Previewing Wisconsin With A Badger Insider

The Michigan Wolverines' football team will head to Wisconsin this weekend hoping to keep its perfect 2-0 record intact and pick up what many would view as a "statement victory" against the 13th-ranked Badgers.

Jake Kocorowski of BadgerBlitz.com was kind enough to break down Wisconsin's squad, discussing its strengths and weaknesses while also giving a final score prediction at the end.

• Junior QB Jack Coan — He beat out freshman Graham Mertz for the starting job and has posted phenomenal numbers so far — 564 passing yards with five touchdowns, no picks and a 76.3 completion percentage. Coan's 76.3 connection rate is the best in the Big Ten, as are his 282.0 passing yards per game.

• Sophomore FB John Chenal — He has basically split the reps evenly with redshirt junior Mason Stokke at the position (45 for Chenal, 41 for Stokke), and has primarily served as a blocker (just four carries for 13 yards) for a Badger ground game that ranks third in the Big Ten with 216.5 yards per game.

• Junior RB Jonathan Taylor — His five rushing scores are tied for the most in the conference and his 118.5 rushing yards per outing are the second most, despite seeing little action after halftime in each of the Badgers' wins (49-0 over South Florida and 61-0 over Central Michigan). Taylor has also added a receiving element to his game, hauling in five receptions for 65 yards and three touchdowns (the latter is tied for the most in the Big Ten).

• Senior WR A.J. Taylor — His eight grabs and 87 receiving yards both rank second on the roster (after junior Quintez Cephus' 169 yards on nine catches), a year after he led the squad with 521 yards. Taylor hauled in 79 yards and a score when the Wolverines visited Madison in 2017, with his 24-yard touchdown reception late in the third quarter marking the go-ahead score in UW's 24-10 win.

• Redshirt junior WR Kendric Pryor — His 72 receiving yards are the third most on the team and his six grabs are tied for third. The Badgers have actually shown a tendency to hand the ball off to Pryor on end arounds over the past two years, with the veteran wideout recording touchdown runs against Michigan in each of the past two meetings.

Get a free 60-day trial to TheWolverine.com with promo code Blue60

RELATED: ITF Extra: On U-M Running Back Rumblings

RELATED: Audio — Chris Balas on The Huge Show: Sept. 18

• Redshirt sophomore TE Jake Ferguson — Though Badger head coach Paul Chryst has often employed several tight ends on a regular basis, Ferguson has separated himself as the club's clear No. 1 at the spot, evidenced by the fact that he has played 100 more snaps this season than any other tight end on the roster. The redshirt sophomore has hauled in six receptions for 71 yards, after finishing second on the team last year in both catches and yards, with 36 and 456, respectively.

• Redshirt junior LT Cole Van Lanen — Pro Football Focus (PFF) has graded him as UW's highest-rated offensive lineman through two games, checking in with an overall mark of 77.9 (a single-game grade of 64 is considered average). Van Lanen has seldom come off the field for the Badgers, with his 145 snaps standing as the second most of any offensive player.

• Redshirt sophomore LG Kayden Lyles — He actually started seven games at defensive end in 2018, but was moved back to the offensive side of the ball once the campaign ended. According to PFF, Lyles' 50.7 pass blocking grade on the year is the third worst of the 17 Badger offensive players who have been asked to pass block so far this season.

• Redshirt junior C Tyler Biadasz — He is the lone returning starter from Wisconsin's 2018 offensive line, and was tabbed as a consensus All-Big Ten first-team selection last season. PFF actually pegged Biadasz as the game's best center last year (88.7 overall grade), but has slapped him with an underwhelming 59.5 mark through the first two games of 2019.

• Fifth-year senior RG Jason Erdmann — His 146 snaps are more than any other Badger offensive player, though he he has graded out with just a 62.2 overall mark from PFF. Erdmann had played in all 41 of UW's contests over the past three years, but only had one career start under his belt entering the season.

• Fifth-year senior RT David Moorman — His 72.9 grade from PFF is the second highest of any Wisconsin offensive lineman, trailing only Van Lanen's 77.9. In addition, Moorman's 80 grade in the pass blocking department is the best on the entire team.

