Gameday (Utah State) - Saturday, September 2, 2017 - The Daily Cardinal

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Wisconsin vs. Utah State

ILLUSTRATION BY CAMERON LANE-FLEHINGER/THE DAILY CARDINAL PHOTOS BY JESSI SCHOVILLE, BRANDON MOE AND MORGAN WINSTON/THE DAILY CARDINAL

“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”

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Wisconsin vs. Utah State

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Utah State Outlook

Aggies aim to rebound from 2016, upset UW

By Ben Blanchard The Daily Cardinal

Friday night, Utah State will attempt to bounce back from five straight losses that capped a disappointing 3-9 record last season. The Aggies were winless on the road, and only 1-7 in Mountain West

Conference play. Five years after replacing Wisconsin-bound Gary Andersen, head coach Matt Wells’ team will enter Camp Randall seeking its fourth victory over a top-25 opponent in his four-year head coaching tenure. The Aggies’ last upset came in the 2013 San Diego County

Image Courtesy of creative commons/Utah state athletics

Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, when Utah State recorded a 21-14 victory over No. 24 Northern Illinois.

Offensively, senior running back Tonny Lindsey Jr. will attempt to fill the shoes of seventhround Packers draft pick Devante Mays, while competing for snaps with fellow senior LaJuan Hunt.

Lindsey racked up 763 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 5.2 yards per carry through his 2016 campaign. Three-year starting quarterback, senior Kent Myers has played in 28 games and started 25 during his Utah State career. He is fourth all-time in school history in completion percentage (.605), is sixth all-time in total offense (5,963 yards), is tied for eighth all-time with 31 career touchdown passes and is ninth all-time in career passing yards (4,848), career completions (411) and career pass attempts (679).

Myers will be looking to throw the ball downfield to junior wideout Ron’quavion Tarver, who is Utah State’s most imposing and sea-

soned deep threat. Tarver, at 6’3, had 46 receptions for 602 yards and three touchdowns last season.

USU lost all four of its 2016 tight ends, and as a result, will look to converted quarterback, senior Damion Hobbs, and redshirt freshman Dax Raymond to fill the void.

Three All-Mountain West offensive line starters also left the Aggies since last season, as senior tackle Preston Brooksby and junior guard K.J. Uluave are the only returning starters. Brooksby played in all 12 games last season, making 11 starts, while Uluave made only four starts.

A deep and experienced secondary anchors the Aggie defense.

Senior safety Dallin Leavitt led the 2016 team with three interceptions and was second in tackles with 57, while junior safeties Gaje Ferguson, who transferred from BYU, and Jontrell Rocquemore combined for 79 tackles. The defensive line will be a weak point for USU, as three starters and four letterwinners from last year’s unit graduated. Senior defensive

end Ian Togiai is the only returning starter and totaled 38 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks last year. Senior Alex Huerta and junior Derek Larsen are the only two returning starting linebackers for the Aggies. Huerta totaled 45 tackles with two for loss, while Larsen contributed 42 tackles including 1.5 sacks and four tackles for loss.

Special teams for Utah State will look similar to last season’s campaign as starters sophomore kicker Dominik Eberle and junior punter Aaron Dalton both return.

The last time the Aggies faced the Badgers in 2012, Wisconsin emerged with a hard- fought 16-14 home victory as USU kicker Josh Thompson missed a field goal wide right with six seconds remaining.

This Utah State team, however, does not have the weapons that the 2012 USU team did in 2012, and will have a much more difficult battle ahead when they travel into Camp Randall for the first game of the season.

Injury Impact

Star linebacker Cichy out for year, defense looks to adjust to loss

By Keshav Parthasarathy The Daily Cardinal

As the Badgers gear up for the start of their season and their first game against the Utah State Aggies, they’ll be without one of their key veterans—star linebacker Jack Cichy. Cichy, who sustained a torn ACL on Aug. 10 during a practice, is now out for the season.

“You hate it for Jack,” head coach Paul Chryst stated in a press release. “You only get so many chances to play this game, and you never want to see a guy miss any of those opportunities. He’s one of the leaders of our team, and I know he’ll be a big part of what we do moving forward this season.”

The loss comes as a tough blow to one of the projected top defenses in the nation, having reached its prominence last season through the help of Cichy’s leadership. The former walkon turned team captain was a bonafide superstar last season, having made 60 tackles in only seven starts. He recorded 8.57 tackles per game, nearly two more than the second place performer on the team, T.J. Edwards.

More important than the statistics, however, were Cichy’s intangibles as a leader. No matter the situation, number 48 always seemed to perform even better under the biggest lights.

Against the Ohio State Buckeyes on Oct. 15, Cichy made a seasonhigh 15 tackles, and recorded a sack. When the Badgers faced off against Michigan on Oct. 1, Cichy recorded 12 stops against the formidable Wolverine offense. At the end of the season, Cichy was rewarded for his herculean on-field performances

by being named a Butkus Award semifinalist for best linebacker in the country.

The Badgers’ inside linebackers still remain the centerpiece of their defense, and will still have to perform at a high level, despite losing Cichy. In order to continue to compete as one of the best linebacking corps in the country, the Badgers will have to remain extra focused on making sure everything Cichy did on the field is replicated as much as possible. Cichy’s spot on the inside looks to be filled by Chris Orr, with Edwards looking to continue his solid play from last season at the other inside linebacker spot. Although the loss of Cichy is tough, the Badgers are prepared, having dealt with various injuries to their linebackers throughout the past few seasons, including one from Cichy toward the end of last season.

