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 3 Recap Badgers v. Sun Devils

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Wow, where to start. The Badger’s 2013 schedule has a few potential bumps in the road and the trip to Arizona State was one of them. I don’t think anyone quite expected this debacle. The last 18 seconds of the

Gordon ran wild against the Sun Devils

game has been rehashed ad nauseam already so I won’t delve into it further. Hopefully this becomes a small asterisk on what will otherwise be a successful season for the Badgers. Like Gary Andersen smartly noted in his weekly press conference, you cannot allow the ending of the Arizona State game beat you twice, time to move on. Before previewing Purdue, a quick non-botched officiating review.

Once again Melvin Gordon was absolutely spectacular. Gordon was clearly the most dynamic player on offense against Arizona State. Currently he is second in rushing yards and third in rushing yards per attempt in the country. Most amazingly he has needed only 37 carries to amass 477 yards and 4 TDs . Pretty safe to say OC Andy Ludwig needs to find more ways to get the ball into Gordon’s hands more.

Joel Stave and Andy Ludwig did not have their best day. Stave looked tentative and rattled early on and never quite settle down. However, he wasn't done any favors by the offensive play calling. Remember Stave is a true sophomore and was making only his ninth career start in an extremely hostile environment. They were backed up on the first two drives (first drive started on the 3, the second on the 8), a challenging situation for a young QB on the road. Yet both series saw only one run and two pass plays called putting all the pressure on Stave and not playing to the Badgers strength. Additionally it seemed most of the pass plays were deep drops with long developing routes, with very little of the play action setup the Badger offense has relied on so heavily in the past. Lastly, the inside running game bogged down even though the Arizona State defensive line was much smaller. For the most part the Badgers offensive line earns it’s keep by executing trap plays pulling from the backside of the formation to lead the running back through the designed hole. The undersized but quicker Sun Devil defenders were successful in shooting the gaps created by the pulling Badger lineman and disrupted the timing and bottled up the hole before it could even open. Ludwig was slow to adjust play scheme until late in the game. Most noteably on Melvin Gordon’s second touchdown run when they abandoned pulling any lineman and used a simple one step zone read straight ahead. Both Gordon and lead blocking back Derek Staus waltzed into the end zone untouched.

The Badgers secondary was picked on heavily to the tune of 352 passing yards. Certainly there is room for improvement here, but for the most part they were in good position and happened to get beat by good throws and solid catching from the Sun Devil receivers. I don't even mind the penalties. Playing physical in the secondary will result in an occasional penalty and I would much rather deal with a flag or two that sit back in a soft zone. Arizona State will have a lot of good passing days and ultimately the defense did enough to put the team in a position to win the game.

Honorable Mention Bucky – Chris Borland is awesome. If not for the referee’s botching the last 18 seconds everyone would be talking about this fake punt.

Looking Forward – Purdue

First a little history. The past two times these teams have played the Badgers have outscored the Boilermakers 100-31 and averaged 415 rushing yards per game. In 2011 the Badgers were coming off back to back Hail Mary losses and took out their frustrations on the Boilers. Last year Montee Ball ran for three touchdowns and moved ahead of Ron Dayne for first place on the Big Ten career TDs. Needless to say Purdue can’t feel terribly confident heading to Madison to face a Badger team looking to take out last week’s frustrations.

In my preseason preview I noted how Dave Aranda loved to bring pressure when he was the defensive coordinator at Utah State. Through three games this year the Badgers rank 116 in the country in sacks per game, not exactly what I expected. Purdue is a pass happy offense so the opportunity to turn up the blitz percentage will be there again this week. However I suspect Aranda is hesitant to leave his young secondary vulnerable with no safety help by bringing extra pass rushers, something to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

This game will also be telling in regard to how Gary Andersen handles his first hurdle as Badger head coach. Both in postgame comments and weekly press conference, Andersen has handled the end of the Arizona State game with class and dignity. But ultimately it comes down to how the team performs on Saturday. As long as the offense starts quickly and scores points early, this game is relatively low on the threat level. If Stave starts shaky and the run game sputters the Boilermakers could hang tough make the Badgers sweat this game out for four quarters. I think the Badgers come out in this game a little out of sync before finding their stride and running the game out of reach in the 4^th quarter.

Final Score: 35-10

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.

Breaking Down the Badgers' Quarterback Competition

Taking over a football program like the Wisconsin Badgers affords certain luxuries that are not available at Utah State, like brand new team iPads for example. Unfortunately for new coach Gary Andersen an established quarterback is not one of them.  Andersen has been adamant competition for the starting job is wide open and has stressed the QB must be able to attack defenses with his arm and his legs. At this point, no one on the roster has demonstrated a consistent ability to provide both options consistently. With that in mind there are a few candidates who may fit the bill. The benefit of having Andersen walk in with a fresh take with no preconceived notions or bias and will ultimately result in the best man taking the first snap against UMass on August 31. With fall camp kicking off this week, now would be a good time to review the players in the mix.