• Redshirt junior DE Isaiahh Loudermilk — He has just one tackle on the year despite playing 51 snaps, but has also forced a fumble and recorded one pass broken up. Loudermilk has been hampered with injuries throughout his career, missing seven games over the past two years due to ailments.

• Freshman DT Keeanu Benton — He has been tasked with a starting assignment in the wake of an injury to sophomore Bryson Williams, and actually checks in second on the team with two tackles for loss. Benton's 81.3 overall grade is the second highest of any Badger defensive player who has seen the field this season.

• Redshirt junior DE Garrett Rand — He missed all of 2018 with injury, but has bounced back nicely to start the first two contests of 2019. Rand has yet to record a sack or a tackle for loss, but his 45 snaps are second only to Loudermilk's 51 among Badger defensive linemen.

• Fifth-year senior LB Zack Baun — The fifth-year senior leads the club in both tackles for loss (three) and sacks (two) through two games, and has also recorded a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry. Baun's overall mark of 80 from PFF is fourth best of any player on the Badger defense.

• Redshirt junior LB Noah Burks — The redshirt junior had appeared in 21 contests entering the 2019 campaign, but has earned starting duties for the first time in his career. Burks has accumulated just two tackles and one tackle for loss through the club's first two affairs.

• Fifth-year senior LB Chris Orr — He started just nine times over the last two seasons, but is finally healthy (received a medical hardship waiver for the 2016 campaign after appearing in only one contest) and has entrenched himself as a full-time starter in the UW linebacking corps. Orr's eight tackles on the year rank him third on the Badger defense.

• Sophomore LB Jack Sanborn — He has racked up six stops and is one of only three UW players to have registered an interception this season. Sanborn's 66 snaps are tied with Baun for the second most on the defense.

• Redshirt sophomore CB Faion Hicks — His 69.6 grade from PFF is the second highest of any UW cornerback (trailing only sophomore Rachad Wildgoose's 72), while his 55 snaps played are also the second most at the position (behind redshirt sophomore Deron Harrell's 56). Hicks has broken up only one pass on the year and made just one tackle.

• Redshirt sophomore CB Deron Harrell — He started five of the 10 games he appeared in as a redshirt freshman in 2018, registering 10 tackles and two passes broken up. PFF has marked him as a subpar player so far this season, however, with his 56.7 grade checking in 38th out of the 41 UW defenders who have seen the field.

• Redshirt junior S Eric Burrell — Burrell started six of the 13 contests he participated in last season, tallying 42 tackles and an interception. He has once again been good in pass coverage in 2019, with his 73.4 PFF grade in that department standing as the third best on the team.

• Redshirt freshman S Reggie Pearson — He has been thrust into a starting role in the wake of redshirt sophomore Scott Nelson's season-ending injury, with his first career start actually coming in the 38-13 blowout loss at The Big House last year. Pearson has seen more defensive snaps (69) than any Badger in 2019.

• Redshirt sophomore K Collin Larsh — He has only made one of his three field goal attempts in 2019, with his lone connection coming from 28 yards. Larsh has tried two kicks from beyond 30 yards and has missed both, though he has converted all 15 of his extra points.

• Senior P Anthony Lotti — The veteran has punted six times for a subpar 38.8-yard average, though he logged an impressive 59-yarder in the season opener against South Florida. Lotti has also downed three of his six punts inside the opposing 20-yard line.

"Wisconsin's biggest strength starts with running back Jonathan Taylor, who already has eight total touchdowns in two games and is making his early case to Heisman Trophy voters," Kocorowski explained. "He has eclipsed the 100-yard mark in both contests, though with the rejuvenated passing game there has been more balance within the offense, so there is less reliance on the junior to be a workhorse.

"The Badgers' aerial attack right now is definitely clicking with Jack Coan playing light years better than last season and [redshirt junior wideout] Quintez Cephus returning to the team after being found not guilty of two charges of assault.

