Wisconsin releases its first depth chart of the season

October 18, 2020
|In News
|By Zach Heilprin

Wisconsin released its first depth chart of the season in advance of Friday night’s opener against Illinois.

Some takeaways:

* Not sure it needs mentioning but it’s Graham Mertz so we will anyway. The highest-rated quarterback recruit in school history will make the first start of his career against the Illini. Sophomore Chase Wolf will back him up.

* Senior Garrett Groshek and sophomore Nakia Watson are listed as co-starters at running back. The expectation is that we’ll see Watson on early downs and Groshek serving in the same third-down role he has the last few seasons. Though not listed, sophomore Isaac Guerendo will also likely be involved.

* The Badgers listed the four senior wide receivers on the depth chart, but a fifth guy — freshman Chimere Dike — is the name you’ll want to keep an eye out for. He’s been the talk of camp on the offensive side of the ball and has gotten praise from both coaches and fellow players. Asked to name the biggest pain to deal with in camp and safety Eric Burrell picked Dike.

* Redshirt freshman Hayden Rucci is the second tight end listed behind starter Jake Ferguson. The Badgers will use more than two, of course, but Rucci figures to be the in-line blocking tight end this year.

* After retiring from football only to return a year later, senior Jon Dietzen is back in the starting lineup. A 20-game starter at left guard in his career, the Badgers have him at right guard this season.

Junior Josh Seltzner gets the call at left guard and junior Kayden Lyles will replace Tyler Biadasz at center.

Junior Logan Bruss started 19 games over the last two seasons, most of them at right tackle, and he’s listed as a co-starter with fellow junior Tyler Beach. Entering camp, Bruss had been working at right guard.

Former five-star recruit Logan Brown is listed as the backup to left tackle Cole Van Lanen.

* The position held by Zack Baun a year ago will be manned, at least initially, by two players. Junior Izayah Green-May and true freshman Nick Herbig are listed as co-starters at outside linebacker opposite senior Noah Burks. Like Dike at wide receiver, everyone has been raving about Herbig on defense. The four-star recruit’s non-stop motor has been a problem on the edge.

* Inside linebacker coach Bob Bostad said this week he had three rock solid guys and he wasn’t lying. Instead of listing four inside linebackers, the depth chart has just the three, with junior Jack Sanborn and sophomore Leo Chenal listed as the starters, and senior Mike Maskalunas the backup at both spots.

* With Reggie Pearson unable to play this season, most expected Scott Nelson to reclaim his starting spot at safety after missing last season with a knee injury. While that might still happen, the junior is currently sharing the spot with senior Collin Wilder.

* Division III transfer Andy Vujnovich and junior Conor Schlichting are the two punters listed on depth chart. Vujnovich averaged 36.7 yards per punt last season, which ranked No. 72 in the country.

* With Aron Cruickshank transferring to Rutgers last January, the Badgers will use redshirt freshman Stephan Bracey on kick returns. Dike will back him up.