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Wisconsin football fall camp preview: inside linebacker

The players to watch, storylines to follow, and the biggest questions for the Wisconsin Badgers at inside linebacker entering the 2022 season.

Matt Belz

In this story:

It is mid-July, which means we are just weeks away from Big Ten Media Days and the beginning of fall camp for the Wisconsin Badgers football team.

Contents

  1. Roster breakdown
  2. Projected depth chart
  3. Returning career production
  4. Position overview
  5. Young player to watch
  6. Biggest question

The Badgers enter the 2022 season looking to improve upon their 9-4 record from a year ago and aim to get back to the Big Ten Championship Game after missing out on a Big Ten West title in 2021.

After a busy off-season filled with coaching changes, recruiting news, and transfer additions, football is nearly back. With that in mind, it is time to preview each position group leading up to the start of fall camp.

Previously covered positions:

Sticking with the defense, today we turn our attention to the inside linebacker room, which is looking to replace a pair of multi-year starters. 

Roster breakdown

Coaches:

  • Mark D'Onofrio (inside linebacker coach)
  • Jack Cichy (graduate assistant)

Returning players:

  • Tate Grass (RS JR) 6-foot-2, 234 lbs.
  • Spencer Lytle (RS JR) 6-foot-2, 231 lbs.
  • Maema Njongmeta (RS JR) 6-foot, 224 lbs.
  • Jordan Turner (RS SO) 6-foot-1, 224 lbs.
  • Jake Chaney (SO) 5-foot-11, 225 lbs.
  • Bryan Sanborn (RS FR) 6-foot-1, 233 lbs.
  • Jake Ratzlaff (RS FR) 6-foot-2, 220 lbs.

Newcomers:

  • Aidan Vaughan (FR) 6-foot-2, 207 lbs.
  • Luna Larson (FR) 6-foot-2, 210 lbs.

Projected depth chart

Starters

ILB: Tate Grass

ILB: Jordan Turner

Backups

ILB: Jake Chaney

ILB: Maema Njongmeta or Spencer Lytle

Returning career production

  • Tate Grass: 20 career games, 14 tackles
  • Spencer Lytle: 11 career games, six tackles, one tackle for loss, a forced fumble
  • Jake Chaney: nine career games, one tackle
  • Maema Njongmeta: seven career games, four tackles
  • Jordan Turner: six career games, six tackles, one tackle for loss, two interceptions
  • Jake Ratzlaff: one career game

Position overview

Of all the position groups on the defense, the inside linebacker room is probably the most fluid at this point.

The Badgers enter fall camp looking to replace the production of all-conference performers Leo Chenal and Jack Sanborn, and the group will have its third position coach in under a year.

However, the inside linebacker room, in general, is deep but inexperienced.

In the spring, sophomore Jordan Turner and junior Tate Grass emerged as the primary starters, but with Mark D'Onofrio taking over for Bill Sheridan this off-season, the depth chart could change.

A former walk-on from inside the state, junior inside linebacker Tate Grass, was recently placed on scholarship, and his dependability and knowledge of the defense make him a likely starter this year.

Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst was complimentary of Grass' work in the spring, saying, "the work that Tate's put in, to this point, is kind of a great example for guys that you just keep going." Chryst went on to say, "He's been extremely consistent. It's not like he just turned it on at the start of spring. It's been his approach, and I think he's obviously more than comfortable and he is trusting the work he has put in. Whether it's in the weight room, the film room, or it's showing up on the field."

The Badgers have had a long string of success with former walk-on inside linebackers, most recently with Jack Cichy and Ryan Connelly. Grass will look to carry on that tradition and enters the fall as the most experienced player in the position room.

Jordan Turner, Maema Njongmeta, and Tate Grass celebrate a big play in spring practice.  :: Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Next to him, Michigan native Jordan Turner only saw action in six games last season but made the most of his opportunities. Turner intercepted two passes a year ago and forced a fumble in limited snaps.