The Wisconsin defense will also look to get a boost from its secondary, with senior cornerback Derrick Tindal having improved and looking confident to start the season.

Alongside Tindal, Hawaii transfer Nick Nelson brings previous Division I experience that gives the Badgers one of the best cornerback duos in the Big 10.

As to how Cichy’s absence will affect the defense in game one, look for Utah State to try and attack the middle of the field. Either through their run game or throwing quick slants, the Aggies will be looking to expose the interior of the Badgers defense. The Badgers, expecting this, will most likely stack up on the interior and trust their new cornerback duo to get things done on the outside.

2016 Stats Games played: 7 Tackles: 60 (4th on UW) Solo Tackles: 45 (3rd) Tackles per game: 8.57 (1st)

Tackles for loss: 7 (3rd) Sacks: 1.5 (7th) Passes broken up: 2 (10th) QB hurries: 3 (4th) Forced fumbles: 2 (1st)

Morgan Winston/the daily cardinal

Jack Cichy makes a big-time tackle on J.T. Barrett against Ohio State last season at Camp Randall.

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Wisconsin vs. Utah State

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Feature

Tone setters: Wisconsin’s experienced defensive line anchors team on, off field

By Lorin Cox The Daily Cardinal

Mid-interview, Chikwe Obasih starts peeling the tape from around his hand, decompressing from the humid August practice he finished minutes earlier.

He balls up the tape in his hand and does his best Alex Hornibrook impression, winding up and nailing Alec James in the side of the head, who is in the middle of his own interview with a television camera in his face.

They exchange glances, have a good laugh and then get right back to business.

This is the type of relationship the Wisconsin Badgers’ defensive line has built going into their fourth year together.

“We’re a bunch of brothers,” Obasih said, right before throwing the tape ball. “Just making fun of each other, having fun and then doing what needs to get done.”

Obasih and James have been brothers dating back to middle school. Both defensive linemen grew up playing football in Brookfield, WI, ultimately starring at rival high schools before coming together in Madison.

“I always felt like I had to catch up to him,” Obasih said. “He’s the one who started on varsity as a freshman. It felt kind of good, having a rival and a school that close to try and get yourself better.”

They were the top two recruits in the state following their senior seasons. Both committed to the Badgers and started their college careers with a redshirt season in 2013. Obasih hasn’t missed a game since, while James missed two over the last three seasons.

“Being close off the field and talking about things like how games went and how practice went afterwards, back at home, I think it helps a lot,” Obasih said.

“You get a sense of support. It’s like, it’s not just you toughing it out on your own.”

Toughing it out is the name of the game for the defensive line in the Badgers’ scheme. They do the dirty work, which makes everyone else’s job easier.

In the running game, that means winning at the point of attack, occupying a rushing lane and forcing the running back into

Cameron Lane-Flehinger/the daily cardinal

Chikwe Obahsi and Alec James have played on the field together at Wisconsin for the last three years. the arms of a linebacker who had a clean path to the ball-carrier.

As pass rushers, that means occupying the interior blockers so the edge rushers get one-onone matchups, while trying to collapse the pocket vertically to limit the quarterback’s space.

Wisconsin defensive linemen don’t get the glory of doubledigit sack totals. They don’t often get recognition for making a big third-down stop. The Jack Cichy’s and T.J. Watt’s get the headlines, but UW’s experienced linemen take pride in flying under the radar.

“As long as I’m doing my job and we’re not getting hit in my gap or his gap, then we’re taking care of our stuff up front,” James said. “The biggest thing for us is just focusing on technique each day, the little things we can get better at just to help the defense as a whole.”

Satisfaction for them doesn’t come from any individual accomplishments. Instead UW’s defensive line group preaches selflessness and personal responsibility.

They find motivation and excitement in their success as a defense.

“We just look at it as doing our jobs,” James said. “If one of

us makes a great play, I’ll say something to them, but we just try not to be satisfied.”

That mentality sets the tone for the entire defense. But Obasih and James are not the only experienced Badger defensive lineman. In 2014, Conor Sheehy was added to the mix as a true freshman out of Milwaukee, and the Badgers planted the seeds of a formidable defensive line.

Three years of linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties have come and gone, but it’s been Obasih, James and Sheehy holding down the line of scrimmage that have

remained constant through three defensive coordinators.

Their consistent plays lets the freshman making his first start know that this is the standard for a player in the Wisconsin defense. And it reminds the other seniors of how they’re are supposed to handle their business from play to play.

“You always want to lead by example,” Sheehy said.

“Everybody handles their own business and goes about doing their own thing, but we all keep each other in check.”

This defense will only get 13 more games out of their starters on the line, but the hope from UW’s coaches is that the example they set will leave a lasting impression on the younger players up front who will be handed the reins next season and beyond.

The next generation of Badgers defensive linemen got their feet wet in 2016, and junior nose tackle Olive Sagapolu will be back to set the tone.

Garrett Rand appeared in 13 games last season as a true freshman, and junior Billy Hirschfield started to crack the rotation too.

