Luke Fickell still hasn't made a Malachi Coleman adjustment after his dominant debut

It would be very easy for Wisconsin Badger fans to overreact to what was ultimately an embarrassing collapse resulting in a 28-point loss to Notre Dame. Fans could nitpick inconsistent quarterback play, lack of playmaking in the secondary, lost battles in the trenches, special teams mistakes – the list goes on and on.

However, it’s also important to remember that this was Game One, against arguably the best team in the country. Not only that, but there were also a ton of positive things to take away, one of which – or rather one of whom – being Minnesota transfer Malachi Coleman.

The 6-foot-5 Nebraska product was arguably the biggest viral sensation from Week One of college football, tallying four catches for 76 yards and a touchdown. The virality he picked up largely came from two routes he ran, both of which left his defender in the dirt and one of which resulting in a touchdown.

Coleman had seemingly locked his spot down as one of the go-to guys in the receiver room, particularly with the Badgers’ X receiver, Eugene Hilton Jr., dealing with injury throughout the course of the game. However, to the surprise of many, Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin staff made no changes to the depth chart following Week One.

Hasn't Done Enough?

Despite producing more than anyone else on the roster in Game One, Coleman still finds himself in the two-deep at both Y and Z. The players listed ahead of him – Chris Brooks Jr. and Tyrell Henry – both have a bit more of an established place on the roster, but didn’t show nearly enough to hold their spot in Week One.

Brooks finished with three catches for 38 yards, which is by no means awful, but especially when factoring in the drop he had, does make it a bit unclear as to why he held his spot. Henry finished with four catches for 42 yards, which again is by no means terrible, but just not the same kind of production that Coleman had.

It is worth noting that Brooks and Henry are both different kinds of talents in comparison to Coleman as well. Brooks is more of a physicality-first blocking tight end, whose combination of tenure and standing in the locker room earning him team captain honors. Henry, on the other hand, is a bit more of a make-you-miss kind of wideout who thrives once the ball finds its way to his hands.

All in all, this variety and depth is a great problem for Wisconsin to have, as the competition brings a healthy incentive for each guy to continue to perform. Fickell has already proven that he is not afraid to lean into his two-deep, based on the matchup at hand and performance from his guys in game. Making the decision to leave Coleman at WR2 a temporary logistical issue that really only exists on paper.

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