Grading the 2013 Wisconsin Badgers

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The Wisconsin Badgers began the 2013 football season ranked 23rd in the AP Preseason polls. At the time I was disappointed in the ranking but could understand reason for doubting the team given the significant changes in coaching staff. Gary Andersen brought a lot of energy and a whole new posse of coaches with him and the team looked sharp, but not many knew what to expect. The result was a very solid season, capped off by a poor showing against Penn State on senior day and a disappointing ending to the Capitol One Bowl against South Carolina. The team finished with a 9-4 record and a 6-2 showing in the Big Ten. Kickers are kickers and punters are punters, but the best way to understand what went well and what didn’t for the team in 2013 is to take a look at each position on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

Quarterback – C. After breaking his collar bone several games into the 2012 season, Joel Stave won the starting quarterback job in camp, beating out sixth-year senior Curt Phillips and transfer Tanner McEvoy. What the coaches most like about Stave is his throwing accuracy and ability to get the ball down field. With Jared Abbrederis returning as arguably the top wide receiver in the Big Ten, many thought it was wise to go with the best throwing QB of the bunch and give the offense its best opportunity to stretch the field. The result was a mediocre season for Stave. He made many great throws, but also missed A LOT. He finished with 22 passing TDs to 13 interceptions and threw for 2,494 yards. He was arguably a better player on the road, throwing just 4 interceptions in 6 road games, versus 9 in 7 games at home. The most glaring issue with Stave seems to be his inability to find the open man. As a young quarterback, this is somewhat understandable, but Stave became a bit predictable in games as he would often seem to lock on a single receiver (usually Abbrederis) before the start of a play and abandon any sense of progression as the play developed. He will most likely have a firm grasp on the starting job heading into 2014, but there is certainly room for improvement.

Melvin Gordon will return for his junior year.

Running Backs – A. The running game was yet again the bright spot for Wisconsin in 2013. The Badgers finished 8th in the country in rushing, combining for 3,689 yards. Melvin Gordon emerged as one of the best backs in the country, leading the team with 1,609 yards while reaching the end zone 12 times and ranking fourth in the country with an impressive 7.8 yards per carry. James White wasn’t far behind, totaling 1,444 yards and 13 scores. Gordon raised eyebrows as many thought he might enter the draft as a potential second or third round draft pick, but the sophomore announced after the regular season that he will return to Madison in 2014 for his junior season. The third shining star in the backfield in 2013 was youngster Corey Clement. The freshman ran for 547 yards on just 67 carries and reached the end zone 7 times. With Clement and Gordon returning in 2014, there’s no reason to expect anything less than another 3,000 rushing yards from the Badger backfield.

Receivers – B. Heading into 2013 the Badgers knew they had something special in senior Jared Abbrederis, the former walk on who had earned first team All-Big Ten honors as a junior. Senior tight end Jacob Pederson was also returning after winning the Big Ten’s Kwalick-Clark award as the league’s top tight end. Beyond these two however, questions remained unanswered heading into the season opener as to who would answer the bill as the team’s number two wide receiver. The questions never really got answered, as no wide receiver outside of Abbrederis caught more than 12 passes. Abby hauled in an impressive 78 catches for 1,081 and 7 touchdowns while Pedersen snagged 39 balls for 551 yards and 3 scores. James White was also incredibly reliable out of the backfield, catching 39 passes for 300 yards and 2 scores. “Old Reliable,” Jeff Duckworth was next on the team with 12 catches for 176 yards and 2 touchdowns. The team will look heavily to youngsters Jordan Fredrick and Alex Erickson in 2014 to step up and carry the load as a receiving corps. Melvin Gordon will also need to play a bigger role out of the backfield than he did in 2013, catching just one pass for 10 yards.

Offensive Line – B. After losing starting center Travis Frederick to the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the NFL Draft, the Badgers offensive line needed some returners to step up. They did fairly well, once again blocking for one of the best rushing attacks in the country and keeping quarterback Joel Stave on his feet. The team ranked 17th nationally with 16 sacks allowed, an average of just 1.2 per game but loses left guard Ryan Groy to graduation. This is a hole that has to be filled, but the unit remains young and full of potential heading into 2014.

