up and fill that void? Or does an incoming freshman like Jamel Howard come in and force his way into the discussion — because you certainly can’t teach 6-foot-3, 320-pounds. 

I also wouldn’t rule out the possibility of someone like Isaiah Mullens sliding over to provide some additional depth considering Wisconsin football has far more options deserving of playing time at defensive end. 


Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Dillon Graff on Twitter @DillonGraff.

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Wisconsin Football Fans React: Badgers Defeat Purdue Boilermakers

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Wisconsin Badgers football

Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin football team has officially opened their Big Ten football season after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers on Friday.

The Badgers entered halftime up 21-3 courtesy of two rushing touchdowns by quarterback Tanner Mordecai. Wisconsin never looked back and held onto their lead for the remainder of the game. Once again, the Wisconsin ground game proved to be too much for their opponent as the Badgers recorded four touchdowns and 195 yards rushing. Wisconsin also recorded three turnovers on the defensive side of the ball as Ricardo Hallman dominated for the Badgers with two interceptions.

While there were plenty of positives in the 38-17 win over the Boilermakers, there is still room for improvement. Fans were quick to fill social media with a variety of responses following the victory.

Wisconsin Badgers Excite Fans In Big Ten Conference Opener Against Purdue 

While the entirety of the game was not exciting, the Badgers had their moments and provided some excellent football for their fans. Including, the exceptional “Philly Special” the Badgers ran at the end of the game, as well as the intriguing rushing touchdowns. Transfer kicker Nathanial Vakos also impressed as he went 3-for-3 with his longest kick at 48-yards.

The Wisconsin Badgers Football Team Ran Wild Once Again

Against the Purdue Boilermakers, the Badgers recorded four touchdowns and 195 yards on the ground. Through the first four games of the season, Wisconsin has rushed for 807 yards and 14 touchdowns, with an average of 5.4 yards per carry. While the offense in general has struggled, the run game is certainly thriving under Head Coach Luke Fickell and Offensive Coordinator Phil Longo.

Some fans enjoyed the success of the Wisconsin football team, but seemed eager for the elusive running back Braelon Allen to touch the football more.

For Some Fans, The Struggles for Wisconsin Proved to be too much, But Many Keep Optimism

Despite the victory for the Wisconsin football team, the Badgers struggled at times to play fundamental football. In particular, the defense struggled at times and allowed more total yards than the Wisconsin offense gained. The Badgers still walked away with the victory but may have done so without fixing their issues at hand.


Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Jarrett Guerrera on Twitter @JarrettGuerrera.

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Wisconsin Football Report Card From 38-17 Win Over Purdue

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Wisconsin Badgers football
Sep 22, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Ricardo Hallman (2) tackles Purdue Boilermakers running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (3) during the first half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

The Wisconsin football program kicked off conference play with a bang, earning a 38-17 victory on the road against Purdue. It wasn’t a pretty or complete game by the Badgers, but UW did enough to come away with a win and head into the bye week at 3-1.

Here are my grades for Wisconsin’s offense, defense, and special teams in the Big Ten opener. 

Wisconsin Football Offense Grade: B

The offense was easily one of the biggest bright spots for Wisconsin in the win over Purdue, but I thought the way UW utilized Tanner Mordecai was one of the main reasons why. 

Mordecai isn’t your prototypical dual-threat quarterback, but he still possesses the ability to get out of the pocket and use his legs well. The sixth-year senior was able to run his way into the endzone twice while rushing for 58 yards. On top of that, Mordecai went 17-for-27 with 174 yards through the air. We’ve finally seen some glimpses of what Mordecai will be, and if he’s able to put the puzzle pieces together during the bye week, the Big Ten should look out. 

Of course, the biggest storyline coming out of this game was Chez Mellusi’s injury. He had to get an air cast put on, and the replay did not look good in the slightest. You just have to feel absolutely gutted for Mellusi, who has had his fair share of injury problems since coming to Madison. Though his time was cut short, the fifth-year senior put on a show alongside Braelon Allen, combining for 155 yards on the ground. Allen would also rush for two touchdowns. This game seemed to be a return to form for Allen after seemingly playing a step slow — and banged up — through the first few weeks of the season. 

Wisconsin also got some nice contributions from CJ Williams and Chimere Dike in the receiving game, but the drops by Skyler Bell and Will Pauling were a bit discouraging. Would like to see those cut down after the bye week. 

There was plenty to be happy about with Wisconsin’s performance, but it wasn’t a spectacular showing from the offense. Going forward, UW will need to cut down on the penalties (looking at you, Jack Nelson) and will need to put together a complete four quarters of offense. 

Wisconsin Football Defense Grade: C+

I’m not crazy about how Wisconsin’s defense performed against Purdue, but there were some bright spots. 

Ricardo Hallman and James Thompson Jr. were undoubtedly the stars on Wisconsin’s defense tonight. Hallman secured two interceptions on the night while also logging three tackles and two passes defended. Meanwhile, Thompson finished the night with six tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and one pass defended. At two key positions, Wisconsin was able to get some crucial contributions from some key contributors.