In the spring, Turner quickly saw his role in the defense grow, and by the end of the 15 open practices, he was alongside Grass for all of the first-team reps. Turner is on the lighter side at 225 pounds, but he moves laterally extremely well and can get downhill quickly. The Badgers used him as a pass rusher often in the spring, and Turner has already shown that he is capable in coverage dating back to last season. Only a sophomore, Turner will probably go through some growing pains, but he is a great athlete and has the traits to become an All-Big Ten linebacker down the road.

Mark D'Onofrio walks into a situation with plenty of other young players to turn to as well. Sophomore Jake Chaney and junior Maema Njongmeta each played on special teams last season, and the two rotated in with both the first and second-team defense throughout spring ball. Both are very bright and hardworking players, and each should compete for a role in the rotation next year.

Beyond those top four players, the Badgers also have junior Spencer Lytle, who is one of Wisconsin's top linebackers in space but has struggled to stay healthy. The California product switched from playing outside linebacker before the spring, and if healthy, he could be another player that earns a spot on the defense, specifically in passing situations.

Wisconsin also has several freshmen in the position group that possesses potential. Jake Ratzlaff and Bryan Sanborn were each significant recruiting wins in the 2021 recruiting class, and are exciting players to monitor for the future. Ratzlaff's multi-sport background, in particular, makes him a high-upside player. He made a couple of nice plays in fall camp last year despite playing with a large wrap on his hand. Of the freshmen, Ratzlaff is probably the player that could jump up with a strong fall.

True freshmen Aidan Vaughan and Luna Larson are both likely to redshirt but are intriguing players as well. Vaughan took part in spring practice, working as a reserve. 

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Young player to watch

One player that could shake up the depth chart with a strong fall camp is Jake Chaney. 

The son of a high school coach, Chaney is a very cerebral player, and he plays with a level of physicality perfect for the Big Ten. Despite only being a freshman a year ago, Chaney actually played in the most games of any returning inside linebacker on the roster last year outside of Tate Grass. While most of his reps were on special teams, the fact that Wisconsin was willing to burn his redshirt speaks to his talent level and what the coaching staff thinks about his future in the inside linebacker room. 

Chaney is the shortest of all the inside linebackers, but his explosiveness and ability to get after the quarterback make him an exciting player to keep an eye on in fall camp. Now a sophomore, he has participated in two springs after enrolling early, and this summer provided him an opportunity further develop at the college level. 

The Florida linebacker finished the spring working primarily with the second-team defense, but he stood out on a number of occasions, and he should factor into two-deep during fall camp. 

Biggest question

Jim Leonhard and the Wisconsin Badgers have used the inside linebacker position to generate pressure in passing situations frequently the past few seasons. In 2019, Chris Orr and Jack Sanborn combined for 17 sacks. In 2020, inside linebacker Leo Chenal led the team in sacks with three in just seven games. Then last year, Chenal and Sanborn together generated 13 sacks, while also finishing as the top-two tacklers on the team in consecutive seasons. 

Will this year's group be able to find the same level of sustained success on blitzes?

The Badgers have more experience in the secondary, so Leonhard might not need to blitz as often as he has in the past, but Wisconsin's 3-4 defense relies on misdirection and stunts often in the front seven to generate pressure. 

Jordan Turner was sent as an extra blitzer often in the spring, but it will be interesting to see how effective the Badgers will be with a new group of inside linebackers.

It is hard to envision a scenario where this group is able to replicate the gaudy pressure numbers put up by Leo Chenal and Jack Sanborn last year, but this year's inside linebacker group should get better as the season progresses. 

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Matt Belz
MATT BELZ

Title: Publisher, Beat Writer for AllBadgers.com, a Sports Illustrated Channel Hello, my name is Matt Belz, and I am the site manager at All Badgers. I previously wrote for multiple years at Buckeyes 5th Quarter and have been the leading publisher here since March of 2022.  When I am not covering the Wisconsin Badgers football and men's basketball teams, I enjoy being outside and spending time with family and friends.  You can follow everything I write about on several different platforms. First and foremost on our site...AllBadgers.com You can follow me personally on Twitter at @savedbythebelz or check out our Facebook page at Wisconsin FanNation on Sports Illustrated.

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