Five Badgers with the most to prove for Wisconsin during fall camp
Head coach Paul Chryst and the Wisconsin Badgers began fall camp last week, and with each new season, hope springs eternal.
After a disappointing 9-4 campaign that fell short of expectations, the Badgers enter 2022 as the preseason favorites to win the Big Ten West and return to Indianapolis after a two-year drought.
UW must replace 14 preferred starters from last season’s team and will have position battles throughout the roster. However, it has plenty of young and talented options who’ve patiently awaited their opportunity to make an impact.
Today, BadgersWire examines five players who, for various reasons, have the most to prove during fall camp:
Logan Brown, OT
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 30: Quarterback Graham Mertz #5 of the Wisconsin Badgers looks to take the snap against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the first half of the Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium on December 30, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
New (old) offensive line coach Bob Bostad shifted former five-star OT Logan Brown to right tackle – where he spent all of spring practice running with the first team. Marred by injuries and inconsistent play, the 6-foot-6, 311-pound tackle enters a make-or-break fall camp for the Badgers.
According to PFF, Brown played 70 snaps last season, registering a (72.0) run-blocking grade and an unimpressive (57.5) grade as a pass-blocker.
Beat reporters have universally agreed his play during spring practice didn’t live up to the Wisconsin standard; now, he’ll face competition from Riley Mahlman and Nolan Rucci for the starting spot.
If Brown isn’t able to lock down the starting RT job in 2022, I’m becoming less optimistic he’ll ever see meaningful snaps for the Badgers, given their impressive collection of young talent pushing for time.
Michael Furtney, OG
Sep 4, 2021; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz benefits from protection by offensive lineman Michael Furtney (74) while making a throw during the fourth quarter of their game Saturday, September 4, 2021 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. Penn State beat Wisconsin 16-10. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
The left side of the offensive line essentially has three spots spoken for; the right side, not so much. UW will have two new starters on the o-line this season and several talented options on the cusp of earning snaps.
Redshirt senior Michael Furtney began spring ball running with the ones and has remained with the top unit in fall camp.
The 6-foot-5, 315-pound RG played 187 snaps last season and finished with a run-blocking grade of (78.2), good for the fourth highest among returning UW offensive linemen in 2022.
The Michigan native is battle tested and has proven himself as a run-blocker, but his starting job at RG isn’t penciled in just yet – he’ll need a strong fall camp to hold off talented players like Tanor Bortolini and Trey Wedig for the starting spot.
Graham Mertz, QB
Dec 30, 2021; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz (5) warms up before facing the Arizona State Sun Devils in the 2021 Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
This one is pretty self-explanatory, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. The No. 20 Wisconsin Badgers will only go as far as Graham Mertz can take them this season.
Last season, the Kansas native completed 59.5% of his passes for 1,958 yards with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. In 2022, UW will need him to be efficient within the framework of the offense and take better care of the football for the Badgers to reclaim the Big Ten West.
Mertz’s inconsistent play has limited the Badgers’ offense the past two seasons, so unless he shows improvement during fall camp that translates to the field, this team’s ceiling will remain limited.
Julius Davis, RB
Nov 6, 2021; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Julius Davis (32) carries the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Entering his fourth year with the program, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin native Julius Davis must start putting it all together.
In 2021, the 5-foot-10, 201-pound RB appeared in four games and carried the ball 21 times for 109 yards (5.2 YPC).
With Chez Mellusi, Isaac Guerendo, and Brady Schipper recovering from injuries in the spring, Davis earned additional reps and showed signs of growth but is likely to remain buried on the depth chart this upcoming season.
UW needs Davis to step up and become a reliable depth option in Al Johnson’s stable of RBs because, as we saw at the end of last season, you can never have enough healthy tailbacks in Paul Chryst’s system.
If he can continue making progress and build on last year’s momentum, he could find himself in a position to be the No. 2 back in 2023.
Dean Engram, WR
Nov 13, 2021; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Dean Engram (6) celebrates following an interception during the third quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
In one of the most curious moves of the offseason, Badgers starting nickel corner Dean Engram switched sides of the ball entirely and has transitioned to wide receiver. He joins a young and talented WR room that needs to replace its top three pass-catchers from last season.
To Engram’s benefit, he has a different skill-set than some of the players he’s competing with for snaps, so he’ll likely find his way onto the field in some capacity playing out of the slot.
That said, will his impact on offense warrant the position change? Only time will tell, but he’s someone I’m intrigued to monitor because he was an impact player at CB for the Badgers’ top-ranked defense in 2021.
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