Wisconsin Football: Appreciating the new Linebacker U
Wisconsin football moved to 11-0 on Saturday and the dynamic linebacking group is a big reason why.
Wisconsin football has the #2 scoring defense in the country allowing just 13.1 points per game. The linebackers are a major reason for the Badger stinginess.
On Saturday, the Badgers once again showed off its enviable positional strength in the 24-10 triumph over Michigan.
Against the Wolverines, inside linebackers Ryan Connelly and TJ Edwards starred for the feisty Wisconsin defense.
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Connelly had 10 total tackles including one tackle-for-loss and a QB hurry. Meanwhile, Edwards has 11 total tackles including 2.5 TFLs (one sack). He also added a pass defensed and a QB hurry.
We knew before the season Edwards was/is a star. After all, he led the 2016 Badgers in tackles. But in camp, Connelly was like the 4th option at the position. Then Jack Cichy got hurt and Chris Orr was hopefully back from his ACL injury.
Cichy of course went down with an ACL injury of his own before the season. While Orr has missed the last two games to injury.
Yet Wisconsin didn’t miss a beat as the season has shown. In fact, Connelly (#1, 42 solo tackles), Edwards (#2, 39 solo tackles), and OLB Leon Jacobs (#4, 27 tackles) are three of Wisconsin’s top four tacklers.
Together, that trio has combined for 169 of Wisconsin’s 613 total tackles, good for 28.3 percent of the solo tackles. Edwards has chipped in a four interceptions and six pass break ups. The INT total is tied with safety Joe Ferguson for the team lead.
On Saturday you saw the full impact of the linebackers, especially Connelly and Edwards. They played fast, instinctive football from sideline-to-sideline.
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In fact, when Wisconsin was in man coverage, either Connelly or Edwards was responsible for the running back. So Michigan would motion out the running back out of the backfield. That forced Connelly or Edwards to line up essentially as a boundary corner on a running back.
No matter, the Wolverines liked that match up and threw their direction. But Connelly and Edwards had blanket coverage every time and didn’t allow a completion.
Just the latest example of elite play from the strongest position group for Badger football all season long. Minnesota next week won’t trouble Wisconsin. But Bucky will be looking to the linebackers to set the tone against The Ohio State in the Big Ten title game come December.