Then there’s Isaiahh Loudermilk. The 6-foot-7, 306pound athletic freak who redshirted last season. Loudermilk is looking to earn playing time as he adjusts to the Division-I level after playing eight-man football in high school.

Obasih is confident that the future is in good hands.

“I can see them really getting better and taking the next step up,” he said. “Billy Hirschfield has made huge strides, and it’s kind of been quiet because Isaiahh [Loudermilk] made a pretty big jump this past spring, but Billy is within his own, and he can play significant snaps this season.”

“Once we’re out, expect him to do really great things. Isaiahh and Garrett Rand are taking great steps, and Olive [Sagapolu] is going to be the leader of that group.”

Hirschfield and Loudermilk might not quite build the special connection that Obaish and James have, but come 2018, you can bet there will still be a tape ball or two hitting one of them in the face during an interview.

Career Stats Obasih

James

Sheehy

Tackles: 84 Sacks: 4 Tackles for loss: 9 QB hurries: 8

Tackles: 48 Sacks: 3.5 Tackles for loss: 7 QB hurries: 3

Tackles: 60 Sacks: 4.5 Tackles for loss: 8 QB hurries: 2

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Big Ten Preview

UW favorite in West, three team race for East Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan all rank in top–15, eye Big Ten title and College Football Playoff

By Bremen Keasey The Dailey Cardinal

After then-junior Trace McSorley and his rocket arm catapulted the Penn State Nittany Lions to a 38-31 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big 10 Championship Game last season, crushing the Badgers’ last hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff or the Rose Bowl, many Wisconsin fans started uttering the familiar mantra of “there’s always next year.”

Well, the 2017 year is finally here, and No. 9 Wisconsin will look to bring back a conference title to Madison this year.

Sophomore quarterback Alex Hornibrook is more experienced, and his additional reps during the offseason could potentially provide more consistency in UW’s passing game. Hornibrook has an experienced core of steady passing options in senior tight end Troy Fumagalli and senior wide receiver Jazz Peavy, but sophomore wide receivers A.J. Taylor and Quintez Cephus will likely be asked to step up to help out in the passing game, the weaker part of Wisconsin’s offense in recent year.

While the graduation of both Corey Clement and Dare Ogunbowale seemingly left big holes in Wisconsin’s backfield, the Badgers, unsurprisingly, have reloaded that very same position. Two years ago, senior Chris James transferred to Madison from Pittsburgh, reuniting with former Panthers Head Coach Paul Chryst. And after the mandatory redshirt last season, James will rejoin the offense, and likely split carries with sophomore running back Bradrick Shaw, who rushed for five or more yards on 43% of his carries last season.

One-time walk-on turned team captain, senior linebacker Jack Cichy tore his ACL during summer camp potentially weakening an otherwise experienced Badger defense front. But UW’s linebacking core still features the duo of juniors T.J. Edwards and Ryan Connelly, who will be forced to step up in Cichy’s absence. New defensive coordinator Jim Leonard brings a wealth

of experience to the squad, and with a soft schedule to open the year, any major problems in his transition will likely be sorted out before the meat of UW’s schedule. Wisconsin’s toughest tests—Iowa and Michigan—are both at home late in the season, which helps make the Badgers the firm favorites in the Big 10 West Division.

Meanwhile, the Big 10 East is a three-headed monster that is much harder to solve. Each of the three contenders—Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State—all beat at least one of the other top teams. And eventually, due to end-of-season tiebreakers, Penn State ended up on top of the East division, and in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Under head coach James Franklin, the No. 6 Nittany Lions have become a fun offensive team

to watch. Senior quarterback Trace McSorley is able to throw bombs downfield, while senior running back Saquon Barkley is one of the most fearsome running backs in the country. It is, however, tough to rely solely on explosive talent, and that could be a potential hazard for the Nittany Lions, as Penn State’s offensive line struggled last season. On defense, the Nittany Lions lost a lot of production from last season due to injury or graduation, meaning it’s likely Penn State will be in a lot of shootouts. Their credentials for the East Division title will be most tested at the Horseshoe against Ohio State Halloween weekend.

The No. 2 Buckeyes, on the other hand, snuck into the College Football Playoff last season without the Big 10 title. But OSU was shut out by Clemson, 31-0, in the Fiesta Bowl.

Ohio State featured an elite running attack last year through the likes of

their star quarterback J.T. Barrett, but the now-senior struggled in a passing game that, at times, lacked explosiveness. The top three receivers from last year, Curtis Samuel, Noah Brown and Dontre Wilson, are all gone as well. But Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer of Ohio State has quickly built an Alabama-esque machine that can seemingly produce elite players every year. OSU’s running game and defense will still be stellar this year, and Meyer hired former Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson to run his offense. The Hoosiers were known for their explosive and exciting offense under Wilson, and the Buckeyes hope he’ll bring that big play ability to their offense this year. Ohio State faces Wilson’s old team to open the season, and then face a home test against the No. 7 Oklahoma Sooners later in the year.

The No. 11 Michigan Wolverines are the other team in the East with the best chance at the division title, and head coach Jim Harbaugh will be desperate to get his hands on an elusive conference championship.

