Three Wisconsin Badgers Switch Positions
Three underclassmen on the Wisconsin Badgers roster have switched positions within the last week. True freshman Alec Ingold and redshirt freshman Caleb Kinlaw swapped sides of the ball, while sophomore Lubern Figaro will play a similar position on defense.
Alec Ingold: Linebacker to Running Back
This move makes a lot of sense after seeing what true freshman inside linebacker Chris Orr was able to accomplish in an expanded role against Troy. After junior Leon Jacobs was ejected in the first quarter for targeting, Orr played so well in his place that he may earn his first start on Saturday. With T.J. Edwards as the other starter and fellow redshirt freshman Ryan Connelly backing him up, the Badgers are set at inside linebacker for the future.
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On the offensive side of the ball, Wisconsin is thin at running back with the recent news of Corey Clement‘s hernia surgery that will sideline him for another 4-6 weeks. According to head coach Paul Chryst, Ingold will work as the No. 3 back behind Taiwan Deal and Dare Ogunbowale, who have formed into a decent running back duo.
Another option that could be pursued is giving Ingold a shot to be the Badgers’ fullback of the future. Derek Watt and Derek Straus are in their final seasons in Madison, and redshirt sophomore Austin Ramesh is the only other fullback on the roster.
Caleb Kinlaw: Running Back to Cornerback
The Badgers’ coaching staff tried to experiment with the speedy Kinlaw on defense before Clement first injured his groin. Kinlaw returned to the offense and carried the ball seven times for 30 yards and caught a five-yard touchdown pass against Miami (Ohio).
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Kinlaw is now listed as a cornerback on the Badgers’ official website, but he may switch back to offense since Clement’s injury is worse than expected. Hip and shoulder injuries set Kinlaw back during his time on offense as Deal, another running back in the Badgers’ 2014 recruiting class, jumped ahead of him.
Wisconsin has solid starters at corner with senior Darius Hillary and junior Sojourn Shelton. Behind them are wide receiver-turned-cornerback Natrell Jamerson and Derrick Tindal, who mentioned he sees the same qualities in Kinlaw as he did when Jamerson transitioned to the position.
Lubern Figaro: Safety to Cornerback
This is obviously not as drastic of a switch as the other two as he stays in the defensive secondary, but this probably is not what Figaro expected heading into fall camp. Figaro played in all 13 games for Wisconsin with seven starts in 2014 as the safety alongside Michael Caputo.
With Tanner McEvoy’s increased playing time on defense, the Badgers are loaded at safety. Considering Figaro is not even listed in the two-deep depth chart behind Leo Musso and D’Cota Dixon, a switch to corner cannot hurt. Figaro brings experience to the group behind Hillary and Shelton.