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Wisconsin Badgers Week 8 depth chart and injury report for Purdue

An overview of Wisconsin's updated depth chart and injury report ahead of their Week 8 matchup with the Purdue Boilermakers.

Matt Belz

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The Wisconsin Badgers (3-4 overall, 1-3 B1G) dropped another conference game this past weekend and did so without several notable starters on each side of the ball. 

With the Purdue Boilermakers coming to town this Saturday, the Badgers are hoping to get healthier quick for a Big Ten West showdown in Camp Randall Stadium.

On Monday, the Badgers released their preliminary depth chart and injury report. Here is a look at those two weekly updates.

Preliminary Injury Report

Out against Purdue:

  • Safety Hunter Wohler (SO) - left leg injury
  • Kicker Vito Calvaruso (JR) - right leg injury
  • Defensive end Isaiah Mullens (RS SR) - right leg injury
  • Outside linebacker Aaron Witt (RS SO) - right leg injury
  • Quarterback Chase Wolf (Redshirt SR) - right knee injury
  • Tight end Hayden Rucci (RS JR) - right leg injury
  • Running back Chez Mellusi (SR) - right wrist injury
  • Safety Preston Zachman (RS SO) - right arm injury

Out for the season:

  • Tight end Cam Large (RS SO) - right leg injury
  • Cornerback Al Ashford (RS FR) - left leg injury
  • Defensive end Isaac Townsend (RS JR) - left leg injury
  • Tight end Clay Cundiff (RS JR) - left leg injury
  • Safety Travian Blaylock (RS SR) - right knee injury
  • Defensive end Mike Jarvis (FR) - left leg injury
  • Inside linebacker Luna Larson (FR) - right leg injury

After missing back-to-back weeks, Isaiah Mullens will remain out for the Purdue game, while cornerback Al Ashford is now listed as out for the season with a left leg injury.

Beyond those two notable changes, the fact that cornerback Cedrick Dort, linebacker Jake Chaney, and fullback Jackson Acker are not on the preliminary injury report means that they potentially have a chance to play this week against Purdue. All three missed the Michigan State game with head injuries. It is not a given that they will return this weekend with the way head injuries can linger, but it is a positive sign that they are not on the list. 

Right tackle Riley Mahlman is also not on the status report again after missing another game on Saturday. Jim Leonhard had noted that Mahlman was getting closer to a return. 

Depth Chart

  • Quarterback
  1. Graham Mertz (RS JR)
  2. Myles Burkett (FR) 

Running back

  1. Braelon Allen (SO)
  2. Isaac Guerendo (RS SR)

While Chez Mellusi is still listed as the No. 2 running back, Isaac Guerendo will continue to be the backup for Braelon Allen with Mellusi out for multiple weeks with a wrist injury. 

Fullback

  1. Jackson Acker (RS FR)
  2. Riley Nowakowski (RS SO)

Reserve fullback Riley Nowakowski earned his first career start against Michigan State with Jackson Acker unavailable with a head injury. Expect that to continue against Purdue if Acker is still unable to participate. 

Wide receiver

  1. Chimere Dike (JR) & Skyler Bell (RS FR)
  2. Keontez Lewis (SO) & Dean Engram (RS JR)

With Markus Allen choosing to enter the transfer portal on Sunday evening, Dean Engram slides into the two-deep at wide receiver. Engram out-snapped Allen in the Michigan State game, and had been coming on of late as a reserve. 

Tight end

  1. Jack Eschenbach (RS SR)
  2. Cole Dakovich (RS SO)

With Hayden Rucci out again this week, the tight end tandem will remain Jack Eschenbach and Cole Dakovich. Eschenbach is more of the receiving target, while Dakovich is primarily a run blocker. 

Left tackle

  1. Jack Nelson (RS SO)
  2. Nolan Rucci (RS FR)

Left guard

  1. Tyler Beach (6-yr SR)
  2. Joe Brunner (FR)

Tyler Beach wound up playing blocking tight end for the Badgers against Michigan State, while Tanor Bortolini earned the starting nod at left guard. It will be interesting to see if that continues this week given Bortolini's struggles at times. 

Center

  1. Joe Tippmann (RS JR)
  2. Trey Wedig (RS SO)

Right guard

  1. Tanor Bortolini (RS SO)
  2. Michael Furtney (RS SR)

Michael Furtney has started the past two games here, with Bortolini bouncing over to play left guard. 

Right tackle

  1. Riley Mahlman (RS FR)
  2. Trey Wedig (RS SO)

Defensive end

  1. Isaiah Mullens (RS SR) & Rodas Johnson (RS JR)
  2. James Thompson Jr. (RS SO) & Cade McDonald (RS SO)

Defensive end Isaiah Mullens missed his second consecutive game versus Michigan State, giving way to James Thompson Jr. and Cade McDonald for extended playing time. Mullens is a redshirt senior and one of the strongest players on the team. His status heading into this weekend is still up in the air. 

Nose tackle

  1. Keeanu Benton (SR)
  2. Gio Paez (RS JR)

Outside linebacker

  1. Nick Herbig (JR) & C.J. Goetz (RS SR)
  2. Kaden Johnson (RS SO) & Darryl Peterson (RS FR)

Inside linebacker

  1. Jordan Turner (RS SO) & Maema Njongmeta (RS JR)
  2. Tate Grass (RS JR) & Jake Chaney (SO)

Cornerback

  1. Jay Shaw (6-yr SR) & Alexander Smith (RS SR)
  2. Semar Melvin (RS JR) & Ricardo Hallman (RS FR)

Nickel

  1. Cedrick Dort (6th-yr SR)
  2. Justin Clark (7th-yr SR)

Cedrick Dort missed the Michigan State game with a head injury, and the Wisconsin secondary struggled at times with his absence. Dort is not listed on the early injury report, but that does not necessarily mean he will 100% be available against the pass-happy attack of Purdue. 

Free safety

  1. Kamo'i Latu (RS JR)
  2. Preston Zachman (RS SO)

Strong safety

  1. John Torchio (RS SR)
  2. Titus Toler (RS JR)

Punter

  1. Andy Vujnovich (RS Senior)
  2. Gavin Meyers (RS Sophomore)

Field goals

  1. Vito Calvaruso (Junior)
  2. Nate Van Zelst (RS Freshman)

Kickoff

  1. Jack Van Dyke (Junior)
  2. Vito Calvaruso (Junior)

Long-snapper

  1. Peter Bowden (RS Junior)
  2. Zach Zei (RS Freshman)

Holder

  1. Gavin Meyers (RS Sophomore)
  2. Andy Vujnovich (RS Senior)

Punt return

  1. Dean Engram (RS Junior)
  2. Chimere Dike (Junior)

Kick return

  1. Isaac Guerendo (RS Senior)
  2. Keontez Lewis (Sophomore)

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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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