With all the bluster and enthusiasm from Michigan’s lightning rod head coach, the biggest surprise may be the fact that since he has returned to Ann Arbor to coach his alma mater, he has yet to even reach the Big 10 Championship Game. Junior quarterback Wilton Speight will likely need to improve his passing game if the Wolverines are going to get to that title game, but due to major roster turnover it would not be surprising if the Wolverines will have to wait another year for the East title.

While the focus of the Big Ten will be on these four programs, all ranked in the top-15 of the Preseason AP Top 25 poll, there are other interesting questions across the league.

Will Michigan State bounce back after going 3-9 last season and losing lots of players for discipline reasons?

Will Iowa have a flukey year like in 2015 and force all fans to have a frank discussion on what an undefeated Iowa means? Will P.J. Fleck be able to help improve what has been an underwhelming Minnesota program? Will Northwestern be able to come into Madison and potentially prove to be the best team in Big Ten West Division? And will Rutgers win a conference game? Thankfully, we’ll find out soon, because college football is back.

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Wisconsin vs. Michigan

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Composure key for UW, Hornibrook in opener Wisconsin aims to manage opening game emotions at home

By Bremen Keasey

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Quiet the Crowd

Enjoy the Moment

Taking the Badger Faithful emotionally out of a game is a notoriously difficult task to accomplish in Camp Randall.

Still, it has been done, even by opponents widely regarded as inferior to the Badgers.

Remember last year when Georgia State came to town during a 11:00 a.m. game, and nearly upset the Badgers? There was a noticeable lack of energy in the players, and the crowd was incredibly subdued. Obviously, the Friday night time slot and anticipation of the new season will give the crowd much more energy than they had against Georgia State, but if Utah State is to have any hope of scaring the Badgers, the Aggies will have to bring the crowd and fans to similarly low energy levels. This means making early defensive stops and slowing the game down. The Aggies will therefore look to keep the score low to end the first quarter and even the first half. Whether the Aggies have the tools to do this remains to be seen.

Realistically, this is a classic “paycheck game” to start the season. No disrespect to Utah State, a program that finished 16th five years ago led by really fun quarterback Chuckie Keeton, but there is barely a chance that this team can beat the Badgers.

The Aggies scared the Badgers during that aforementioned season, going up 14-0 at the half before 16 unanswered by the Badgers shut down the upset. The Aggies, however, have been a different team in the last couple of seasons, including going only 3-9 last season. For Utah State, scoring in a stadium like Camp Randall could be a huge confidence boost for the rest of their season, where the Aggies are projected at around six wins. While this game is all but chalked up as a lost, the Aggies players get great experience against a top-10 team and enjoy the atmosphere under the lights. It’s also a great chance for some of their younger players to perform against Power-5 talent.

2 Superb Secondary Showing The Aggies were extremely hit or miss on defense last season. Specifically, their rushing defense was in the bottom half of the country, ranking 83 of 128. Their defensive backfield, however, was actually very strong, ranking sixth in the nation in pass defense. Even though Utah State will be without their two top corners from last year in safety Devin Centers and cornerback Daniel Gray, the Aggies still have a promising secondary. This season, Wisconsin is striving to integrate more new wide receivers into its offense, such as sophomores A.J. Taylor and Quintez Cephus, meaning the Aggies could find success stopping Wisconsin’s passing game, matching their experience with the Badger’s new, underdevelped youth.

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Hone in Hornibrook

Just Chill

Historically, the Badgers’ offense has been dominant on the ground. In fact, it’s practically a part of Wisconsin’s national brand: Big, homegrown linemen, walk-ons who end up as heroes and the ability to run the football.

The Badgers’ backfield duo of Dare Ogunbowale and Corey Clement have moved on to try their hand in the NFL, so sophomore Bradrick Shaw and transfer Chris James will take the reins, full of potential.

The consensus among experts, though, is that the running game will be fine, but it’s instead sophomore quarterback Alex Hornibrook who needs to improve and become more consistent for the Badgers to cement themselves as an elite team. This season, Hornibrook has experienced security blanket targets like senior tight end Troy Fumagalli and senior wide receiver Jazz Peavy, along with some young threats. Hornibrook will need to get in a rhythm before Wisconsin gets to the meat of their schedule to avoid major conference struggles. Expect the coaches to lean on some simpler routes and reads to build his framework, and hopefully experiment later in the game to make sure that the young quarterback continues to develop.

This is the first game of the season, and accordingly, one can expect UW’s players adrenaline levels to be high. If there are some minor glitches, some small imperfections or some kinks to start the game, it’s in Wisconsin’s best interest to stay composed.

That’s the point of games like these: Work out the issues and start getting used to real, live football again.

For the Badgers, it will be integral to keep their composure and not let the moment get too big. Expectations are high this season, and it’s possible with a slightly younger offense, some players may be looking ahead to the “bigger” games, and losing sight of what’s right in front of them.

The Badgers cannot fall into the trap of taking the game too lightly, and therefore trying to do too much, especially in the form of younger players trying to make the flashy plays—which could ultimately lead to turnovers and cost the team. Head coach Paul Chryst and the rest of the staff need to ensure that everyone stays level-headed, and focuses on getting the job done one play at a time if UW wants to emerge with a victory.

2 Let the Linebackers Loose Simply put, Jack Cichy’s injury was a huge blow for the defense both in the form of experience and leadership, as well as tangible production. Of course, the Wisconsin defense has dealt with the absence of Cichy before, and while obviously not ideal from UW’s perspective, the Badgers have depth in their linebacker core.

