The four biggest question marks surrounding the 2021 Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers enter the 2021 college football season with a deep roster that doesn’t warrant many questions.
Most of the defensive production returns including both starting cornerbacks, both starting inside linebackers and both starting outside linebackers and the offense enters the season with health and high expectations.
Nevertheless, there are always question marks surrounding any team entering a season.
Related: 2021 Wisconsin football roster superlatives: Offensive edition
Here I ask the four biggest questions about the team, questions which I would argue are also the only four big ones.
From Graham Mertz’s rebound, to special teams, here are my four biggest question marks surrounding the 2021 Wisocnsin Badgers:
Will the running game be able to rebound?
Nov 21, 2020; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats linebacker Blake Gallagher (51) tries to tackle Wisconsin Badgers running back Jalen Berger (8) during the second half at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
This is by far the biggest question surrounding the 2021 Wisconsin Badgers because if we're being honest, it was a big part of their struggles last season. In the team's four wins: 205 yards-per-game, 4.43 yards-per-carry. In losses: 110 yards-per-game, 3.07 yards-per-carry. https://twitter.com/benzkenney/status/1417238290357538824 This became a snowball effect for the offense, as Mertz was asked to do a lot with his arm (seen by the graphs) and the unit subsequently struggled to take care of and move the football. So at the forefront of their success in 2021 will be the running back room. Jalen Berger returns for a second year after impressing in limited action last season, the program welcomes in Chez Mellusi from Clemson and the room is extremely deep behind them. Unlike last season, when the team struggled to find a No. 1 running back and the room struggled to produce, this is now a deep unit with a lot of talent at the top. But it's still a question because we saw what happened when the unit couldn't produce. If you ask me, I think Berger and Mellusi will prove to be a great 1-2 combo with Braelon Allena and Isaac Guerendo providing valuable boosts off the sideline.
Can the two new faces at defensive end fill the voids left by Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand?
Credit - Kelli Steffes, UW Athletics
Matt Henningsen and Isaiah Mullens figure to fill in at defensive end with last year's starters---Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand---both gone from the program. Henningsen has played in 25 games as a Wisconsin Badger, totaling 58 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss and 5 sacks. Mullens, on the other hand, has played 4 and only recorded 5 tackles and 0.5 tackles-for-loss. Henningsen, who was recently included in The Athletic's 'freaks' list for 2021, figures to be a consistent option at one of the defensive end slots. The second is more in question, as Rodas Johnson and transfer Isaac Townsend both will battle with Mullens for that second position. The depth and talent is there, the position is only a question mark because it is the defense's least experienced entering the season.
Can Graham Mertz take that next step?
Kelli Steffes, UW Athletics
Broken record time, but the most significant and pressing question about the team this season is whether quarterback Graham Mertz can take a step forward and become one of the conference's best quarterbacks. The quarterback position is the most important in the sport, Mertz struggled through his freshman season (for various reasons) and the offense as a whole needs a significant rebound after finishing 2020 as one of the conference's worst. I think he does it, but there is not a bigger question surrounding the team than what Mertz will be able to do in his second season as starter.
What will the team do in the kicking game?
Jan 1, 2020; Pasadena, California, USA; Wisconsin Badgers place kicker Collin Larsh (19) kicks a field goal in the first quarter against the Oregon Ducks during the 106th Rose Bowl game at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin enters the season with an accurate short kicker in Collin Larsh and a big-leg kicker in Jack Van Dyke. There's a big question surrounding what they do at the position, as each kicker presents a different set of skills while lacking in others. There's a chance Paul Chryst goes to a kicker committee if you will, and there's a shot that one of the guys flat-out wins the job. Either way, it's a kicking game that will need to succeed if Wisconsin wants to win those low-scoring, hard-fought late-season Big Ten contests.
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