It wasn’t all great, though. I’m going to be frank for a second here: I’m getting a little tired of seeing these big chunk plays given up by Wisconsin. It’s been a consistent problem for the past few weeks, and while there may have been some improvement tonight, there were still far too many big plays given up for my liking. 

There are still plenty of kinks to work out in Wisconsin’s defense, but this game seemed like a very small step in the right direction. Hopefully, Mike Tressel can have this group ready as they venture further into conference play. 

Wisconsin Football Special Teams Grade: A-

Wisconsin found themselves a good one in Ohio transfer Nathanial Vakos. The sophomore knocked through all three of his field goal attempts to remain perfect on the season. With his three on Friday night, he’s now 7-of-7 on three-point tries. 

Four games in, I have to say I’m very impressed with what Atticus Bertrams has brought to this team. He’s been a mark of consistency, and he had some damn good punts on Friday night. 

It was also great to see Chimere Dike run a couple of kicks back. The senior receiver had two returns for 34 yards and 39 yards, respectively. He’s shown that he can be a threat, and you’d love to see him break off a return for six at some point this year.

The only thing bringing this grade down was Jack Van Dyke’s kick out of bounds. This has now become a consistent issue for the kickoff specialist, as he’s sent three balls sailing out of bounds through four games. 

The Wisconsin football program is now off to a 3-1 start in the Luke Fickell era. The Badgers will head into the bye week before facing Rutgers on October 7th.


Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here. Also, like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers football news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Jake Maier on Twitter @JakeJMaier.

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Wisconsin Football Offensive Snap Counts & PFF Grades vs. Purdue

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Wisconsin football; Badgers QB Tanner Mordecai runs for a touchdown vs. Purdue
Sep 22, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Tanner Mordecai (8) runs for a touchdown during the first half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers football team (3-1, 1-0 B1G) kicked off Big Ten play with a 38-17 victory over Ryan Walters and the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on Friday night. 

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 Offensive Snap Counts & PFF Grades

Wisconsin football; Badgers head coach Luke Fickell & Jack Nelson + CJ Williams

Sep 22, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell high fives Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver C.J. Williams (4) during the first half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterbacks:

Tanner Mordecai – Snap Count: [75] – PFF Grade: [87.8]

Running Backs:

Braelon Allen – Snap Count: [41] – PFF Grade: [71.4]

Chez Mellusi – Snap Count: [32] – PFF Grade: [63.5]

Jackson Acker – Snap Count: [4] – PFF Grade: [61.6]

Wide Receivers:

Chimere Dike – Snap Count: [52] – PFF Grade: [64.0]

Bryson Green – Snap Count: [50] – PFF Grade: [51.3]

Will Pauling – Snap Count: [48] – PFF Grade: [64.4]

C.J. Williams – Snap Count: [45] – PFF Grade: [72.7]

Skyler Bell – Snap Count: [30] – PFF Grade: [53.3]

Tight Ends:

Hayden Rucci – Snap Count: [48] – PFF Grade: [37.2]

Tucker Ashcraft – Snap Count: [24] – PFF Grade: [50.9]

JT Seagreaves – Snap Count: [1] – PFF Grade: [60.0]

Offensive Line:

Jack Nelson – Snap Count: [75] – PFF Grade: [74.1]

Joe Huber – Snap Count: [54] – PFF Grade: [59.7]

Tanor Bortolini – Snap Count: [75] – PFF Grade: [71.4]

Michael Furtney – Snap Count: [51] – PFF Grade: [67.3]

Riley Mahlman – Snap Count: [75] – PFF Grade: [62.1]

Trey Wedig – Snap Count: [45] – PFF Grade: [74.4]

Offensive Analysis:

A few things that immediately stand out are that Wisconsin football PFF grades were much kinder to Jack Nelson than I would have guessed. He held up fine in protection — never allowing a pressure — but Nelson tacked on three more penalties — which is quickly becoming a problem. 

CJ Williams got involved in the Badgers offense in a major way, leading the team in targets (8) and receptions (5), plus he was second on the team in receiving yards (56) on the day. The USC transfer has a ton of upside, and it was nice to see how he could impact the game on the boundary as a possession receiver. 

Tanner Mordecai also put together a nice game for Wisconsin football against Purdue — particularly as a runner on Friday. The threat of him being a runner helped open up running lanes for Braelon Allen, who also put together a strong performance on the ground (16 carries, 116 yards + two touchdowns). That said, I’d hate to see him get dinged up because the Badgers lean on him too much — so that’s a situation to monitor. 

The Wisconsin Badgers tight ends had a forgettable night — and the numbers reflect that. Overall, I’m still confident this group can get the job done for this season, but I’m afraid they will have games like this on occasion.



Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Dillon Graff on Twitter @DillonGraff.

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