Juniors T.J. Edwards and Ryan Connelly stepped up last year after Cichy’s previous injury and have proven themselves as valuable to the defense. New edition Andrew Van Ginkel, a junior transfer from Iowa Western Community College, brings more pass rush to a linebacking core that lost key contributors from last year like T.J. Watt and Vince Biegel.

New defensive coordinator Jim Leonard will likely be aggressive early in the season to make sure that his linebacker core is ready for the conference stretch.

Games to watch No. 2 Ohio State at Indiana Aug. 31, 7:00 p.m.

Colorado State at Colorado Sept. 1, 7:00 p.m.

California at North Carolina Sept. 2, 11:20 a.m.

No. 11 Michigan at No. 17 Florida Sept. 2, 2:30 p.m.

No. 3 Florida State vs No. 1 Alabama Sept. 2, 7:00 p.m.

BYU vs No. 13 LSU Sept. 2, 8:30 p.m.

No. 22 West Virginia vs No. 21 Virginia Tech Sept. 3, 6:30 p.m.

No. 25 Tennessee vs Georgia Tech Sept. 4, 7:00 p.m.

Associated Press Top 25 1. Alabama (52) 1,513 2. Ohio State (3) 1,414 3. Florida State (4) 1,396 4. USC (2) 1,325 5. Clemson 1,201 6. Penn State 1,196 7. Oklahoma 1,170 8. Washington 1,150 9. Wisconsin 926 10. Oklahoma State 889 11. Michigan 881 12. Auburn 880 13. LSU 784 14. Stanford 695 15. Georgia 690 16. Louisville 629 17. Florida 624 18. Miami (FL) 492 19. South Florida 327 20. Kansas State 317 21. Virginia Tech 240 22. West Virginia 207 23. Texas 173 24. Washington State 133 25. Tennessee 114

USA Today Coaches Poll 1. Alabama (49) 1,603 2. Ohio State (5) 1,512 3. Florida State (4) 1,434 4. USC 1,415 5. Clemson (7) 1,367 6. Penn State 1,257 7. Washington 1,245 8. Oklahoma 1,237 9. Michigan 959 10. Wisconsin 936 11. Oklahoma State 912 12. LSU 834 13. Auburn 819 14. Stanford 732 15. Georgia 701 16. Florida 681 17. Louisville 676 18. Miami (FL) 472 19. Kansas State 339 20. West Virginia 319 21. South Florida 247 22. Virginia Tech 235 23. Texas 193 24. Tennessee 155 25. Utah 109

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Wisconsin vs. Utah State

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Position Profile: Runningbacks

Shaw, James primed to breakout in 2017

By Cameron Lane-Flehinger THE DAILY CARDINAL

Despite the presence of record-setting running backs like Ron Dayne and Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin’s rushing attack has long been known more for its “plug-and-play” consistency than for the outstanding talents of any particular players. But after graduating tailbacks Corey Clement and Dare Ogunbowale, who accounted for almost three-quarters of the carries given to UW running backs last season, 2017 will test the Badgers ability to integrate new ball carriers into the offense.

The Badgers enter the year with a number of viable options to replace Clement and Ogunbowale, but no established starter. Leading the way are a pair of backs hand picked by head coach Paul Chryst; sophomore Bradrick Shaw and junior Chris James.

Shaw, who racked up 457 yards on 88 carries as a redshirt freshman last season, emerged from spring practices as the presumptive feature back. At 6’1 and 220

pounds, with a reported time of 4.55 seconds in the 40-yard dash, the Birmingham, Alabama native has all the speed and power necessary to be a successful ball carrier, but still needs to improve on his pass blocking and knowledge of the playbook to secure the starting spot. Shaw has an incredible amount of potential, and the Badgers are simply waiting for that to catch up to him.

If Shaw struggles, the next man up will be junior Chris James.

James initially played under Chryst at Pittsburgh before transferring to Madison to reunite with his former coach. At 5’10, James is smaller and quicker than Shaw, and his receiving abilities make him a good option as a third down back.

The competition between Shaw and James has been tight throughout training camp, although James’ experience appears to have given him the edge over Shaw for the time being.

“I think right now [James] probably gives you the best chance of going out and starting a game and being effective,” Running Backs

Coach John Settle said to Land Of 10’s Jesse Temple during spring camp. “Right now those guys are going in as we alternate series.”

True freshman Jonathan Taylor initially wasn’t expected to play much of a role this season on a team that generally redshirts its running backs, but the New Jersey native who broke Clement’s state rushing record has impressed the coaches and likely earned himself a chance to play at some point in the season. A two-time state champion in the 100 meter dash, Taylor’s speed provides a different look at the tailback position. Heading into week one, he is listed as one of the Badgers’ top running backs in the team’s official depth chart.

Junior Taiwan Deal, who missed time last season and all of this year’s spring camp with injuries, might also potentially be an option if he manages to stay healthy. Deal ran for more than 500 yards as a freshman, and could feature more prominently in the offense if he can regain that form.

