Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1276571
2019 RECORD 10-4, 7-2 Big Ten COACH Paul Chryst (52-16 in =ve sea- sons at Wisconsin; career record: 71-35) OFFENSE The Badgers need a new tail- back with two-time Doak Walker Award winner Jonathan Taylor having le@ for the NFL a@er totaling 6,174 yards and 50 touchdowns in his three seasons in Madi- son. But when has Wisconsin lacked tal- ent at this position? It might take a couple of players to replicate Taylor's production, but there's plenty of potential in the running back room, in- cluding four-star true freshman Jalen Berger. The Badgers also have some re- building to do on the o?ensive line, but this is another spot where the talent pool is always pretty deep, and there are =ve linemen returning with starting ex- perience. They should also be =ne at quarterback, as Jack Coan is back for his senior year a@er completing just under 70 percent of his attempts for 2,727 yards last season, with 18 touchdown passes and =ve interceptions. The Badg- ers will need some of last year's comple- mentary wideouts to step up. Quintez Cephus le@ early for the NFL, while A.J. Taylor saw his career end with an Achilles injury in the regular-season =- nale. The team's top returning pass- catcher is tight end Jake Ferguson with 33 receptions for 407 yards last year. DEFENSE Wisconsin =nished second in the Big Ten in total defense last season, and this unit should still be very good despite the loss of standout linebackers Chris Orr and Zack Baun. The biggest star is junior linebacker Jack Sanborn. He was all over the =eld last season, leading the team with 80 tackles, including nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, and he also intercepted three passes. Elsewhere, the defensive line returns intact from last season, and the secondary should be outstanding, with all four starters back from a unit that held opponents to a Big Ten-low 50.8 percent completion rate. How deep are the Badgers in the defen- sive back=eld? Consider this: Free safety Eric Burrell has 19 career starts and =n- ished =@h on the team in tackles last year with 55, but he might not be able to hold onto the =rst-team spot now that Scott Nelson is back a@er missing most of last season with a leg injury. SPECIAL TEAMS There are couple of big holes here. The Badgers need a new punter, and they also lost a key contribu- tor when talented kick returner Aron Cruickshank transferred to Rutgers. Last year, Cruickshank averaged 29.3 yards per attempt and scored two touchdowns. Wisconsin does return kicker Collin Larsh, who hit 12 of 18 attempts in 2019. OUTLOOK If there is a Big Ten Champi- onship Game this season, you have to like the Badgers' chances of returning to it. They've played for the title six times since the league split into divisions in 2011, including three of the past four years. However, you don't have to like their chances of winning it. The Badgers have gone 0-4 in the title game since the league reorganized into East and West di- visions in 2014, and their frequent strug- gles, which include a second-half fade and eventual 34-21 loss to Ohio State last December, have o@en been cited as evi- dence of the East's superiority. This sea- son, Wisconsin will look to do what Wisconsin always does: control games by running the ball behind a massive o?en- sive line and playing stout defense. If the Badgers can do both of those things, there's a very good chance they will again emerge as the class of the Big Ten West. ■ TOP RETURNEES PASSING Jack Coan 236 of 339 | 2,727 yds. | 18 TD | 5 int. RUSHING Nakia Watson 74 att. | 331 yds. | 2 TD RECEIVING Jake Ferguson 33 rec. | 407 yds. | 2 TD TACKLING Jack Sanborn 50 solo | 30 asst. | 80 total SACKS Jack Sanborn 5.5 sacks | 30 yds. 1. WISCONSIN >> 2019 RECORD 11-2, 7-2 Big Ten COACH P.J. Fleck (23-15 in three sea- sons at Minnesota; career record: 53-37) OFFENSE The Golden Gophers have lost leading rusher Rodney Smith and standout receiver Tyler Johnson, but they should still be loaded on this side of the ball. The o?ensive attack revolves around Tanner Morgan, who is back for his redshirt junior year a@er enjoying a breakthrough season in 2019. A second- team All-Big Ten choice, Morgan com- pleted 66 percent of his attempts for 3,253 yards last season, with 30 touch- down passes and seven interceptions. Also back are Big Ten Receiver of the Year Rashod Bateman, talented running back Mo Ibrahim and =ve starting o?en- 2. MINNESOTA W E S T D I V I S I O N P R E V I E W B Y M A T T H E R B COAN