Wisconsin football spring questions: inside linebackers

A question focused preview of the Wisconsin inside linebackers ahead of spring football.

Spring practice begins this week for the Wisconsin Badgers.

With several key changes to the roster and a revamped coaching staff, this spring will provide us the first look at what next year's football team might look like when they open up against Illinois State on September 3.

Previous spring previews:

• Quarterbacks
• Running backs
• Offensive line
• Tight ends and fullbacks
• Wide receivers
• Defensive line
• Cornerbacks
• Safeties
• Special teams

Today our position-by-position look at the major questions heading into the spring for Wisconsin football continues with the inside linebackers.

Who receives the first-team reps?

The inside linebacker room has a new position coach and will have a completely new starting tandem with Jack Sanborn and Leo Chenal set to be selected in the NFL Draft next month. 

With several viable candidates to take over in the starting lineup, the inside linebacker position is one of the most intriguing positions this spring. 

In terms of returning production, the Badgers have five players on the roster that saw playing time in 2021. 

Junior walk-on Tatum Grass played in 13 games a year ago and added nine tackles in a reserve role. He was listed in the two-deep throughout the season and is the most experienced returning inside linebacker. 

Redshirt sophomore Jordan Turner only participated in six games last year but was the most productive returning player with six tackles, one tackle for loss, and two interceptions. Turner is a former three-star recruit that moves well for the position and is a frontrunner heading into spring. 

The past couple minutes have not been great for the #Badgers, but I love the way Jordan Turner plays.

Kid can flow to the ball and he has also shown some ability in coverage this season as a reserve.

— Matt Belz (@savedbythebelz) December 31, 2021

Similarly, redshirt junior Maema Njongmeta played six games in 2021 and recorded six tackles. Njongmeta overcame a significant injury in 2020 and is incredibly smart. He is expected to be one of the top four players on the depth chart entering spring and is well respected in the locker room. 

Rising sophomore Jake Chaney surprisingly burned his redshirt last year, playing special teams in nine games. He added one tackle. While Chaney is the shortest linebacker in contention, the fact that the staff used him last year indicates that he could be someone they expect to make an impact this year. 

Lastly, Jake Ratzlaff played in one game against Northwestern and had a solo tackle. A former hockey standout, Ratzlaff is maybe the most athletic inside 'backer on the roster. It will be interesting to see where his weight is entering spring. 

Another interesting name to watch is Spencer Lytle. The junior linebacker is now listed as an inside linebacker according to the spring roster after playing outside linebacker his first few years in the program. Lytle is a player that the staff loves and I would imagine that this switch is an attempt to get him on the field in a starting capacity. 

It is anyone's guess which pair of starters emerge from this list, but this spring will go a long way in helping determine the pecking order. 

Can Wisconsin continue to get pressure with their inside linebackers?

Jim Leonhard has relied on his inside linebackers to rack up gaudy tackle numbers and generate quarterback pressures in blitzing situations. 

Jack Sanborn and Chris Orr combined for 17 sacks in 2019, and in 2021 Leo Chenal and Sanborn added 13 sacks. 

While double-digit sack numbers are potentially unrealistic for a brand new group of linebackers in 2022, I doubt Leonhard will dial down the pressure and stunts inside. 

Regardless of which starting duo steps up this spring, it will be fascinating to see if they can come close to replicating the overall success the position has had in recent years. 

Considering the overall production that Sanborn and Chenal had a season ago, it is highly unlikely. However, Wisconsin has recruited the position extremely well, and the staff is very high on the young group's potential. 

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