Defensive Line – B. With new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda came a new 3-4 scheme that worked surprisingly well for the Badger Defense in 2013. As a unit, Wisconsin ranked 15th in total defense, 6th in scoring defense, and 5th in rushing defense throughout the campaign. The one glaring statistic that keeps this unit from an “A” rating is the disappointingly low sack total. The team totaled just 26 sacks on the season, with 4 of those coming from backup nose tackle Warren Herring. Beau Allen has garnered attention leading into the NFL draft and Pat Muldoon and Tyler Dippel did well managing the ends. Look for the defense to remain consistent in 2014 but look to create more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

This will always be my favorite Chris Borland picture.

Linebackers – A. Moving to a 3-4 scheme as a defense meant shifting Brenden Kelly from his defensive end position to and outside linebacker spot. This freed up middle linebacker Chris Borland to be more aggressive in attacking the ball carrier. Borland had his best season yet, recording 112 tackles and earning consensus first team All-Big Ten honors. Ethan Armstrong and Conor O’Neill were third and fourth on the team with 51 and 41 tackles, respectively and were a big reason for the team’s success against the run. The unit needs to find a way to replace Borland in 2014, but I believe the 3-4 scheme will continue to promote future success.

Secondary – B. After losing both starting corners and a safety to graduation heading into 2013, the Badger defense faced a lot of question marks in the secondary. The unit was good, however, ranking 17th nationally against the pass, allowing 202 yards per game. Senior Dez Southward returned and provided consistency for the group, totaling 40 tackles and nabbing one interception. The bright spot here was true freshman Sojourn Shelton. Shelton made his share of mistakes, as should be assumed from an 18 year old, but also pulled down 4 interceptions and primarily manned opposing team’s top wideout. Shelton receive praise from former Badger standouts Jamar Fletcher and Scott Starks for his confidence and competitive nature, but needs to sure up his coverage, as he was burned a few times too many throughout the course of the season. Michael Caputo was another bright spot, moving from linebacker to safety and looks to have a hold on the spot heading into 2014. Look for this young unit to grow and improve under Aranda.


Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.

-Joseph Norton (@JoeP_Norton)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Packers, Brewers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live in-game commentary, breaking news, rumors, previews, and post game discussion. Follow the entire writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, and @10iskristin

Week 4 Recap Badgers v. Boilermakers

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The Badgers opened Big Ten play shaking off the hangover from the poor officiated game last week handling Purdue in methodical fashion. It was a decisive response from what had to be a frustrating week dealing with the aftermath of the Arizona State game. It was nice to get back to deciding games on the field instead of analyzing screen shots of Stave's knee and highlighting the rule book. Without further ado, the week 4 Buckys!

James White en-route to the end zone against Purdue

Badgers running game has been nearly unstoppable this year. James White and Melvin Gordon are caught up in an exciting game of ‘anything you can do I can do better’ which has been a treat to watch for Badger fans, and misery for opponents. Currently the Badgers have three running backs in the top 40 for rushing yards Gordon(1), White(10) and Corey Clement (36). Additionally it seems the Badgers are finding ways to get White and Gordon on the field at the same time more often putting even more pressure on defenses. While the rush yards are likely to come a little bit harder in Big Ten play, the Badgers running back traditional is alive and well.

Joel Stave remains inconsistent. For whatever reason he has lost accuracy on his deep throws and has yet to shake off the habit of staring down receivers. Stave will need to be better in order to win at Ohio State this week and come up with two or three big throws to sustain drives or connect on long touchdown pass to swing momentum. As good as the running game has been, Ohio State’s defense will be good enough to shut it down if the offense becomes one dimensional.

One week after struggling big time to shut down the high octane Sun Devil offense, the Badger defense came out and reestablished themselves against Purdue. The Boilermakers came into the game averaging 272 yards of total offense per game, not a juggernaut but any stretch of the imagination, yet the Badgers held them to 180 yards total and just 3.1 yards per play. Sophomore(or hopefully redshirt freshman if his application ever gets approved from the Big Ten) Vince Biegel started at linebacker and was extremely disruptive in the Purdue backfield. True freshman Sojourn Shelton continued his excellent play adding another interception and is really developing into a top flight lock down corner.

