Film room: Why Mason Reiger gives Wisconsin's defense a chance vs. Alabama
Wisconsin is a three-touchdown underdog in Tuscaloosa, but OLB Mason Reiger's nose for the football gives the Badgers' defense a chance to compete.
As Wisconsin football prepares to travel into the heart of SEC country to play Alabama, not many are giving the Badgers a shot.
Wisconsin has yet to make a blip on the national radar; despite a 2-0 start, both wins came versus heavy underdogs and to make matters worse, the status of starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. remains in question.
Couple that set of circumstances with a program that’s a mere 15-13 under head coach Luke Fickell, including a 42-10 home loss last season to the Crimson Tide, and it’s understandable that outsiders have little faith the Badgers can pull this upset.
I think this quote from On3.com’s Andy Staples is a good summation of the national perception of Wisconsin right now:
“Even if Alabama plays like it did against Florida State, there’s a chance they can win this game by three touchdowns.”
Let that sink in.
For those that need a recap of how that Alabama loss to the Seminoles went: The Crimson Tide allowed 230 yards rushing. Their quarterback barely completed 50% of his passes. They committed eight penalties, costing them 70 yards.
You get the point. Alabama played awful against Florida State, and yet the national perception of Wisconsin is such that if the Crimson Tide repeat their performance against the Seminoles, the Badgers could still lose by three touchdowns.
To be completely fair, Wisconsin has yet to show the world otherwise. But while questions swirl around the offensive side of the ball, from the quarterback to the offensive line, this defense looks nothing like the unit that got surgically eviscerated by Alabama last fall.
Perhaps the biggest reason why? Louisville transfer outside linebacker Mason Reiger.
Reiger has been the Badgers’ go-to defender on the edge this season, and for good reason. He’s created havoc at a torrid pace, and while his stats may not jump off the page (seven tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1.0 TFLs and two quarterback hits), a look at the tape reveals he’s completely changed the tenor of this defense.
Below, BadgerNotes.com dives into the film:
Wisconsin’s defense was shredded in all facets last season against Alabama, but as always, it starts up front. The Badgers surrendered 181 rushing yards, allowing both tailbacks and the mobile gunslinger Jalen Milroe to gobble up yards on the ground.
This season, the Badgers are off to a much better start defending the run. Miami (OH) ran for 34 yards, while Middle Tennessee ran for 33. This time last year, Wisconsin had already surrendered 246 total rushing yards against a MAC team and an FCS opponent.
Mason Reiger is a huge reason for this turnaround.
Above, you’ll see Middle Tennessee’s quarterback Nicholas Vattiato motion a tight end over to the right side of the line, in order to get a double-team block on Reiger (#22). No matter; he fights off both the tight end and the right tackle, and is the first one to the football.
This play came in the first quarter. Early in the game, the Blue Raiders were already not going to take any chances with Reiger. When he’s fighting through double teams, however, it’s a rather moot point.
That wasn’t an isolated instance — the outside backer bullied his way through contact all afternoon to find the football.
Below, he’s lined up on the opposite side of the line. First, he easily absorbs a chip from the left tackle, flying into the backfield only to discover that the Blue Raiders elected to try to block him with a running back. Unsurprisingly, he then easily blows up the block attempt and wraps up the tailback in the backfield:
Reiger’s block-shedding and get-off have been the best on the Badgers’ defensive front, not just this season but frankly, in multiple years. But even when he doesn’t immediately shed his blocker, that doesn’t impede his nose for the football.
Below, Reiger is again lined up opposite the left tackle. Middle Tennessee tries a zone running concept, but defensive lineman Brandon Lane discards the right guard tasked with blocking him. That creates some traffic in the hole, just enough for Reiger to disengage and make the tackle on the tailback:
Last year against Alabama, the Badgers’ run defense was out-schemed and out-manned, but more strikingly they were also pushed around, physically dominated at the point of attack.
Reiger seems like a prime candidate to not let that happen. Watch how he finishes the play below: