Wisconsin Football: Biggest Questions Heading into Spring Practice
By Jim Oxley
Nov 29, 2014; Madison, WI, USA; Wide angle view of Camp Randall Stadium during the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Wisconsin Badgers. Wisconsin won 34-24. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Believe it or not, Wisconsin football spring practice is only a few short weeks away. Here we take a look at some of the team’s biggest questions heading into spring practice.
The Wisconsin Badgers were a largely successful team in 2014 – Big Ten West champs, Outback Bowl champs – but a couple of key losses and missed opportunities slowed the Badgers from living up to their potential last season.
The first loss came right off the bat, week one against LSU. Wisconsin dominated the first half but couldn’t close thanks to poor quarterback play and questionable play calling.
In the Big Ten opener against Northwestern, Wisconsin again hit a setback in a 2014 road loss. The game was in some ways a good thing for the Badgers, as coach Gary Andersen switched starting quarterbacks, and the Badgers went on a seven-game winning streak to close out the regular season.
Wisconsin Badgers
Things got bad again in an embarrassing 59-0 loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship, but Wisconsin redeemed itself in a thrilling 34-31 overtime win against Auburn in the Outback Bowl, wrapping up the 2014 schedule.
Now, 2014 is gone and with it leave key participants such as Melvin Gordon, Rob Havenstein, Derek Landisch, Marcus Trotter, Sam Arneson, Kenzel Doe and many more players (the list goes on…), not to mention head coach Gary Andersen and several key assistants.
A healthy group of veterans, a new head coach and staff, and a fresh batch of recruits is set to take the stage at Camp Randall Stadium, and their reign officially begins later this month.
Spring practice for the 2015 season begins March 15 for the Wisconsin Badgers, and the team will host its spring game just over a month later, on April 25.
Let’s take a look at Wisconsin’s biggest questions heading into spring practice.
Next: Replacing Melvin Gordon