Honorable Mention Bucky – no matter how often these happen or how cliché they might seem, they are still awesome

Looking Forward – Ohio State

Another big road test for the Badgers and getting a win over the 4th ranked Buckeyes in Columbus would go a long way to forget the shenanigans that lead to a loss on their last road trip this season. Much like the Badgers, Ohio State has started out the year with an unimpressive non-conference slate. Unlike the Badgers they won their Pac12 road game against California. The biggest question facing the Buckeyes this week is who will start at quarterback? Kenny Guiton has started the past two games for preseason Heisman hopefully Braxton Miller, but most accounts indicate Miller will be healthy enough to play Saturday against the Badgers. The good news is Badger DC Dave Aranda should have enough film on Guiton in the 2+ games he's played to have a plan of attack for either QB. The key to both will be slowing down the read option. Urban Meyer's offense is predicated on getting fast athletes in space to make plays. The front seven has been stout against the run so far and the overall team defensive speed is improved compared to years past. This years defense has the pieces to slow down the Buckeyes offense but it will definitely be the biggest challenge they’ll face all year.

Offensively the Badgers need to find a way to be productive in the passing game. One dimensional offense will not cut it against Ohio State. Look for offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig to work the short to intermediate passing game early via screens and play action to build Stave’s confidence. Running between the tackles will be a challenge this week so anyway to get the ball into the hands of playmakers Gordon, White and Jared Abbrederis attacking the edges of the defense will be huge.

The Badgers quest to go to four straight Rose Bowls largely comes down to winning this game. Stealing a victory against a top five team on the road always requires a few breaks to go your way and this game might come down to a fake punt or other type gadget play to win. The Badgers have enough talent to compete but in the end the quarterback play is the difference.

Final Score: 21-27  Note – this is first Badger loss I predicted for the season, I’d be fine if I’m wrong

Until next time, Beer, Brats, and Championships.

- Neal Olson (@olewr7)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live, in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, @TABrown23, and @10iskristin.

Week 1 Recap Badgers v. Minutemen

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Introducing the new Badger football post game rating system.  Points will be awarded in number of Buckingham Badgers from one(really bad) to five(outstanding). I will try to reserve the five and one Bucky ratings only for those events that are deserving and not hand them out like Bret Bielema pickup lines at a local watering hole(too soon??). Without further preamble, on to the ratings!

Gary Andersen and the new coaching staff. Starting with 70 yard TD drive march on the opening offensive possession to the players surrounding Andersen during Jump Around, the new staff has won over the players and it showed on the field Saturday. Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig was crisp in playing calling and utilized play action pass nicely to mix in the passing game. Defensively the new look 3-4 and pre-snap adjustments had the Minutemen confused all day long. UMASS is by no means a juggernaut and there were a few areas to clean up for the Badgers but this performance was exactly what the doctor order to open the Gary Andersen era in Madison.

 Fittingly three Buckinghams here, one each for the three running backs on Saturday.  Melvin Gordon, James White and Corey Clement all ran for over 100 yards and scored a TD.  As dangerous as the run game was against UMASS, we may have experienced just the beginning. The coaching staff has hinted they may get White and Gordon on the field at the same time in certain formations and packages. It’s unlikely to be unveiled until the conference slate, but the idea of contending with Gordon and White will keep Big Ten defensive coaches up at night.

The first of many 100 yard rushing games for Badger running backs

 Peniel Jean/Sojourn Shelton. Jean was a monster in run support. He attacked runners and had several tackles right at the first down line that prevented UMass from extending drives. His play was reminiscent of recently retired NFL player Antoine Winfield.  True freshman Sojourn Shelton has been making waves since enrolling early last January and he didn’t disappoint in his first collegiate action. Shelton read the quarterback perfectly, left his man in the flat and made an acrobatic catch dropping back into the passing lane. Badgers have not had many defensive backs with the athleticism and ball skills to make a play like that in recent years, I’m guessing we’ll see more plays like that from Shelton during his UW career.

 Joel Stave has had better days. Two botched snaps and an interception will need to get cleaned up before Big Ten play. His interception was the product of a bad read and an even worse throw. Even the two long TD passes were slightly under thrown and needed quick stride adjustment and good hands from Jared Abbrederis. Stave seems to have developed an extra little half shuffle before throwing deep passes which is just enough delay for the receiver to get a few yards out of range and hit perfectly in stride. Credit OC Andy Ludwig for sticking with the passing game when it wasn't really needed to help Stave settle into a better rhythm in the second half. Stave won the starting job in part because of his ability to stretch the field in the passing game. Improvement in that phase is needed for the Badgers to maximize their offensive potential this year.

