Fall camp is done, and Wisconsin is already turning the page to a massive Week 1 test against No. 4 Notre Dame on Sunday night at Lambeau Field.
With the official depth chart still to come, here’s one more look at how the Badgers’ two-deep appears to be lining up heading into the opener.
At quarterback, there’s no movement. Danny O’Neil has kept his grip on the top job, while Hunter Simmons remains the backup.
Behind him, the battle for the No. 2 spot has swung back in favor of Jayden Adams, the Louisville transfer who surged late in camp and seems to have moved ahead of freshman Ryan Hopkins for now. That could still shift, but Adams looks like the guy to open the season as the primary backup.
The running back picture is a little murkier. Darrion Dupree has been dealing with injuries through camp, and Juju Pope has also been banged up in the back half of the month.
For that reason, TCU transfer Nate Palmer appears to be in line for early work as the RB3. Dupree is still on the depth chart, but his status is clearly up in the air.
Wide receiver has stayed stable at the top, with the same starting trio holding firm. The name that really jumped out late, though, was true freshman Kash Brock.
He caught fire in the second half of camp, enough for offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes to say Brock will have to "play some role" this season. Shamar Rigby and Malachi Coleman could both be viewed as co-starters on the outside, and there’s still some uncertainty about how much rotation Ari Confesor’s group will use.
Tight end hasn’t changed much either. Lance Mason and Hayden Schwendemen are the receiving options in the room, while J.P.
Stec and Joey Bork are the more traditional in-line blockers. The hierarchy there has been pretty steady all offseason.
Up front, Wisconsin is starting to settle in despite some uncertainty. Mark Blackmon, who is stepping in for Emerson Mandell, and Ricardus Simmons-Johansson, replacing Kevin Heywood, are now penciled in as the starters.
Mandell and Heywood could still be available for Week 1, but at this point it would be a mistake to count on it. Blackmon made a quick rise during camp and seems to have moved past Arkansas transfer Blake Cherry.
At tackle, Vils has worked his way into the two-deep discussion by the end of camp, while the rest of the group looks unchanged for EJ Whitlow’s unit.
The outside linebacker spots are still being sorted by role. The Jack is the bigger, sturdier edge-setter, while the Sam is the quicker, more pass-rush-oriented spot. Fearbry is viewed by many as a starter, but it’s hard to see Boone or Garner coming off the field on early downs.
Inside linebacker remains unchanged. If Wisconsin ever had to replace Catalano or Posa, Heiberger would be the first option to slide over from his backup star role before the Badgers turned to Gauthier, Bramm or Witt.
At cornerback, the late-camp push from Fletcher changed the picture. He tightened the race at field corner enough that Robert Steeples will have to find a way to get both players on the field. That also opens the door for freshman Dunmore, who had a solid camp of his own, to slide into the two-deep.
Safety looks steady, experienced, and deep. Burks had a scare late in camp, but it’s not expected to affect him in Week 1.
In Other News...
Wisconsin May Have Found A New Strength Up Front
During fall camp, Luke Fickell has sounded increasingly comfortable with one of the most important areas on Wisconsins roster: the interior defensive line. What had looked like a question mark earlier in the offseason now appears to be a unit the Badgers can lean on, thanks to an experienced group built mostly around seniors and fifth-year players.
That kind of maturity matters in a Big Ten season, especially for a front expected to rotate heavily and keep fresh bodies on the field. Fickells confidence in the groups growth suggests Wisconsin believes it may have found a way to make life harder on opposing offenses right where games are often decided, even if the true payoff wont be clear until the season starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Deepest Unit Could Define The Badgers This Fall
Wisconsins front seven looks like the kind of group that can shape a season before the first month is even over. The Badgers were already stout against the run last fall, finishing 15th nationally by allowing 105.2 yards per game, and Luke Fickell has plenty of reason to believe that side of the ball can be even tougher this year. Returning pieces are part of the equation, but so are nine transfer additions who give the staff more options than it had a year ago.
What stands out most is the sheer number of bodies available at defensive line and outside linebacker, with roughly ten players in position to help. That kind of depth can make a difference late in games and late in the season, when rotation matters as much as talent. For Wisconsin, the bigger question is not whether the front can play, but how far a deeper, more flexible group can carry the Badgers if it lives up to the early optimism. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Defense Is Starting To Reflect Two Rising Leaders
Fall camp has a way of revealing who is ready to carry more than just a position group, and for Wisconsin, Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano have been two of the clearest examples on the defensive side. The linebackers have stood out not only for the way theyve handled their work on the field, but also for the presence theyve brought to a unit that is still taking shape as the Badgers prepare for a new season.
Coaches have made it clear that leadership matters just as much as production, and both Posa and Catalano have been asked to take on real responsibility in that area. For a defense looking to set its tone early, their rise is encouraging because it points to a group with both talent and direction, even if the full picture of how it all fits together will have to wait until the games start. [Read more 🡒]