Know Your Foe: Wisconsin Badgers

Get yourself familiar with three new Badgers that will visit Ann Arbor this fall.

The Badgers are coming off an impressive 10-4 season and one of those 10 wins was an absolute beatdown of Michigan in Madison. Some of the biggest and baddes Badgers are off to the NFL, including Jonathan Taylor, but Wisconsin has a knack for rebuilding and reloading in a consistent manner.

Jake Kocorowski of AllBadgers.com stopped by to help identify three new Wisconsin players who should be making plays by the time the Badgers come to The Big House in late-September.

RB Isaac Guerendo

Wisconsin loses running back Jonathan Taylor, and there are two backs who have played more than Guerendo in Nakia Watson and Garrett Groshek. Both filled out the backfield in complementing Taylor in 2019 and should get snaps this year, but keep an eye on Guerendo. He only played in six games last season due to a hamstring injury suffered during fall camp, but in one highlight he showcased his potential in taking a kickoff return 49 yards against Minnesota in the regular-season finale. He also caught a pass and received a carry on a bigger stage against Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

Though spring ball would have helped him continue his development as a younger back in gaining more reps, the Indiana native has track speed and explosiveness, and an intriguing skill set for the Badgers to utilize in various ways.

OLB Izayah Green-May

Wisconsin needs to replace the production of Zack Baun out on the edge, who finished his senior year with 12.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss. Noah Burks will be a redshirt senior, but someone will have to step up at outside linebacker opposite him. Green-May played in 11 games and actually started the season opener at South Florida, but an injury derailed his time on the field as he finished with only five tackles.

Green-May’s athleticism is intriguing, and he could be a prime candidate from Bobby April III’s room to keep pressure on opposing quarterbacks. His development as a redshirt junior and bouncing back from 2019 will be something to watch as Jim Leonhard’s defense thrives on getting in the backfield.

ILB Leo Chenal

Baun and Chris Orr combined for 24 sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss last season. The latter contributed 11.5 and 14, respectively.

Junior inside linebacker Jack Sanborn led Wisconsin in tackles with 80 while also contributing 5.5 sacks, but who assumes the starting role next to him in the 3-4 scheme? Redshirt senior Mike Maskalunas is one candidate, but Chenal could assert himself there as well. He played in 11 games as a freshman, recording 20 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.

Chenal boasts an impressive physical frame, as seen in his bench-pressing video alone (and strength and conditioning coach Ross Kolodziej also noted how the sophomore put up 315 pounds 18 times recently). Now in his second year at UW, there is a chance he could make a heavy impression in 2020.


Published