UMass head coach Charley Molnar. Molnar managed to ice his own kicker calling a time out just before the snap of a made field goal by UMass kicker Blake Lucas. On the retry Lucas, pulled it left and kept the Minutemen off the scoreboard for good. After the game when questioned about the play, Molnar said of the missed retry “He should have made it the second time, just like he made it the first time.” Keep up the good work coach! (Editors note: his slicked back hair should earn him at least a 1.5)

Honorable Mention Bucky – Curt Phillips handed his playing time Saturday to Bart Houston near the end of the game so Houston could get some live game reps under his belt. While Phillips role on this year’s team seems to be more behind the scenes than out front on the field, leadership and selflessness like this speak volumes about Phillips character. Great to have guys like him on the team.

New alternate helmet to be worn against Tennesee Tech

Looking Forward

The Badgers host football championship division Tennessee Tech next Saturday at 11am in Camp Randall Stadium. Tech ran for over 300 yards themselves beating Cumberland 63-7 opening weekend. The strength of their team will once again be on the ground and shouldn't test the Badgers defense much. Offensively the Badgers should control the line of scrimmage and run at will much like they did against UMass. The biggest question will be how sharp Stave will be in the passing game, and getting out of the game without any major injuries. The Badgers will also debut their new alternate helmets exchangeing the color scheme of the traditional white helmet and red motion W. If all goes according to plan the new helmets will provide the most excitement for what should otherwise be another warm up type game for the Badgers.  

Final score: 50-7

Until next time, Beer, Brats, and Championships.

- Neal Olson (@olewr7)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live, in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, @TABrown23, and @10iskristin.

2013 Wisconsin Badgers Football Preview

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It’s been eight long months since the last week Badger football game week. Thankfully the wait is over. Through the season I’ll be previewing/reviewing Badger games. To start things off, a full season preview is in order (and also because UMass is a 45 point underdog and doesn't warrant a full blown preview). The three time defending Big Ten Champions have plenty of talent to contend, but with a new coaching staff and a few question marks on both sides of the ball there is a lot left to learn about the 2013 Badger squad.

Offense Preview

Let’s start with what we know. The Badgers will run the football. A lot. They will also be extremely

White and Gordon look to continue running through defenses

successful at it. Led by James White and Melvin Gordon the Badgers have the best running back tandem in the conference and one of the top in the country, a quick review of the Big Ten Title game of last year will squash doubts of that. The offensive line will be slightly revamped needing to replace stalwarts Travis Frederick and Ricky Wagner, but at Wisconsin you don’t rebuild the offensive line, you reload. Another strength of this squad is at TE. Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig declared there are 4 starting caliber tight ends on the roster in Jacob Pedersen, Brian Wozniak, Brock DeCicco and Sam Arneson. I expect all will be used in various formations and game situations. With all that talent, the tight ends will be counted on heavily in the passing game to take some pressure off of wide receiver Jared Abbrederis. No one should expect the offense to suddenly transform into the aerial assault of the Greatest Show on Turf. But an offense like the one in 2010 led by ultra-efficient Scott Tolzien when the Badgers averaged 200 yards passing and rushing per game is very possible.

And now for that which remains to be seen. The biggest unknown entering fall camp was who would emerge as the starting QB. Head coach Gary Andersen has been adamant the official starter will be known on the first offensive snap against UMass. Joel Stave and Curt Phillips have separated from Tanner McEvoy for now and were listed as co-starters on the depth chart released Monday. Whoever takes the first snap this Saturday, I expect both will see action and the first two games will effectively be used an extension of the fall camp competition. Wide receiver is another position where someone has to develop opposite Abbrederis. The receiving corps is mostly intact from last year with the addition of freshman Rob Wheelright and redshirt freshman Alex Ericson. Both Wheelright and Ericson have worked into the rotation along with Abbrederis, Jordan Fredrick and Kenzel Doe. As noted previously, the depth at tight end might limit the opportunities in multiple receiver formations unless someone provides a more consistent option. Also keep an eye on Tanner McEvoy. Surpassed in the QB battle, McEvoy athletic ability is intriguing enough to warrant considering as a receiver in the red zone or other situational packages.

Stars: RB - James White, RB - Melvin Gordon,  WR - Jared Abbrederis, TE - Jacob Pedersen

Players to Watch: RB - Corey Clement, WR - Alex Ericson, WR - Rob Wheelright

*Obligatory mention that although no offensive lineman were noted here, they are all stars and their efforts are not forgotten.

