Wisconsin’s depth chart for its Week 2 matchup against Western Illinois is out, and the Badgers are rolling into Sept. 12 at Camp Randall Stadium with a full two-deep across offense, defense and special teams.
One note from the release: players are now listed by five-year eligibility, so the chart uses freshman, sophomore, junior, senior and fifth-year designations. Redshirt years are no longer included.
At quarterback, Colton Joseph, a senior, is listed with the first unit. Behind him are Deuce Adams, a junior, and Ryan Hopkins, a freshman.
The backfield opens with Abu Sama III, a senior, as the top running back, with Darrion Dupree as the second option.
At receiver, Chris Brooks Jr. is on the first team, with Malachi Coleman behind him. Eugene Hilton is the other starting receiver, and Shamar Rigby is next up there. Tyrell Henry is the first-team slot receiver, with Coleman again listed second.
Jacob Harris holds the starting tight end spot. Grant Stec and Emmett Bork are listed behind him.
Up front, the starting offensive line has PJ Wilkins at left tackle, Colin Cubberly at left guard, Austin Kawecki at center, Stylz Blackmon at right guard and Kevin Heywood at right tackle. The second unit includes Lucas Simmons-Johansson at both tackle spots, Blake Cherry at guard, and Ryan Cory at center.
On defense, Hammond Russell IV and Charles Perkins are the first-team defensive linemen. Their backups are Junior Poyser and Dillan Johnson for Russell’s spot, with Nolan Vils and DeNigel Cooper behind Perkins.
The edge spots show Sebastian Cheeks or Micheal Garner as the first-team outside linebacker on one side, with Nick Clayton listed second. On the other side, Tyreese Fearbry starts and Justus Boone backs him up.
Inside linebacker has Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa on the first team, with Jon Jon Kamara and Thomas Heiberger behind them.
The secondary features Javan Robinson and Jai’mier Scott at cornerback, Bryce West at nickel corner, and Marvin Burks and Matt Jung at safety. The second-team defenders listed there are Cai Bates, Eric Fletcher, Raphael Dunn, Cairo Skanes and Carson Van Dinter.
Special teams are set with Gavin Lahm handling kicker and kickoff duties, Sean West listed as the punter and holder, and James Roe at long snapper. Andrew Goodman is the backup long snapper.
For return work, Tyrell Henry is the first-team punt returner, with Eugene Hilton next in line. Darrion Dupree is listed as the kickoff returner, and Hilton is the backup there.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Fans May Wait Weeks For Real Clarity On Luke Fickell
Luke Fickell enters the season with the kind of pressure that follows any rough stretch in Madison, but Wisconsins schedule makes an immediate verdict unlikely. The early weeks should not be treated as a true referendum on whether the Badgers have actually improved, since the first few matchups are not expected to tell the full story about the team or its coach.
The real evaluation point appears to come later in the conference slate, when the Badgers start facing games that can more clearly separate progress from wishful thinking. For a fan base looking for answers, the frustrating part is simple: the most meaningful test of Fickells future probably will not arrive until the season is already well underway. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins New QB Has One Big Chance To Silence Early Doubts
Colton Josephs first night as Wisconsins starting quarterback came with both promise and the kind of hiccups that tend to linger until the next kickoff. The Old Dominion transfer completed 19 of 30 passes for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the Badgers Week 1 loss to Notre Dame, showing enough arm talent to keep the offense moving while also leaving some questions unanswered. His legs were hardly a factor, and the broader evaluation matched the eye test: a 69.9 QBR and a 57.1 PFF grade pointed to a performance that was neither a disaster nor a clean statement.
Western Illinois now offers Joseph a chance to settle things down and start building real momentum in a job that rarely allows much patience. Wisconsin does not need him to be perfect, but it does need a sharper, more controlled version of the quarterback it hopes can steady the offense as the season unfolds. A more convincing outing would go a long way toward quieting the early doubts and reinforcing that the starting role is his to keep. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Already Has One Early Injury Concern Fans Cant Ignore
Wisconsin opened the season having to shuffle its offensive line right away, with right guard Emerson Mandell unavailable in Week 1 and Stylz Blackmon and Blake Cherry stepping in and rotating through the spot during the game. For a program that puts such a premium on line play, getting through an opener without a preferred starter is never ideal, even if it does give the staff an early look at its depth and a chance to see how the next men handle live action.
Luke Fickell said he hoped Mandell could be back soon, but he also noted how physical the game was and how hard it can be to know exactly how quickly players will recover. Wisconsin also had its return game affected by Eugene Hilton being limited by injury, so the Badgers are already dealing with more than one health issue as the season gets going and the picture along both lines and special teams remains a little unsettled. [Read more 🡒]