Lucas at Large: Excitement and opportunity ripe during spring ball
March 11, 2020 | Football, Mike Lucas, Varsity Magazine
Chryst and Co. look to returners, new faces to fill shoes of Badgers’ departing leaders
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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — When the conversation got around to replacing a 6,000-plus-yard rusher and it was mentioned that elite tailbacks like Jonathan Taylor are essentially irreplaceable, Wisconsin's Paul Chryst replied with mock irritation, "Thanks for rubbing it in," before feigning, "Oh, he's not coming back?"
That thoroughbred has obviously left the UW stable and Chryst didn't need to be reminded.
But with preparations underway for spring practice, the start of which has been pushed back to March 22, following spring break, there will be plenty of interest in how the Badgers will look and function on offense in 2020 without the incomparable Taylor, a two-time Doak Walker Award winner.
"Anytime you're going to replace a guy who has been here for three years, there are going to be questions, 'What's next?'" said Chryst, promising "We'll figure it out" before bringing up another example of a high-profile departure at running back, the program's cornerstone position.
In 2014, Melvin Gordon rushed for a school-record 2,587 yards and won the Doak Walker Award before skipping his final year of college eligibility for the NFL. That season, Corey Clement was "Robin" to Gordon's "Batman" and rushed for 949 yards on 147 carries.
"I thought Corey worked through this a little bit: 'Do I have to be the next Melvin?'" said Chryst, who understands that a comparable scenario may exist now in filling the void left by Taylor. "Our backs have a pretty good sense that they don't have to be (Taylor). And they're not going to be JT."
In 2015, Clement was limited by injuries and appeared in only four games. His absence gave rise to the emergence of Dare Ogunbowale, a former walk-on cornerback. Ogunbowale led the Badgers in rushing with 819 yards while sharing reps with redshirt freshman Taiwan Deal, who ran for 503 yards.
"The way it played out, Dare was emerging, but he really hadn't done it yet consistently," said Chryst, who then underlined the overall spring challenge. "Can you show it and do it? And, then, it's, 'Can you show it and do it at a consistent level?' and 'How do you raise that level of consistency?'
"We know Grosh (Garrett Groshek). We know Nakia (Watson).
"We have an idea of these guys. But where are they right now?"
Groshek, who will be a fifth-year senior, has been a contributor and leader in his role as a third-down back. Last season, he had the team's fourth-most catches (29). As a redshirt freshman, Watson was the second-leading rusher with 331 yards (on 246 fewer carries than Taylor).
A wild card could be tailback Julius Davis, who missed most of his senior year in high school with a sports hernia and was sidelined last fall. Stressing the importance of this spring's platform, Chryst said, "He has shown enough that you're excited about him. But now can he do that consistently?'"
That wild card label also extends to the fleet Isaac Guerendo, a hybrid receiver/runner.
New Jersey freshman Jalen Berger, who will not arrive until this summer, should factor into the mix. "His high school tape has shown his talent as a running back," Chryst said. "But he also has some receiving skills and I like that. The biggest thing that I like is his talent and his competitiveness."
He also likes the returning personnel at fullback with Mason Stokke, John Chenal and Quan Easterling, and the potential for developing depth around tight end Jake Ferguson with Hayden Rucci, Clay Cundiff and Gabe Lloyd, if healthy. Meanwhile, tailback is not the only position with questions.
"Every position has them if you're just looking at the depth chart," Chryst said. "Noah Burks has played a lot, but who's going to be the other outside linebacker? We have a lot of defensive backs who have played, but how does that sort itself out? What is the development of the offensive line?"
Up front, the Badgers must replace three starters in Tyler Biadasz, Jason Erdmann and David Moorman. But they have some experienced returners in Cole Van Lanen, Logan Bruss, Josh Seltzner, Kayden Lyles and Tyler Beach, along with promising redshirts (Logan Brown and Joe Tippmann).
"All you have to do is take a look — who did you lose and who is going to fill their shoes," Chryst said of the usual questions and speculation on the areas of need because of the annual turnover. "You've really got that across the board … What's the next wave of receivers?"
