Wisconsin Football Twitter Awards
Breakout Guy: CB Dontye Carriere-Williams
This award should go to somebody who is ready to step on the field and become a star this year. He’s relatively unknown to the college football world, doesn’t have much experience, but he has the potential to break through those barriers.
That has to be none other than Dontye Carriere-Williams, who looks like he’s in line to be the number one cornerback on the team. Carriere-Williams mostly played the slot last year with Nick Nelson and Derrick Tindal Jr. locking down the outside. As veterans, they hopefully taught Carriere-Williams everything he needs to know to take over in an inexperienced secondary.
The defensive backfield is defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s specialty, as he was a safety in his playing days. If there’s going to be one position that can arise from uncertainty and become a strength, it’s the secondary. D’Cota Dixon is the lone returning starter and one of the few upperclassmen who will be taking snaps in the secondary. His leadership should be able to help the younger guys fill in comfortably to their new roles. But Carriere-Williams actually saw the field quite a bit last year. I trust that he can become the next rock-solid Wisconsin corner and be part of a great pass defense.
Carriere-Williams is only a sophomore, but at this time next year, I expect him to be known as one of the best corners in the Big Ten.