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Coming into the season, we knew that the linebackers would be among the best units in the Big Ten, if not the country. We knew that the front-7 would be filthy. We were right. But what many doubted, including me, was the secondary.
It was a perfectly valid concern. Wisconsin Football had lost one of their best safeties in program history, Michael Caputo. They lost uber athletic center fielder Tanner McEvoy and three-year starting cornerback Darius Hillary.
The only returning starter was the wildly inconsistent Sojourn Shelton and his butter soaked hands. All that was left at safety was the undersized Leo Musso and former linebacker D’Cota Dixon, both of whom were abused against Alabama. Cornerback Derrick Tindal was another x-factor due to his struggles in coverage as the number three cornerback.
It was taken for granted that this group would be a liability. At best, it would be an average unit hidden from exposure by a great pass rush. Instead, this unit has made a ton of plays and propelled the defense from great to borderline elite. The emergence of the secondary is a primary reason that this team is 4-0 with wins over LSU and Michigan State.
It all started with the breakout campaign of Leo Musso, who took over the “McEvoy” role. Musso, the player I was most worried about, has flown around the field, making play after play against both the pass and the run. Through three games, he has one interception and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Although small in stature, he has been one of Wisconsin’s biggest playmakers, not unlike his coach in the secondary, Jim Leonard (who deserves a lot of credit).
#B1G PLAY ALERT!
Leo Musso returns the fumble for a @BadgerFootball TD.
More video » https://t.co/nb60fSZymd https://t.co/nuWo3t7efU
— Wisconsin On BTN (@WisconsinOnBTN) September 24, 2016
That is a spin move! If Gary Andersen was still coaching, he would have converted Musso to quarterback by the next game.
D’Cota Dixon has been another revelation. He’s made some fantastic open field tackles this season, and has been generally very consistent. He has the game clinching interception against LSU, and forced a fumble versus Michigan State.
http://gty.im/598987664
Sojourn Shelton has looked like a star. He was good against LSU and Akron, and fantastic against Michigan State. He finally caught the ball too (I guess it is possible), nabbing his first interception of the year. While “Bad Shelton” did make an emergence against Georgia State, he has been a true shutdown cornerback for most of the season.
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Arguably the biggest surprise of the 2016 Wisconsin Football season has been the emergence of Derrick Tindal. The junior went from looking shaky in a supporting role last year to being stellar as a starter. He has been great at playing the ball, with two picks, six passes breakups, and a phenomenal forced fumble. The kid is just a pure playmaker.
Is that @peanuttillman?
Nah, it's @BadgerFootball's Derrick Tindal. #punchout
More >>https://t.co/nb60fSZymd https://t.co/T6L27vODY5
— Wisconsin On BTN (@WisconsinOnBTN) September 10, 2016
While the secondary has given up a few big plays over the top, that is to be expected. They are inexperienced and still learning on the fly. But while they bend, they do not break. Instead, they make plays. Through four games, the secondary has eight takeaways. Eight! When they have an opportunity to make a play, this unit capitzlizes.
The playmaking ability of Wisconsin’s defensive backs has changed the secondary from a unit for Wisconsin fans to be worried about into a unit for opposing quarterbacks to be worried about. There may be some times when they get gashed. But don’t panic. A big play is on the way.
The post Wisconsin’s Secondary is Exceeding Expectations and Making Plays appeared first on Madtown Badgers.
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