Although James appears likely to start against Utah State, it is still Shaw

GAGE MEYER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Bradrick Shaw looks to break out and become UW’s feature back. who is the man likely to take the mantle previously held by Gordon and Clement as Wisconsin’s feature ball-carrier. His ability to handle the

starting job and rush for 1,000 yards or more will be crucial in Wisconsin’s pursuit of another division title and a return trip to Indianapolis.

Daily Cardinal Roundtable

Roundtable: Predictions for week one, 2017 campaign Who will be the MVP for the Badgers in 2017?

What will Wisconsin’s record be at the end of the regular season?

Lorin Cox

Jack Cichy was primed to be this team’s MVP before going down with a knee injury, and T.J. Edwards is going to step right up in his place to lead this defense and the whole team to plenty of success in 2017.

MVP: T.J. Edwards

This Wisconsin team lacks some of the star power of previous years, but this system is too firmly entrenched for the Badgers to slow down. Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines might get a loss out of them, but that’s about it.

Final record: 11-1

Utah State is very clearly a caliber or two below the reigning Big Ten West Champions, but the Badgers still have plenty of new faces settling into new roles. The Aggies won’t come anywhere near the upset, but Wisconsin could be a little rough around the edges.

Final score: 27-6, Wisconsin

Jake Nisse

With the departures of Corey Clement, Dare Ogunbowale and Robert Wheelwright from the team, senior wide receiver Jazz Peavy is primed to become one of the offense’s centerpieces. He already posted over 1,000 all purpose yards last season, but expect him to take a step forward for the Badgers in 2018.

MVP: Jazz Peavy

The Badgers will drop a tricky game at Nebraska before getting outclassed by a superior Michigan team at home.

Final record: 10-2

The Badgers were not the most potent offensive team last year, but proved difficult to beat because of the team’s stingy defense and fine offensive line play.

That trend should continue here, with Wisconsin beating the Aggies 27-10.

Final score: 27-10, Wisconsin

Ben Pickman

Troy Fumagalli is a living testament that you don’t actually need ten fingers to catch a football. The nine-fingered tight end is on multiple preseason AllAmerican lists and figures to be the key cog of UW’s offense. Expect production from the 6’5’’ tight end early and often.

MVP: Troy Fumagalli

Ethan Levy

The Wisconsin 2017 MVP will be Alex Hornibrook. Hornibrook has always been accurate, and will continue to improve his consistency. He will lead this Badgers offense to new heights.

MVP: Alex Hornibrook

While a road game in Lincoln and home games against Michigan and Northwestern will provide UW with tough tests, Wisconsin has both the talent and experience to run the table this season. And this clairvoyant prognosticator thinks that they will do just that.

Final record: 12-0.

Wisconsin will finish the regular season with only one loss coming at home to Michigan.

Final record: 11-1

What will be the final score of the week one matchup against Utah State?

While outside of Camp Randall Stadium Friday night, fans will be welcomed by the smell of brats and beer. Inside the stadium, fans will be treated to some sweet dessert. Week one against Utah State should be a cupcake victory for the Badgers, a nice treat to open the season.

Final score: 31-6, Wisconsin

Despite having inexperienced running backs, the Badgers will still dominate the running game, and control the pace of the game. I don’t expect UW to have any trouble with Utah State.

Final score: 34-7, Wisconsin

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Wisconsin vs. Utah State

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Column

Coan decision signals win-now mentality SEBASTIAN VAN BASTELAER

Unopinionated Much like Lil Wayne in the 2008 pop hit “Let it Rock” by Kevin Rudolf, I’m back like I forgot something (note: my similarities with Mr. Wayne end there). In my inaugural foray into the Sports section of the Daily Cardinal, whose Opinion section I’ve been known to frequent, I’m here to write about the position that could make or break the Badgers’ hope at an undefeated regular season, a Big 10 title shot and, dare I say it, an elusive playoff spot. That, of course, is the number two quarterback spot.

In an offseason that’s been remarkably free of position battles and controversies, save for occasional offensive line shuffling and murkiness over the running back pecking order (as expected, it looks like it’ll end up being a committee), the battle for the backup signal-caller position has been the most hotly contested battle on UW’s roster. True freshman Jack Coan, who was at times ranked as a four-star prospect during his recruitment and is one of the highest-rated quarterback commits in

Last time Wisconsin and Utah State Met...

The year was 2012 and the Badgers’ barely escape an upset home loss at the hand of the Aggies. Wisconsin trailed 14-3 at halftime, but scored 13 unanswered points in the second half to take a 16-14 lead. Utah State’s kicker Josh Thompson missed a 37-yard field goal with seconds remaining wide right, preserving a win for the Badgers.

recent Badger history, appeared to be a step ahead of redshirt freshman Karé Lyles through much of camp. Lyles, whose brother was the highest-rated commitment in UW’s 2016 class, though, had few major offers outside of the Badgers. Head coach Paul Chryst on Thursday announced that Coan would indeed be the backup to Alex Hornibrook, who was named the starting quarterback nearly six months ago.

The battle for the backup signal-caller position has been the most hotly contested battle on UW’s roster.

On the surface, this announcement simply indicates that Coan seemed more game-ready through fall camp, and that the coaching staff has more confidence in him should Hornibrook go down with an injury (which is not out of the realm of possibility, considering the redshirt sophomore was hampered with ailments down the stretch in 2016).

