Wisconsin Football Young Guns Making the Most of Expanded Opportunities

To say things haven’t gone according to plan for the Wisconsin football team this season would be an understatement. That’s why head coach Luke Fickell has begun turning to a few younger players down the depth chart in search of a spark on both sides of the ball. 

Two underclassmen who have taken those opportunities and run with them in recent weeks are sophomore wide receiver Vinny Anthony II and true freshman linebacker Christian Alliegro. 

Let’s examine their impact in a limited sample size and how they could continue to inject life into their respective units moving forward. 

Wisconsin Football Evaluating Vinny Anthony II at Wide Receiver 

Vinny Anthony II was a holdover from the previous regime who appeared in 10 games as a true freshman for the Badgers. He carried the ball three times for 14 yards. But a whirlwind offseason that saw the program add several wideouts through the transfer portal pushed him down the team’s pecking order — limiting his opportunities until now.  

The Kentucky native, previously limited to brief appearances, seized an expanded opportunity against Northwestern, logging an impressive 41 snaps. His performance spoke volumes as he notched 116 all-purpose yards, displaying his versatility as a receiver and kick returner. 

Often labeled as a gadget player with track speed, he has now made big plays in back-to-back games. Against Northwestern, Anthony caught a 35-yard reception on the opening drive down the left sideline. 

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— Badgers Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) November 14, 2023

“He’s one that I like to say has done it the old-fashioned way,” Fickell said. “That all of a sudden he had some opportunities and went in there and made some really, really good plays and provided some spark and we’ll continue to see more.” 

He also had an 18-yard rush on a jet sweep against Indiana, showing how his speed can be an asset to this Wisconsin football offense. 

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— Badgers Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) November 5, 2023

It’s also worth noting that even though it’s a small sample size, Anthony’s EPA per rush of 1.635 is the highest on the team — and his EPA per pass of 0.756 trails only Chimere Dike and Tucker Ashcraft on offense. He’s explosive enough to manufacture touches occasionally and deserves an extended look, considering the Badgers’ problems with drops this season. 

The Wisconsin Badgers Coaching Staff Likes Christian Alliegro…a Lot 

Meanwhile, freshman linebacker Christian Alliegro from Avon Old Farms has started to emerge on the Wisconsin Badgers defense. 

Alliegro was a late addition to the 2023 recruiting class by Luke Fickell and his coaching staff — and better fits the mold of what they want to do on defense. He’s now appeared in three games — first against Illinois, where he was asked to shadow Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer, who was killing Wisconsin with his legs — and finished with a pass deflection. 

More recently, Alliegro has played five snaps at linebacker in back-to-back games — and recorded his first career sack against Northwestern. This coaching staff is high on his upside and confident in his future with the Wisconsin football team — regardless of his current standing on the depth chart. 

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— Badgers Film Clips (@Badgers_Film) November 15, 2023

“He’s a guy that’s going to continue to get more and more [snaps], Fickell said. “Last week, [Alliegro] did a great job on special teams, made a couple of tackles on the kickoff; obviously, he had a sack.

“Christian is probably one of those guys that, for sure, is going to see a lot more [snaps].”

Final Thoughts 

Both Vinny Anthony II and Christian Alliegro’s swift adaptation to more extensive responsibilities on their respective sides of the ball hint at a potentially promising future for the Wisconsin Football program — which will likely experience a larger-than-average roster turnover this offseason. 

Their late emergence is encouraging because the Wisconsin Badgers have a talent and depth problem — with very few underclassmen who are positioned to become key contributors in 2024. 

It will be interesting to monitor their play down the stretch — because the coaches are in evaluation mode to determine what they’ll need to address in the transfer portal. 

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