Projecting Wisconsin's offensive two-deep for next season.

Mark87

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Luke Fickell’s first month as Wisconsin’s football coach was a whirlwind spent simply trying to learn players’ names, develop relationships and get a sense of the locker room culture.

One of Fickell’s biggest takeaways? He loves what he’s seen.

“The first two days of just talking with guys, I tried to not just convince them but make sure they understood that a lot of the things that have been done here are going to stay the same, and the locker room is really strong,” Fickell said. “They believe in the place, they believe in the university, they believe in the culture of their locker room.”


Now comes the next phase as Fickell fully takes over in the wake of Wisconsin’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl victory against Oklahoma State and the previous staff moves on. Fickell will put the finishing touches on his staff, and he stressed the importance of evaluating players in determining exactly what he has to work with for the 2023 season.

“Depth is going to be a difficult thing because there are freedoms and opportunities for guys to leave, and a lot of times it’s the guys that are just below, those are the guys that take off,” Fickell said.

Wisconsin’s roster is far from set given that the transfer portal window doesn’t close until Jan. 19 and another portal window runs from May 1-15 after the completion of spring practice. Fickell also has a handful of scholarships available and figures to be active in bringing in potential transfers of his own at positions of need.

Still, the bulk of the roster likely already is in place as the Badgers prepare to return to campus in January for the beginning of offseason workouts. With that in mind, here is an early look at how Wisconsin’s offensive two-deep projects for 2023:

Quarterback​

Starter: Tanner Mordecai (sixth-year senior)
Backup: Nick Evers (redshirt freshman)
Other candidates: Chase Wolf (sixth-year senior), Myles Burkett (redshirt freshman), Marshall Howe (redshirt freshman), Cole LaCrue (freshman)
2022 snap counts (per Pro Football Focus): Graham Mertz 748, Wolf 84, Burkett 25, Evers 6 (at Oklahoma), Deacon Hill 3

Overview: Mordecai entered the transfer portal Thursday, and Wisconsin emerged as the favorite to land him. His potential addition would be huge for Wisconsin by giving it an experienced signal caller with one year of eligibility remaining who can immediately start for a season before making way for some of the team’s younger talent. In two seasons at SMU, he threw for 7,152 yards with 72 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.


Wisconsin already signed Evers as a transfer portal addition from Oklahoma. A former four-star and top-10 QB in the 2022 class, Evers would have a year to develop in Wisconsin’s system under offensive coordinator Phil Longo before taking the reins. Wolf, who has opted to return to Wisconsin for a sixth season, gives the Badgers another veteran who can mentor the group, while Burkett will be in his second year with the program. This much is clear: Offensive changes with a more open passing game are coming. Fickell and his staff have done as much to upgrade the quarterback position as could possibly be expected.

Running back​

Starter: Braelon Allen (junior)
Backup: Chez Mellusi (senior)
Other candidates: Julius Davis (redshirt senior), Jackson Acker (redshirt sophomore), Cade Yacamelli (redshirt freshman), Nate White (freshman)
2022 snap counts: Allen 457, Isaac Guerendo 203, Acker 176, Mellusi 166, Davis 25, Brady Schipper 25

Overview: Mellusi said after the bowl game that he and Allen, when healthy, “are the best running backs in the country.” They’re going to have an opportunity to prove it in an offense that should face fewer eight-man boxes with a more versatile passing attack keeping defenses honest. Allen didn’t have the sophomore season he wanted, but he still led the team with 1,242 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns. Mellusi missed four games with a broken right wrist and tallied 473 yards rushing with two touchdowns.

Who emerges as a possible third running back? With Guerendo transferring, there are intriguing options. Davis has patiently waited for his turn and played sparingly in his career. Acker seems like a good bet to transition to running back if Longo moves away from the fullback position. White, the only in-state scholarship player in Wisconsin’s 2023 recruiting class, finished his senior season of high school with 1,345 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns.

Wide receiver​

Starters: Chimere Dike (senior), Keontez Lewis (junior), Skyler Bell (redshirt sophomore)
Backups: Dean Engram (redshirt senior), Markus Allen (redshirt sophomore), Vinny Anthony (redshirt freshman)
Other candidates: Haakon Anderson (redshirt junior), Chris Brooks Jr. (redshirt freshman), Tommy McIntosh (redshirt freshman), Trech Kekahuna (freshman)
2022 snap counts: Dike 656, Bell 608, Lewis 409, Engram 108, Allen 107, Anthony 36, Anderson 7, Brooks Jr. 1


Overview: You’ll notice three receivers as starters in Wisconsin’s new offense and no fullback. That’s based on Longo’s North Carolina offense using 11 personnel — three receivers, one running back, one tight end — on 86 percent of its snaps last season, the third-most in the country, according to TruMedia. Wisconsin appears to have a clearly defined top three, who combined to catch 97 passes for 1,446 yards and 14 touchdowns. Those numbers figure to go up in a more pass-friendly offense.

Allen’s decision to withdraw from the transfer portal gives the Badgers more depth and talent. Engram caught 13 passes for 152 yards in his first season at receiver after three seasons at cornerback. Anthony earned a handful of opportunities as a true freshman, and Brooks was among the young offensive players to draw the most praise from teammates for his bowl practice performances.