Defensive Preview

New defensive coordinator Dave Aranda loves to pressure opposing teams. In previous stops at Utah State and Hawaii he has lead defenses ranked near the top of NCAA in sacks and sack percentage. The switch in philosophy from 4-3 to 3-4 fits the Badgers personnel nicely. The defensive line anchored by Beau Allen will need to eat up space and blockers for the stable of outside pass rushers. Starting with Chris Borland, the Badgers have several linebackers capable of rushing the passer. But more importantly, Aranda’s defensive philosophy will allow for more aggressive, attacking defense. Expect a lot more plays like this one from Chris Borland last year against Nebraska.(actually you probably won’t see many like that – it was ridiculous). The front seven is deep, experienced and will be the strength of defense. 

In order for the blitz to be effective though, the secondary will need to adjust to more press man coverage and overall physical play. This could be a tall task for a group that will replace three of four starters from last season. The inexperience in the secondary could be partially negated simply through lack of opponent passing proficiency. Below are the 2013 Badger opponents and their offensive ranks in rushing and passing yards last year. Only Indiana ranked in the top 35 in the country in passing yards per game. The Badgers do not have a NFL passing caliber QB on the docket this year (sorry OSU fans Braxton Miller is not feared due to his arm). As inexperienced as the secondary may be entering the season, they may not be tested very often, especially if the blitz happy Aranda can terrorize quarterbacks as expected.

Stars: LB - Chris Borland, DL - Beau Allen, S - Dez Southward, LB - Chris Borland (worth two mentions)

Players to Watch: CB - Sojourn Shelton, CB - Peniel Jean, LB - Brendan Kelly, LB - Vince Biegel

Coaching Staff Preview

Gary Andersen has done an outstanding job so far in taking over the program. From blasting music

Gary Andersen with classic visor look

throughout practice to introducing the ‘big brother’ program matching upperclassmen with first year players, seemingly every decision has been a hit with players and fans. For me one of the biggest things was involving Tanner McEvoy at wide receiver after he fell behind in the quarterback race. Finding a spot on the field for the most talented players is something most coaches preach in theory but rarely practice. Andersen quickly won over players through his genuine demeanor, often calling players out of the blue to check in on their lives. At practice Andersen sometimes participates in drills(he was a center when he played) and organizes impromptu dance offs. "That stuff is fun for the kids," Andersen said. "I think it brings energy and excitement. You get out there for recruiting, if I am a player, I want to have fun playing football." Obviously his ultimate test will be results on the field during fall Saturdays, but signs point to continued football success for the Badgers under Andersen.

Season Preview and Predictions

2013 Schedule
8/31 UMass	W
9/7 Tennessee Tech	W
9/14 at Arizona State	W
9/21 Purdue	W
9/28 at Ohio State	L
10/5 OPEN DATE
10/12 Northwestern	W
10/19 at Illinois	W
10/26 OPEN DATE
11/2 at Iowa	L
11/9 BYU	W
11/16 Indiana	W
11/23 at Minnesota	W
11/30 Penn State	W

Gary Andersen and staff arrive in Madison amid unusual circumstances for the program. On one hand, the Badgers have been to three straight Rose Bowls, return 15 starters but are considered a distance second to Ohio State in the Leaders Division  Additionally, the 2013 schedule sets up nicely without a super challenging non-conference slate while avoiding Michigan, Michigan St. and Nebraska within the conference. Expectations are high in Madison and anything less than a 9-3 record will be and should be considered a disappointment. The season effectively boils down to the September 28 showdown against Ohio State in Columbus. If the Badgers can win that game they will be in the driver’s seat for the division and will end up in another BCS bowl game. However I see the Badgers bowing out to the Buckeyes and dropping one other unexpected game on the road, most likely at Iowa where they have traditionally struggled. Badgers also cannot overlook Arizona State. Opening with UMass and Tennessee Tech will not be much of a challenge, playing in Tempe at night will be the first test of the season. The verdict for this team is 10-2 and another New Year’s Day Bowl game.





Until next time, Beer, Brats, and Championships.

- Neal Olson (@olewr7)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live, in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, @TABrown23, and @10iskristin.

Impact Freshmen for the Wisconsin Badgers

For any new coaching staff taking over a college program, one of the biggest challenges is securing commitments for their first recruiting class. Gary Andersen had the benefit of inheriting the start of an already quality class and did a phenomenal job of keeping most of those players on board during the transition to new coaches and new schemes.  The Badgers also have return players with starting experience at all but five positions. For a program like Wisconsin that recruits and develops players having a strong returning core is crucial. It means the opportunity for freshman playing time is hard to come by. The following are the five (ok six) players that have the best chance of getting on the field and contributing this year.