But the move to use Coan as the

backup this year also helps to create a belief that this is a season that the staff is willing to go allin on. By using Coan this year, rather than giving him a redshirt year and using Lyles instead, the Badgers are sacrificing a year of Coan’s eligibility, meaning that he will likely have completed his college career by the end of the 2020 season, rather than 2021.

As Coan is a player who is often viewed as an heir apparent to Hornibrook, this is a bold move.

Letting Coan play this year, even if it’s just in garbage time during blowouts, means that he’ll likely only have one year as the starter after Hornibrook leaves, barring injury or poor play from the southpaw. Keeping Coan active this year shows that Chryst and his assistants are willing to potentially sacrifice a year of his career if it means having a security blanket in 2017. They’ve made it clear: if Hornibrook goes down, they still want the quarterback best suited to lead the team to victory, even if it means taking a chance that burning the redshirt will be all for naught.

One can hardly blame the coaching staff’s desire to put its best players, regardless of age or eligibility status, in a position to play this season. UW’s schedule, merci-

fully easy after last year’s gauntlet, is nothing to lose sleep over.

Despite injuries to Jack Cichy and Zack Baun, UW’s defense, under new coordinator Jim Leonhard, should be stout as always. An experienced offensive line should be reminiscent of the dominant groups that are synonymous with Wisconsin football. Deep stables of receivers and running backs, coupled with the potential of a big leap forward for Hornibrook in year two, are enough to electrify the fan base. It appears as if everything could come together in 2017, and the coaches know it.

But the move to use Coan as the backup this year also helps to create a belief that this is a season that the staff is willing to go all-in on.

Having made the decision to play Coan this year at the expense of losing his talents for a year down the road, the coaches should now double down: they’ve shown that they believe that Coan is ready for this pivotal season, and indirectly stated their confidence in future

recruiting classes to replenish the roster with talent. In that case, they should follow suit with other players, and so far, they appear to be doing just that.

It appears as if everything could come together in 2017, and the coaches know it.

True freshman running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver Danny Davis, who have both shown huge potential during fall camp, both appeared on the team’s official Week 1 depth chart last Sunday, and appear poised to play in the first year of their eligibility as well.

That there are three skill players talented enough to play right away for the Badgers is a testament to the recruiting and coaching of the UW staff, and that bodes well for the future of the program. But based on their apparent willingness to burn the redshirts of all three, one can intuit that for the Badgers, there is a clear philosophy in 2017: win now.

Numbers to know

T.J. Edwards

Derrick Tindal

Passing Yards 178

81

UW

Utah St.

Time of Possession

89

Utah St.: 26:45

UW: 32:53

11

One of the key cogs in Wisconsin’s defense last season was inside linebacker T.J. Edwards. Edwards had 89 total tackles last season for the Badgers, most on the team. This season with the recent injury to linebacker Jack Cichy, Edwards will again be relied upon to help lead Uw’s defense.

Derrick Tindal was a key player in Wisconsin’s pass defense last season. Tindal played cornerback in all 14 games last season, and played the ball really well in the air. Accordingly, Tindal had 11 pass breakups, which was second on the team behind his counterpart Sojourn Shelton.

98.8

15.6

In 2017, Wisconsin only gave up 98.8 rush yards per game, which was the third best run defense in the nation. They were the best run defense in the Big Ten, with second place Minnesota surrendering 117.85

Wisconsin ranked fourth in the nation last season in scoring defense, as they only allowed 15.6 points per game. The Badgers only allowed 24 touchdowns for the year, ranking sixth.

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gameday

Wisconsin vs. Utah State

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Wisconsin Badgers 2 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 14 15 15 16 17 17 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 22 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 27 27 28 28 29 30 30 31 31 32 32 34 34 36 37 37 38 38 39 39 41

Johnson, Patrick Pryor, Kendric Taylor, A.J. Dooley, Garret James, Chris Davis III, Danny Shaw, Bradrick Ferguson, Joe Ibrahim, Rachid Coan, Jack Currens, Seth Nelson, Nick Peavy, Jazz Hornibrook, Alex Jamerson, Natrell Bondoc, Evan Dixon, D’Cota Lotti, Anthony Vanden Boom, Danny Dunn, Jack Rushing, George Van Ginkel, Andrew Farrar, Arrington Booker, Titus Lyles, Kare Hicks, Faion Ramesh, Austin Saari, Mark Williams, Caesar Green, Cade Stokke, Mason Taylor, Jonathan Cone, Madison Krumholz, Adam Nelson, Scott Tindal, Derrick Burrell, Eric Gaglianone, Rafael Volpentesta, Cristian Deal, Taiwan Mielke, Blake Carriere-Williams, Dontye Maternowski, Aaron Wanner, Coy Figaro, Lubern Mais, Tyler COllinsworth, Jake Jacobs, Leon Brodner, Sam Obasih, Chikwe Johnson, Hunter Cesarz, Ethan Groshek, Garrett DeLany, Sam Rosowski, P.J. Hintze, Zach Whalen, Jake Burks, Noah

S WR WR OLB RB WR RB S RB QB S CB WR QB S S S P QB WR WR OLB ILB CB QB CB FB RB CB WR ILB RB CB WR S CB S K CB RB S CB FB TE CB S ILB OLB RB DE RB ILB RB WR P K FB OLB