With leading receiver Quintez Cephus (59 catches for 901 yards and seven touchdowns) declaring for the NFL draft and four-year letterwinner A.J. Taylor graduating, the Badgers will rebuild around four seniors-to-be: Danny Davis, Kendric Pryor, Jack Dunn and Adam Krumholz.
"You've got a sense of them," Chryst said. "But they've got to find a way to elevate."
Not everyone will practice this spring (Dunn). Some wide-outs are coming off injuries (Cade Green and Emmet Perry). Some are looking to prove themselves in their second (A.J. Abbott) and third (Taj Mustapha) spring. Some are going through their first spring (Stephan Bracey and Chimere Dike).
Chemistry has always been a factor in building a successful relationship between a quarterback and receiver. That was evident in Jack Coan's growth last season, according to Chryst. Coan completed nearly 70 percent (.696) of his passes for 2,727 yards with 18 touchdowns and only five picks.
"Jack and Q (Cephus) had a good sense of each other and what was happening," Chryst said. "I think Jack has it with Danny and KP (Pryor). But it can be better. Same with Ferg (Ferguson). You can anticipate a little bit more. You can be just a little bit sharper. It's all that.
"It's Jack's growth. But it's also not independent of other guys' growth."
On where Coan made his greatest strides in the system, Chryst said, "He did a good job of seeing things and having a command of what was going on — what we were seeing defensively and what we were trying to do. I thought he did a really good job of trying to facilitate that for everyone."
Although the Badgers redshirted freshman Graham Mertz, they were still able to give him some snaps and a small taste of competition in a couple of late-game situations against Central Michigan and Kent State. In those two appearances, Mertz completed 9 of 10 throws for 73 yards.
"I thought he did a great job of understanding the rhythm of a season," Chryst said. "He has done a full lap around the track. He has been through a spring ball (as an early enrollee). He has been through a summer and a season. There will be gains to be made just by your second time around."
During last season's winter conditioning phase and spring ball the leadership began to crystallize on offense and defense. Taylor, Biadasz, outside linebacker Zack Baun and inside linebacker Chris Orr separated themselves from the pack. All four must now be replaced.
"When you have great leadership, boy, you appreciate it," Chryst said. "I also think it's something that you can't manufacture. You can help guys in the style of leadership. Or you can kind of guide them a little bit. But I don't think you can just ordain someone, 'Hey, you're a leader.'
"You can do different things to position them (as leaders). Some positions naturally have it. You think of quarterback or inside linebackers or safeties. Those are the positions that you have to be able to communicate. But each year, it's different. And that's kind of the fun and challenging part about it.
"You've got some natural leaders; guys that were leaders last year that are returning."
Chryst name-dropped some possible alpha dogs. Coan and Groshek on offense. Defensive tackles Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand. Inside linebacker Jack Sanborn and safety Eric Burrell (who's out for the spring with an injury). Others will emerge.
"Spring ball is where it starts," Chryst said.
For the early freshmen enrollees, it will be a fresh start.
When asked if he's intrigued by any of the newcomers, Chryst said, "Every one of them."
Besides Dike, a track star at Waukesha North High School, two offensive linemen — Jack Nelson (Stoughton) and Dylan Barrett (St. Charles, Illinois) — are jump-starting their UW careers. "I love the way they've been diving into learning what they can," Chryst said. "There's a lot to learn on the O-line."
The defensive meeting rooms have been expanded with the arrival of a defensive end (Cade McDonald) and three linebackers (Jordan Turner, Preston Zachman and Nick Herbig). Addressing the latter, Chryst said, "They will get repetitions. Bobby and Bo did a good job last year with Spencer and Leo."
The reference was to outside linebackers coach Bobby April and inside linebackers coach Bob Bostad and the grooming of their first-year pupils, Spencer Lytle and Leo Chenal, respectively. While Lytle redshirted, Chenal played in 11 games and got valuable experience as Orr's understudy.
Lytle is an interesting study (not unlike Herbig) because he was so heavily recruited.
"There's the knowledge and the comfort that he's much further along now," Chryst said of Lytle's development over the past year. "I know the injury he sustained in training camp was frustrating for him and it carried into the season. I just think he's looking forward to having a healthy spring."
Chryst is obviously looking forward to the same thing over the 15 practices.