5 – Alec James (Brookfield East) – OLB and Chikwe Obasih (Brookfield Central ) - DE

It is fitting these players tied for the fifth spot. They are similar in size (James is 6’4” 230 pounds, Obasih 6’3” 240 pounds) and both played high school football in Brookfield . James and Obasih will fit in nicely with new defensive coordinators Dave Aranda 3-4 scheme. Last year at Utah State, Aranda’s defense was 11th in the country in sack percentage and 6th in sacks per game. Clearly Aranda loves to pressure opposing quarterbacks and to do that he needs pass rushers. Although the defensive line is deep with upper classman, none of them have experience in the new scheme which levels the playing field for the incoming freshman. James and Obasih will need to show they can get after the quarterback and playing time will come in sub packages as Aranda finds the right blend of aggressive pass rushers.

4 – Leon Jacobs (Golden Valley High School – Santa Clarita, CA) – OLB

Jacobs is part of Andersen and staff’s new recruiting formula targeting players out west which has traditionally not been an area Wisconsin has focused. Jacobs is a raw football prospect and flew under the radar by national recruiting publications mostly because he has only been playing organized football for two years. He spent most of high school playing basketball and winning a slam dunk competition (2010 National Prep Classic) as a sophomore. DC Aranda has already noted Jacobs flash plays during the first week of practice and along with Alec James is working interchangeably at both outside linebacker spots. His versatility in picking up both LB spots along with his athleticism means Jacobs will see the field sooner rather than later.

3 – Rob Wheelwright (Walnut Ridge High School – Columbus, OH) – WR

The Badgers spent all of last season looking for a compliment in the passing game to Jared Abbrederis. Unfortunately no one has been able to consistently provide that threat. Enter Rob Wheelwright. At 6’2” 198 pounds, Wheelwright has the size and physical capability to play right away. His brother Ernie played wide receiver for Minnesota  and his grandfather was a running back for the New Orleans Saints. With the size and genetics to be a big time player for the Badgers, Rob has to show  consistency in his route running. He has been impressing teammates during summer workouts getting mentions by James White and Tanner McEvoy as someone who stood out. Granted, the coaching staff is unlikely to rely heavily on Wheelwright this season, but he should find himself on the field in multiple receiver sets.

2 – Sojourn Shelton (Plantation High School – Fort Lauderdale, FL) – CB

Shelton enrolled early at Madison and was able to participate in spring practices. Shelton took full advantage of the opportunity in a defensive backfield looking to replace two starters from last season and was one of the more impressive corners on the field during the spring game. He has great footwork and anticipation for a young player and jumped a couple of routes getting his hands on two or three balls. Though he is slight at 5’9” 172 pounds, he also showed a willingness to come up and tackle and did not shy away from contact. Time will tell whether Shelton can withstand the physicality of the Big Ten but he has already added ten pounds since arriving in January. Shelton also brings some “South Florida Swagger” which has produced a lot of quality defensive backs throughout the years. Shelton figures to see action this year as the third corner in the nickel package during passing situations.

1 – Corey Clement (Glassboro High School – Glassboro, NJ) – RB

Clement has taken full advantage of the reshuffling of the running back depth chart. Junior Jeff Lewis was switched to defensive back and sophomore Vonte Jackson suffered another torn ACL and just like that Clement was all alone as the #3 RB. Andersen initially toyed with getting lead blocker Derek Watt some reps carrying the ball, but Clement has been so impressive during the first week of practice the idea was quickly scrapped. James White is an elusive runner, Melvin Gordon is explosive speed and Corey Clement is a sledgehammer. For a freshman, the first full pad college practice can be a challenge adjusting to the physicality. But nearly every practice report so far includes a bit about Clement running someone over or making another big play. While he make have fallen into the third running back spot due to other circumstances, Clement has shown he belongs. If he continues to perform at this level, he will force offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig to find ways to involve him in the game plan on Saturdays. The Badger tradition of excellent running backs marches on – seriously check out this stiff arm by Clement.

Until next time, Beer, Brats, and Championships.

- Neal Olson (@olewr7)

Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live, in-game commentary, breaking news, previews and post game discussions. Follow the entire Wisconsin Sports Blog writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @SMahon2Go, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, @TABrown23, and @10iskristin.