Tight end​

Starter: Clay Cundiff (redshirt senior)
Backup: Hayden Rucci (redshirt senior)
Other candidates: Cole Dakovich (redshirt junior), Cam Large (redshirt junior), Riley Nowakowski (redshirt junior), Jack Pugh (redshirt sophomore), JT Seagreaves (redshirt freshman), Tucker Ashcraft (freshman)
2022 snap counts: Jack Eschenbach 401, Rucci 331, Cundiff 159, Nowakowski 120, Dakovich 70, Jaylan Franklin 63, Seagreaves 1

Overview: Cundiff has endured season-ending injuries the past two seasons, including a broken left leg during a Week 4 matchup against Ohio State in September. When healthy, he gives Wisconsin a valuable pass-catching threat. Cundiff caught nine passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns. He and Rucci have the most experience among the returning tight ends. Rucci, an excellent blocker, caught six passes for 75 yards and hauled in his first career touchdown in the recent bowl.

Large missed the season with a right leg injury but is a physical presence who played a couple of snaps as a fullback in 2021. Dakovich, Pugh and Seagreaves all could be ready for more significant roles. Seagreaves played his first career snap in the bowl game and caught a three-yard pass. Nowakowski played fullback but could move to tight end, where he spent time last spring because of a depth shortage.

Left tackle​

Starter: Jack Nelson (redshirt junior)
Backup: Nolan Rucci (redshirt sophomore)
Other candidates: Barrett Nelson (redshirt freshman)
2022 snap counts: Nelson 750, Rucci 28

Overview: Jack Nelson played all of his snaps this season at left tackle and finished with the highest pass-blocking grade on the team (84.3), according to PFF. He has started 25 career games, including 13 at right guard in 2021, and has put himself in position for an NFL opportunity after his redshirt junior campaign with a good season. Nolan Rucci, the former five-star prospect and younger brother of Hayden, has yet to break through in his first two seasons but has loads of potential and was listed as Nelson’s backup for the bowl game.

Left guard​

Starter: Trey Wedig (redshirt junior)
Backup: Joe Brunner (redshirt freshman)
Other candidates: JP Benzschawel (redshirt sophomore), Kerry Kodanko (redshirt junior)
2022 snap counts: Wedig 566, Tyler Beach 499, Brunner 38, Benzschawel 21

Overview: Wedig’s versatility as a 6-foot-7 and 315-pound lineman is impressive. He played 341 snaps at right tackle, 143 snaps at right guard and 64 snaps at left guard. All of those snaps at left guard came in the bowl game. Assuming the starting five from the win over Oklahoma State holds true, then I’ll put Wedig at left guard for next season. Nelson is a lock at left tackle and Riley Mahlman was No. 1 at right tackle when healthy.

Center​

Starter: Tanor Bortolini (senior)
Backup: Dylan Barrett (redshirt junior)
Other candidates: James Durand (freshman)
2022 snap counts: Joe Tippmann 758, Bortolini 661 (574 at guard), Barrett 28

Overview: Bortolini spent the 2022 season as a guard until he started at center in the bowl game because Tippmann declared for the NFL Draft. Perhaps no lineman on the team is more versatile than Bortolini, who has played every position on the line other than left tackle. Bortolini started two games at center in 2020 as a true freshman and is Wisconsin’s best option at the position with the roster as currently constructed. Barrett was the backup last season, while Durand is coming into the program as either a guard or a center.

Right guard​

Starter: Michael Furtney (sixth-year senior)
Backup: Joe Brunner (redshirt freshman)
Other candidates: JP Benzschawel (redshirt sophomore)
2022 snap counts: Furtney 516, Brunner 38, Benzschawel 21

Overview: Furtney played all of his snaps at right guard during the 2022 season and started nine games. His decision to withdraw from the transfer portal and return for a sixth season gives the Badgers a veteran who has played in 44 games with 11 starts. But I can see a situation where Brunner is ready to play, which would move Furtney out of the starting lineup. All 38 of Brunner’s snaps came at left guard. If he winds up there, Wedig could be back at right guard.

Right tackle​

Starter: Riley Mahlman (redshirt sophomore)
Backup: Nolan Rucci (redshirt sophomore)
Other candidates: Barrett Nelson (redshirt freshman)
2022 snap counts: Mahlman 397, Logan Brown 209, Rucci 28

Overview: Mahlman overtook Brown for the starting right tackle job during the preseason but suffered a left knee injury in the opener that forced him to miss the next six games. He closed the season appearing in seven games with six starts. Wisconsin has talent at the tackle spots, but with just 11 scholarship players on the offensive line overall, Fickell has said adding pieces will be an offseason priority.
 
Going to be interesting if Longo tries to get Mordecai and Evers on the field using packages for both players. UW needs to improve the WR room. They went out and vastly improved the QB spot but need to get some quality WR for them to throw to.
 
Going to be interesting if Longo tries to get Mordecai and Evers on the field using packages for both players. UW needs to improve the WR room. They went out and vastly improved the QB spot but need to get some quality WR for them to throw to.
Highly unlikely
 
Why do you say it's unlikely? With the QB room they have now, there's going to be some WRs out there that take a look at it, and the direction they're going and say; "Hell yeah!"
 
Why do you say it's unlikely? With the QB room they have now, there's going to be some WRs out there that take a look at it, and the direction they're going and say; "Hell yeah!"
I think he means unlikely they will go use a 2 QB system.
 
We don't need no stinkin' WRs. 3 centers, a couple guards, a couple Tackles, and all them QBs, that's all we need
 
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