Wisconsin Football 2014 Spring Wrap Up

Strengths & question marks coming out of spring

The Badgers biggest strength appears to be the offensive line and the depth it now has. UW was lucky to get by without major injuries to the O-Line last season, but with some experience and recruiting the Badgers line looked deeper and more steady behind the starters in the spring. Expect more of the same from Wisconsin, but possibly with a wrinkle or two thrown in depending on the biggest question mark. 

Wisconsin’s passing game is it’s biggest question mark. Not just because there is an undecided quarterback battle, but because no one knows who will be catching the ball from whoever wins the battle. UW’s wide receiver corp was super injured, and at times had just four healthy bodies during spring practice. That’s a problem, and it showed in the spring game when the only highlight in the passing game came from a 27-yard touchdown pass from Tanner McEvoy to senior Kenzel Doe.

Wisconsin will welcome five wide receivers in to the fold this fall, and will hope that the likes of Reggie Love and Rob Wheelwright will be healthy. Someone out of those seven needs to emerge as a legitimate threat if the passing game is going to work. 

McEvoy showed enough promise in the spring, especially in his ability to make smart decisions when a play broke down, to challenge incumbent starter Joel Stave. The two quarterbacks are polar opposites, with Stave having the experience but major question marks about decision making and mobility. McEvoy has shown a good arm, improved decision making and mobility, but he doesn’t have the experience that Stave has. 

Wisconsin QB Tanner McEvoy

Name a few breakout players to keep an eye on in 2014

UW has a few potential breakout players this season on each side of the ball, but on offense I think you need to look to quarterback and Tanner McEvoy to be that kind of player. He brings something that Badger fans aren’t all that used to at QB and could be a potential star if he progresses this summer and fall.

Additionally, I’d look to redshirt freshman tight end Troy Fumagalli as a breakout player. He came out of spring ball challenging for significant playing time at tight end and his talent may force the Badgers to put him on the field this fall. 

Defensively I would look to two players as well. The first is redshirt freshman defensive end Chikwe Obasih, who impressed the coaching staff enough for them to praise him for his progression all spring. He was named the starter coming out of spring ball as well.

One of the biggest breakout players this spring came in the secondary though, and we’re talking about cornerback Darius Hillary. He was pegged to be something special before last season, but couldn’t break his way into the starting lineup. This spring he played so well that UW moved former starter Peniel Jean to safety, and he could make a great tandem with Sojourn Shelton. 

Grade each position group

QB – B: The Badgers spring was very productive and at least there was some separation created. True freshman early enrollee D.J. Gillins looked like a college QB at times, while Bart Houston showed he has the arm to be a potential starter down the line as well. McEvoy was the clear winner out of the three, so at least there won’t be a four-way battle going on in fall camp. 

RB – Incomplete: Sorry, but the Badger coaching staff didn’t want to do a lot in the run game this spring with established players Melvin Gordon and Corey Clement in the backfield. 

WR – D – : When you have more players on the sideline and in the training room than on the field, you’ve got a major problem. Couple that with trying to find not one, but two capable starters and it’s nearly time to panic. No one really stood out, minus Kenzel Doe (who is best in the slot) all spring long. 

OL – A: Despite two starters missing due to injury in the spring, the Badgers offensive line looked good for most of camp. UW may have also found a potential star in early entrant Michael Deiter, who took nearly every snap this spring between first-team center or guard. He held his own and so did a few other players that will help the Badgers create major depth on the line this year. 

DL – B +: UW had to find three new starters along the line and only Warren Herring was a guarantee to start coming in to the spring. What the coaching staff found was a more athletic and versatile front three than it had a season ago, and that means even more of what DC Dave Aranda would like to do can be implemented. 

LB – B – : This was a position with three starters to replace as well, and just like the DL those who were next up showed more athletic ability and versatility for the 3-4 scheme. Replacing Chris Borland won’t be easy, but by most accounts you didn’t notice he was gone with the level that senior Marcus Trotter was playing at all spring long. This group is deep and versatile, which helps make the defense even harder for teams to prepare for come this fall. 

DB – C: Sure, the top spots at cornerback look settled, but there are depth issues and major questions about the safety spot as well. Wisconsin will have to wait until the fall when more help arrives for it to settle anything at the safety spot opposite of Michael Caputo, despite true freshman Austin Hudson looking good for the future and Peniel Jean looking adequate back there. UW needs a more athletic and experienced option to allow Caputo to be able to play at the line of scrimmage. 

ST – B: Drew Meyer continues his progression as a punter, we all remember Kenzel Doe’s explosive nature in the return game, but what was important was the progression of kicker Jack Russell. He looked better in camp than he did during games last season, but expect a major challenge to come from scholarship kicker Raphael Gaglianone. This group should be in better shape than it was last year coming out of spring ball. 

What can we expect from Wisconsin in 2014? 

Wisconsin faces its biggest challenge of the season in an opening weekend primetime matchup against LSU, from there it will have to wait until November for another massive challenge to come its way in the form of Nebraska.

Everyone else on the UW schedule has just as many, if not more, question marks coming out of the spring. Some toss-up games include Northwestern and Iowa, but UW appears to have more pieces to the puzzle so far.

As for record, I would expect something very similar to last season at 9-3 or possibly 10-2 and a division title when it is all said and done. The question is, just how good will that 10-2 record actually look given the lack of strength in the schedule sitting here in April.

Andy Coppens of MadTown Badgers provided the information for our Wisconsin Football 2014 Spring Wrap Up.  For more Badger  football information, commentary and analysis, you can follow Andy on Twitter @AndyOnCFB.