5-11 5-11 5-11 6-3 5-10 6-0 6-1 6-1 6-0 6-3 6-3 5-11 6-0 6-4 6-0 6-1 5-10 6-0 6-5 5-7 6-1 6-4 6-2 5-11 6-0 5-10 6-1 6-0 6-0 5-11 6-2 5-11 5-9 6-1 6-2 5-11 6-0 5-11 5-9 6-1 6-2 5-10 6-0 6-3 6-0 6-1 6-1 6-2 5-10 6-3 6-0 6-0 5-11 5-10 6-3 6-0 6-1 6-2

204 185 202 246 219 186 220 195 195 202 213 208 189 215 198 201 204 191 197 180 200 234 237 195 212 186 255 219 183 185 226 214 178 201 194 181 187 232 191 219 200 192 235 247 188 202 225 245 216 275 209 237 216 162 217 182 246 230

SO FR SO SR JR FR SO SR SR FR FR JR SR SO SR JR SR SO FR FR SR JR JR SO FR FR SR JR FR FR FR FR FR FR FR SR FR JR FR JR SO FR FR FR SR FR FR SR FR SR FR FR FR FR JR SO SO FR

43 43 45 45 46 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 52 53 54 55 56 57 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 81 82 84 85 86 87 89 90 91 93 94 94 95 96 97 98 98 99

Connelly, Ryan ILB Roy, Peter WR Ingold, Alec FB Tiedt, Hegeman OLB Lloyd, Gabe TE Thomas, Nick ILB Grady, Griffin ILB Cichy, Jack ILB Penniston, Kyle TE Green-May, Izayah OLB Bay, Adam LS Maxwell, Jacob OLB Pfaff, David DE Edwards, T.J. ILB Orr, Chris ILB Bell, Christian OLB Baun, Zach OLB Balistreri, Michael DE James, Alec DE Maskalunas, Mike ILB Johnson. Tyler OLB Bruss, Logan OL Biadasz, Tyler OL Kasl, Patrick OL Deiter, Michael OL Connors, Brett OL Beach, Tyler OL Benzschawel. Beau OL Dietzen, Jon OL Moorman, David OL Vopal, Aaron DE Seitzner, Josh OL Van Lanen, Cole OL Fenton, Alex OL Roberg, Gunnar NT Kapoi, Micah OL Lyler, Kayden OL Smithback, Blake OL Erdmann, Jason OL Edwards, David OL Fumagalli, Troy TE Perry, Emmet WR Ferguson, Jake TE Neuvile, Zander TE Benzschawel, Luke TE Cephus, Quintez WR Harrell, Deron WR Allen, Connor P Bernhagen, Josh LS Rand, Garrett DE Henningsen, Matt DE Sheehy, Conor DE Preston, Keldric DE Hirschfeld, Billy DE Loudermilk, Isaiahh DE Howe, Kraig DE Larsh, Collin K Sagapolu, Olive NT

Utah State Aggies 6-3 6-0 6-2 6-4 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-4 6-6 6-0 6-6 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-3 6-5 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-5 6-6 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-6 6-7 6-6 6-2 6-5 6-5 6-6 6-1 6-2 6-0 6-2 6-2 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-6 6-7 6-3 5-10 6-2

228 195 246 237 247 225 225 234 244 217 224 320 275 244 223 249 226 273 272 234 243 281 316 325 328 304 290 317 336 314 298 313 307 299 304 326 320 292 337 315 248 184 230 258 261 205 181 169 236 272 275 293 257 305 306 278 182 346

JR JR JR FR FR SO SO SR SO FR FR JR SO JR SO FR SO FR SR FR SO FR FR FR JR JR FR JR SO SO FR FR FR FR SO JR FR FR SO SO SR FR FR JR FR SO FR SO FR SO FR SR FR JR FR SO FR JR

Game Information Kickoff: 8 p.m.

Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI TV: ESPN Radio: Badger Sports Network

Projected Starting Lineup Offense 1 2 4 5 25 51 58 66 73 76 87

Tarver, Ron’Quavion Myers, Kent Lindsey, Tonny Colston-Green, Jaren Bright, Gerold Ficklin, Quin Ali’fua, Demytrick Uluave, K.J. Brooksby, Preston Andrus, Roman Raymond, Dax

WR QB RB WR WR OL OL OL OL OL TE

Defense 6-3 6-0 5-9 6-1 5-9 6-2 6-3 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-5

215 205 195 185 190 290 310 305 290 300 245

2 8 12 13 19 23 48 49 51 55 56

JR SR SR SR S0 JR RS FR JR SR JR RS SO

Leavitt, Dallin Bailey, Wesley Huerta, Alex Davis, Jalen Togiai, Ian Ferguson, Gaje Christiansen, Chase Larsen, Derek Te’i, Justus Adeoye, Adewale Schuster, Gasetoto

S 5-10 CB 6-1 ILB 6-3 CB 5-10 DE 6-2 S 6-0 ILB 6-1 OLB 6-3 OLB 6-3 DE 6-3 NG 6-0

205 200 235 185 280 210 230 240 240 270 295

SR SR SR SR SR JR JR JR S0 JR JR

BOBBY BURMEISTER/THE DAILY CARDINAL

Wisconsin looks to start the season strong with a win at home against Utah State.

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