The Young Guns
 
Connor Senger – Freshman – Milwaukee Pius XI
 

Photo: Rivals.com

A dual threat QB whose stature (he’s 5’11”) and baseball playing earned him the nickname “Young Russ” after former Badger QB Russell Wilson by teammates during summer workouts. Senger chose to walk on at Wisconsin for a chance to play close to home in front of friends and family. This summer during the WFCA Big Schools All Star game for high school seniors his dual threat capabilities were on full display, he threw 4 touchdowns and rushed for 51 yards. At this point he will mostly spend time as a scout team QB in preparation for opposing teams that run a spread option. But don’t discount his role in the future because seriously, he looks like Russell Wilson.

Bart Houston – Redshirt Freshman – De La Salle(Ca)

Houston was highly touted out of high school and recruited by former offensive coordinator and current Pitt head coach Paul Chryst. He has NFL QB size at 6’4” 217lb and arm strength but so far has not been consistent in accuracy and decision making against college level defenders. Houston does possess enough elusiveness running the ball to warrant consideration in Coach Andersen’s desire for an option threat at QB. However at this point in his development he does not appear ready as the lead signal caller.  Keep an eye out for him in future years though.

The Longshot

Curt Phillips – Senior
  
No one will question Curt Phillips desire or competiveness. Last year he helped lead the Badgers to a third consecutive Rose Bowl after overcoming three ACL tears and sitting out football completely for two years. Keeping the team together through all the adversity last year cannot be understated. Phillips was also at the forefront of players who sought out Barry Alvarez to be on the sidelines for the Rose Bowl after Bret Beilema left for Arkansas. Even after three surgeries Phillips is an effective and potentially dangerous ball carrier, but his arm strength and the coach’s confidence in his passing will prevent him from winning the starting gig. During the Badger spring game the offense stuck mostly to the ground when Phillips played and seemed too predictable. Similar to the last 5 games of the year, the offense ran every play it could and only passed when down and distance dictated. Based on Andersen’s continued preaching of being able to attack through the air as well as the ground I just don’t see how Phillips can be the answer without drastic improvement from the spring.

Photo: thestate.com

The JUCO Everyone Thinks Will Start

Tanner McEvoy – Redshirt Sophomore

McEvoy originally attended South Carolina before enrolling at Arizona Western Junior College, where he put up some ridiculous stats. He finished the 2012 Junior College season first in completion percentage, second in passing touchdowns and second in passing yards per game. In addition he ran for 414 yards and 6 touchdowns. Needless to say, his resume bodes well for the dual threat option game that Andersen has coveted. What McEvoy lacks though, is time in the program. He did not arrive in Madison until June and must make up ground on Phillips and Stave who have had several weeks of practice under the new coaching staff in the spring. In order to help speed the process Andersen has paired McEvoy and Phillips together in a new tradition called “Big Brother” where returning players are partnered with first year players to help familiarize them to with the program. Pairing the two quarterbacks is a decidedly calculated move, which will hopefully bring McEvoy up to speed more quickly in addition to bringing out the best in both players.

The Favorite
 
Joel Stave – Redshirt Sophomore
  
Ironically, Stave made his college debut last year against Gary Andersen led Utah State. After taking over the full time starting roll against UTEP, Stave slowly but surely took control of the offense. In four of his six starts the offense had over 400 total yards compared to just two other outings with 400 yards in the eight other games of the year. Big play wide receiver Jared Abbrederis had 30 receptions, 565 yards and 3 touchdowns in games started by Stave and 19 catches, 272 yards and 2 TDs without him. With Stave at the helm it is clear the Badger offense was performing at another level. Stave has demonstrated poise and confidence in leading a big play offense against Big Ten caliber defense and despite his limitations as a runner, Stave deserves to enter the season with the #1 QB job his to lose.

A Prediction

Gary Andersen has thus far stuck me as a savvy coach who will utilize all weapons at his disposal to put the Badgers in the best position to win. I would not be surprised however if Andersen takes a page from mentor and friend Urban Meyer. In 2006, Meyer effectively used returning starter Chris Leak and upstart freshman Tim Tebow at various points on the way to a national title. While no player on the Badger roster has talent equal to either Leak or Tebow, the concept of situational quarterbacking is a real possibility. I would expect McEvoy to have a few formations and play packages available for certain down and distances that will stress the defense in ways Stave cannot. Conversely, Stave has a remarkably accurate deep ball that can stop defenses from loading the box much like they did last year under Curt Phillips. Remember this is Andersen’s first year with the program. The offense is not likely to have the same look or feel in two or three years when he has a roster filled with players recruited for his style. Like all good coaches he will adapt and blend what he wants to be with what he currently has.

Until next time, Beer, Brats, and Championships.

- Neal Olson (@olewr7)

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