Column: Right now, Wisconsin football is a strong front seven and not much else
The Wisconsin Badgers' front seven came to play against the No. 20 Michigan Wolverines in the Big House... and that was about it.
Wideout Vinny Anthony played admirably, reeling in nine grabs for 97 yards, despite a wildly inconsistent passing game.
Tailback Dilin Jones had a few nice runs, especially on the Badgers’ opening drive.
Hell, Atticus Bertrams, who was plenty busy, downed two punts inside the five yard-line.
Still, outside of a few all too short-lived bright spots, Wisconsin football wasn’t much more than a stout, aggressive front seven that ultimately got battered down into submission by a more complete, cohesive Wolverines team Saturday in the Big House.
Take a glance at the box score, and you might scoff at the notion that the Badgers’ defensive front came to play. Michigan ran for 175 yards, eight first downs and two touchdowns on 5.1 yards-per-carry.
But don’t let the game’s final stats fool you. After Wolverines’ tailback Justice Haynes gashed the Badgers for a 43-yard run that set up an opening drive touchdown, Wisconsin tightened up. Michigan’s running backs would only gain 23 more rushing yards until about a minute left in the third quarter, when Haynes finally found daylight again with a 23-yard scamper on a draw play.
Meanwhile, the Badgers were able to pester Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood. While they only logged one sack, they got hands in his passing lanes at the line of scrimmage and managed to collapse some pockets and penetrate the backfield. Jay’Viar Suggs recorded a sack, while Mason Reiger and Darryl Peterson each notched a big tackle-for-loss.
Ultimately, Wisconsin’s offensive ineptitude left its defense high and dry too many times, and the unit predictably started to crack. But make no mistake — this defense, powered by the front seven, was feisty. It forced four punts, three three-and-outs, a turnover on downs and a missed field goal.
Had the Badgers had a competent offensive line, they might’ve been able to win this game. But alas, already on its fourth center and haphazardly patched together elsewhere, Wisconsin’s offensive front fizzled out after the Badgers rushed for 39 yards on the opening drive, only creating enough room for 36 rushing yards the rest of the game.
Had the Badgers had a quarterback not making his first FBS start, they might’ve been able to win this game. But alas, despite a valiant showing, Hunter Simmons threw a back-breaking interception that drained the last of Wisconsin’s momentum.
Watching this team, you can tell the epicenter is the defensive front seven. They bring the most energy, they’re the most physically dominant and they set the tone. The front seven can play with anybody — and it has.
That’s enough to keep you in a game against a run-heavy offense with a young quarterback like Michigan. But it’s not enough to win games, especially when your schedule is almost comically challenging considering the state of the rest of the team.
And so, the Badgers stare down a bleak yet undeniable reality: despite a vastly improved, top-tier defensive front, major deficiencies almost everywhere else have made Wisconsin completely one-dimensional.
That means moving forward, the Badgers should be able to slow and potentially completely neutralize even the most potent ground games their daunting schedule has to offer.
It also means that until Wisconsin can put an offense together, it’ll need to rely on its stifling defensive front to keep it in each and every game, which, when faced with the likes of Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana, ect, is an extremely tall task.
Having a physical, imposing front seven that can play with anybody— which the Badgers have firmly proven is the case — is a start. It’s something to hang one’s hat on, the first building blocks of an identity.
That alone will not lead to wins. But if Wisconsin can continue to build around a stout, inspiring defensive front as it continues to get healthier, there will be reasons for hope amidst an already lost season.
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Never a good sign when your punter is mentioned as a star of the game!