"The top four wideouts — Cephus, A.J. Taylor, Kendric Pryor and [junior] Danny Davis — tight end Jake Ferguson and even Jonathan Taylor out of the backfield have created the deepest and most potent receiving targets UW has had in quite some time."

"I would start with the lack of depth at tight end," the insider noted. "After Ferguson, Wisconsin has been battered at the position group. [Redshirt junior] Luke Benzschawel suffered a right leg injury during one of UW's fall camp scrimmages and has been out since then, though not designated as out for the season.

"Wisconsin also announced [redshirt junior] walk-on Gabe Lloyd would be out for the year early in fall camp due to a right leg injury. Zander Neuville worked to gain a sixth year of eligibility and was finally cleared to play in games by the NCAA a few weeks ago, but after sustaining two injuries the past two seasons, he tweeted last week that he had another one that would end his football career.

"That severely hampers Wisconsin's ability to run 12 [one running back, two tight ends] personnel or a traditional two-tight end set, now having to rely on its fullbacks and extra reserve linemen on those blocking roles.

"I would also say I think the offensive line is still gelling as a unit after replacing four 'regular' starters from 2018. The starting five looked better against Central Michigan with only allowing one sack, but against South Florida the offense overall gave up three sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

"I attribute some of those plays by the Bulls' line play but also on the lighter personnel deployed with injuries at tight end."

"Looking for UW's biggest strength on defense, it's really not on just one person or position group," Kocorowski opined. "[Defensive coordinator] Jim Leonhard's unit works well together and they fly to the football.

"They are very sound with their fundamentals and focus on their individual responsibilities. If there was one position group, I would look at the secondary as a whole, as the Badgers have a two-deep of starting-caliber cornerbacks and safeties."

The national statistics support Kocorowski's notion of UW's defense not just being about one player or position group.

After allowing 157 yards to South Florida and then 58 to Central Michigan, the Badgers' total defense checks in No. 1 nationally, giving up 102 fewer yards than any other defense in the country (Wisconsin is yielding 107.5 yards per game, while TCU is next best at 209.5).

The Badgers also come in at No. 1 in college football in both rush defense and pass defense, surrendering just 20.5 yards per game in the former and 87.0 in the latter.

"In terms of weaknesses, the biggest question for the defense heading into fall camp revolved around who would generate pressure on the passer, especially on the edge at outside linebacker with Andrew Van Ginkel heading to the NFL," the insider noted. "Redshirt senior Zack Baun has started his final year in Madison on an impressive foot with two sacks in the first two games, and there have been a couple other players at certain points making big plays on the quarterback.

"However, we'll see if that continues on Saturday against better competition."

Generating pressure off the edge has indeed been an issue for the Badgers through two contests, with their five tackles for loss per game ranking 11th in the Big Ten and 101st in the nation.

On a similar note, getting to opposing quarterbacks has also been a struggle, with the team's 2.5 sacks per contest slotting in ninth in the conference and 56th in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Baun is the only player on UW's whole team who has recorded more than two tackles for loss so far (three), and is also the only the Badger to have accumulated more than one sack (two).

"Wisconsin started 2018 with a 2-0 record with two 'comfortable' wins before being upset by BYU at home," Kocorowski recalled. "The victories weren't in 'keep-your-foot-on-the-pedal' fashion, which eventually became a slight foreshadowing of what was to come.

"This year, despite early wins against against inferior opponents, UW appears to have more of an edge and has been flat-out dominant. Scoring 110 points and allowing none while hitting on nearly every facet — maybe special teams is the outlier here — has been impressive.

"With that, I feel they have the ability to withstand what Michigan will bring to Camp Randall Stadium. It will not be easy, and the degree of success the Badgers have had the first couple of games will not be seen against the Wolverines.

"However, I think the defense holds down a Michigan offense still working through some things and finds enough balance on the other side of the ball to keep [U-M defensive coordinator] Don Brown's unit from being comfortable."

Wisconsin 24, Michigan 17

---

• Talk about this article inside The Fort

• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine

• Sign up for our newsletter, The Wolverine Now

• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW, @AustinFox42, @JB_ Wolverine and @DrewCHallett

• Like us on Facebook