The Wisconsin football team released its two-deep depth chart (H/T Jake Kocorowski/Bucky's Fifth Quarter) ahead of a week 1 matchup with Utah State, and the reveal shows the Badgers will rely heavily on newcomers to the program in the form of transfer players and true freshmen.
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The transfers we've known for some time would be important players this season, but we needed the camp process to play out before we'd see which true freshman could play a part.
Here's a look at the two-deep depth chart:
Offense
| Pos. | 1st team | 2nd team |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Alex Hornibrook | Jack Coan* |
| RB | Bradrick Shaw OR Chris James OR Jonathan Taylor* | |
| FB | Austin Ramesh | Alec Ingold |
| WR | Jazz Peavy | A.J. Taylor |
| WR | Quintez Cephus | Danny Davis* |
| TE | Troy Fumagalli | Kyle Penniston/Zander Neuville |
| LT | Michael Deiter | Cole Van Lanen |
| LG | Jon Dietzen OR Micah Kapoi | |
| C | Tyler Biadasz | Brett Connors |
| RG | Beau Benzschawel | Jason Erdmann/David Moorman |
| RT | David Edwards | Patrick Kasl |
*true freshman
On offense, we learned earlier in the week that true freshman Jack Coan would be the backup quarterback, but we didn't know for sure yet how the coaching staff viewed true freshmen Jonathan Taylor and Danny Davis.
Well, turns out they like them a lot. Taylor is listed as the co-starting running back with Bradrick Shaw and Chris James, while Davis is listed as a second-team receiver, a position that's working through some injuries.
Speaking of James, he's one of those transfers we talked about earlier, coming from Pitt. The Badgers have two guys at running back — James and Taylor — who will get their first Wisconsin carries this fall.
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Defense
| Pos. | 1st team | 2nd team |
|---|---|---|
| DE | Alec James OR Chikwe Obasih | |
| NT | Olive Sagapolu | Garrett Rand |
| DE | Conor Sheehy | Isaiahh Loudermilk |
| OLB | Garret Dooley | Andrew Van Ginkel |
| ILB | Ryan Connelly | Arrington Farrar |
| ILB | T.J. Edwards | Chris Orr |
| OLB | Leon Jacobs | Tyler Johnson |
| CB | Derrick Tindal | Dontye Carriere-Williams |
| FS | Natrell Jamerson | Patrick Johnson |
| SS | D'Cota Dixon | Joe Ferguson |
| CB | Nick Nelson | Lubern Figaro |
On defense, a couple of transfer players find themselves on the two-deep lineup.
At corner, former Hawaii defensive back Nick Nelson has big shoes to fill, those of Sojourn Shelton. Expectations are high for the new Badger. Wisconsin also listed Andrew Van Ginkel, a former South Dakota State and junior college transfer, as a backup outside linebacker.
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Special Teams
| Pos. | 1st team | 2nd team |
|---|---|---|
| P | Anthony Lotti | Connor Allen |
| FG K | Rafael Gaglianone | Zach Hintze |
| KO K | P.J. Rosowski | Zach Hintze |
| LS | Adam Bay* | Josh Bernhagen |
| Holder | Connor Allen | P.J. Rosowski |
| PR | Nick Nelson | Jazz Peavy |
| KR | A.J. Taylor | Chris James |
*true freshman
Our fourth true freshman — long snapper Adam Bay — makes the starting lineup on special teams, and two tranfers noted above — Nelson and James — will be involved on the special teams return game.
