The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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132 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Through six seasons at Wiscon- sin, head coach Paul Chryst has largely exceeded expectations, leading the Badgers to three divi- sion titles while posting a winning percentage of .747, the second-best mark in the Big Ten over that span behind only Ohio State (.894). With that said, 2020 was Wis- consin's worst season under the head man, with the team going 3-3 in Big Ten play and 4-3 overall, leading to some offseason changes heading into 2021. Chryst has taken over as the team's quarterbacks coach, and he will call the offensive plays. That side of the ball was where the Badgers struggled last season, with the team taking a major step back from the year prior. In 2019, Wisconsin ranked 21st nationally in scoring offense and 38th in total offense, largely leaning on a rushing attack that produced 233.1 yards per game. Last year, however, the Badgers posted just 25.1 points (88th in the country) and 345.6 yards per game (103rd). Redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz burst onto the scene in the season opener, tying a program record with five touchdown passes in a blowout win over Illinois. But he showed signs of regression as the season went on, throwing just four touchdown passes against five interceptions in the final six contests of the year. To take the pressure off Mertz, Wisconsin is looking to re-establish its rushing prow- ess, after averaging a measly 164.6 yards per game on the ground in 2020, which was seventh in the conference and 62nd in the nation. Freshman running back Jalen Berger led the way a year ago, racking up 301 yards and two touchdowns on 60 carries (five yards per rush) in four games. He'll run behind an offensive line that returns three starters, including third-team All-Big Ten right guard Logan Bruss, a redshirt junior. Mertz has his top receiving target back in redshirt junior tight end Jake Ferguson. Last year, he hauled in a team-best 30 catches for 305 yards and four touchdowns. While Chryst is making alterations on offense, he wants the defense to stay the same under fifth-year coordinator Jim Le- onhard, a former Badgers defensive back. The elite unit checked in fifth nationally and first in the Big Ten in total defense a year ago, yielding just 299.9 yards per game, and slotted ninth in the country and third in the league in scoring defense, allowing only 17.4 points per contest. The defense returns eight of its nine lead- ing tacklers from 2020, including two all- conference performers in junior linebacker Jack Sanborn (third team, media) and fifth- year senior cornerback Caesar Williams (third team, coaches). Sanborn led the squad in tackles with 52, and also posted four tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. Replacements must be made on the defensive line, with just one starter — sophomore defensive tackle Keeanu Benton — coming back. But the strength will be be- hind Benton and Co., and resides in the linebacker room. Sophomore Leo Chanel, the in- side linebacker who lines up be- side Sanborn, was second on the team in tackles with 46, while also adding six tackles for loss, three sacks, seven quarterback hurries and one pick. Wisconsin's secondary was the weakest defensive position group last year, with the team allowing 203.7 yards per game through the air, but that still ranked 31st in the nation. The two starting cornerbacks — redshirt junior Faion Hicks and the aforementioned Williams — are both back, after the duo combined for six passes broken up a year ago. Mean- while, sixth-year senior Collin Wilder and redshirt junior Scott Nelson, the projected starting safeties, were third and sixth on the team in tackles, respectively, while combining for three interceptions and five tackles for loss. Notes Wisconsin rushed for 3.9 yards per carry last season, which ranked 83rd in the country … Quarterback Jack Coan played four sea- sons at Wisconsin before being beaten out by Graham Mertz last season and transferring to Notre Dame this offseason. ❏ 2021 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2020 Result Sept. 4 Penn State — Sept. 11 Eastern Michigan — Sept. 18 Notre Dame — Oct. 2 Michigan W, 49-11 Oct. 9 at Illinois W, 45-7 Oct. 16 Army — Oct. 23 at Purdue — Oct. 30 Iowa L, 28-7 Nov. 6 at Rutgers — Nov. 13 Northwestern L, 17-7 Nov. 20 Nebraska — Nov. 27 at Minnesota W, 20-17 PLAYERS TO WATCH Offense: Jake Ferguson, R-Jr., TE He was tabbed as a preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection by Athlon … Was a Big Ten honorable men- tion recipient in 2019. Defense: Jack Sanborn, Jr., LB He was named a third-team All-American by Pro Football Focus, and is a preseason first-team All-Big Ten pick by Athlon. GAME 5 • WISCONSIN BADGERS • OCT. 2 QUICK FACTS Al l -Ti m e S e r i e s : M i c h i g a n l e a d s 51-17-1 First Meeting: U-M 10, Wisconsin 6 (Oct. 15, 1892 at Madison, Wis.) Last Meeting: Wisconsin 49, U-M 11 (Nov. 14, 2020 at Ann Arbor) Head Coach: Paul Chryst, 56-19 at Wisconsin (7th year) and 75-38 overall (10th year) 2020 In Review: 4-3 overall, 3-3 Big Ten (3rd West) Final 2020 Ranking: Unranked Returning Starters: 17 (7 offense, 8 defense, 2 spe - cialists) Last Bowl Appearance: 2020 (Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. Wake Forest, W 42-28) Returning Leaders Passing: Graham Mertz (1,238 yards, 9 TD) Rushing: Jalen Berger (301 yards, 2 TD) Receiving: Jake Ferguson (305 yards, 4 TD) Tackles: Jack Sanborn (52) Sacks: Leo Chenal (3) Interceptions: Scott Nelson (2) The Badgers Will Once Again Lean On Their Defense Freshman running back Jalen Berger racked up 87 yards and a touch- down in Wisconsin's blowout victory over Michigan in 2020. PHOTO COURTESY WISCONSIN ATHLETICS