Wisconsin’s offense has plenty of reasons for optimism heading into the season, but the wide receiver room still hangs over the group like a big unanswered question.
The Badgers turned over that position hard, bringing in five transfers and essentially rebuilding the unit around a need to replace Vinny Anthony, who was by far the team’s most productive receiver. Even with that overhaul, the one transfer who brings any real Power Four production is Oklahoma State’s Shamar Rigby, who caught 25 passes for 351 yards and one touchdown last season.
That leaves Wisconsin with a receiver group that has new faces, new coaching and plenty of uncertainty. Ari Confessor is now leading the room, and while the Badgers have more size and length on the perimeter than they did a year ago, that alone won’t solve the problem.
“I think the biggest thing there is depth," offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said at local media day. "We’ve got more guys with height and length and size than we had last year for sure."
The bigger issue is finding someone who can actually stretch defenses. Grimes made it clear the Badgers still need a true vertical threat to show up in fall camp.
"Somebody needs to emerge as that deep threat for us. There’s two or three guys that might do that, but we’ve gotta see throughout the course of fall camp who really proves to be that primary vertical threat.”
Wisconsin is looking for a No. 1 X receiver, but the need goes beyond a single role. The Badgers need a player who can take the top off a defense the way Anthony did last fall, and Grimes wasn’t interested in pointing to one name just yet.
“I would say any of our outside guys, I don’t wanna name anyone yet," the play-caller said.
If there’s one trait that stands out in the search, it’s speed. That puts players like Malachi Coleman and Shamar Rigby in the mix as possible vertical options. But Chris Brooks Jr. may be the most intriguing candidate, especially after a spring in which Grimes saw a different version of him.
“He made more of a variety of types of plays in the spring. Last year, he was a really outstanding blocker for us and I guess what you could call a possession receiver; he caught the ball underneath a lot with his numbers facing the quarterback, but not a lot of plays down the field or crossing the field. He made a lot of plays in that intermediate or deep field area this spring." the coordinator said.
"I actually asked him that question one day, I said ‘Dude, you’re playing so much better, what’s the difference?’ He said, ‘I just think I realize it’s my time. I have to now.’”
Brooks already has a strong case for playing time because of his blocking, experience and leadership. But for Wisconsin’s passing game to take a real step, the Badgers need more than a dependable veteran. They need somebody in that room to break through.
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