Wisconsin Football: Three superlatives from week one

Jake Ferguson’s Dual-Threat Potential

Out of all of the developments from week one, the emergence of Jake Ferguson might be my favorite one. The only real question mark going into the season for the Badger offense was the lack of a true pass-catching tight end. With Zander Neuville out for week 1, Jake Ferguson stepped into the TE1 spot with aplomb and flashed some exciting playmaking ability that should make him a fan favorite for the foreseeable future. Ferguson ran clean routes and showcased great hands, but perhaps the biggest plus for him is that he seems to be a clear favorite of Hornibrook, who targeted him five times.

Ferguson caught four of the throws that came his way, with all four recording a crucial first down that kept the drive moving for the Badgers early on. His four catches for 43 yards might not look huge, but it’s the significance of those catches and the fact that this was the first true showing for Ferguson that makes the stat line a bit more impressive.

The sugar on top for Ferguson was his impressive showing in the running game. Ferguson was effective in setting the edge and also delivered an impressive block in the open field that sprung Jonathan Taylor on his first-quarter touchdown scamper.

If he continues to show that he can block as well as he can catch, don’t be surprised to see his name continue to shoot up the depth chart.