1. Filling the running back void
Last season, the Badgers had the luxury of an exceptional running game. Led by Heisman runner-up Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin totaled 4,482 yards on the ground, which ranked third overall in the entire country. Now that Gordon has left Madison, junior Corey Clement will be handed the keys to spearhead the rushing attack this season.
So far in his two-year career, Clement has proven that he is more than capable of being an excellent back, rushing for 1,496 yards and 16 touchdowns. While it may be hard to replicate Gordon’s remarkable statistics, Clement is prepared for the starting role and should carry the Badger offense this season.
2. Third coming of Paul Chryst
Despite being on their third head coach (plus a couple Barry Alvarez cameos) since 2012, Wisconsin believes it has finally found its long-term solution with new head coach Paul Chryst.
Growing up in Madison, playing quarterback for the Badgers in the late ’80s, and serving as the offensive coordinator of the team from 2006-’11, Chryst has deep ties with the city and university. Before landing back in Madison, Chryst was the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh for three seasons, but only accumulated a 19-19 overall record.
This mediocre record has made fans wary of his coaching ability, but with a more talented roster and further experience with running a team, Chryst will look to rejuvenate his coaching career.
3. Receivers making the jump
Almost any Badger fan can agree that last season’s receiving game was adequate at best. Without a receiver topping 1,000 yards and none scoring more than five touchdowns, the Badgers were forced to utilize their rushing attack more often. This season, the Badgers will look to balance their offense more with a consistent and reliable receiving game.
Redshirt senior Alex Erickson will be the No. 1 receiver this season after leading the team with 772 receiving yards last year. However, the No. 2 receiver is not as clear. This summer redshirt senior Tanner McEvoy has taken many reps with the first-team offense, but junior Robert Wheelwright, despite being banged up, has also looked impressive and more experienced. Whether it be McEvoy or Wheelright, the wide receiver game must improve this season for the Badgers to have a more balanced offensive attack.
4. Exploiting raw Bama roster
For the past half century, Alabama football has arguably been the most dominant powerhouse football program in the nation. Led by head coach Nick Saban, Alabama comes into the first week of the college football season ranked No. 3 in the country, but is simply not the same type of team it has been in the past five years. Having lost prolific players such as Amari Cooper, T.J. Yeldon and Landon Collins, Alabama will look to younger, inexperienced players to take on many starting roles.
At the same time, the Crimson Tide has had a very ambiguous quarterback situation this offseason. In fact, Alabama has had a five-way quarterback battle this summer and as of right now there is no clear starter. Recent reports have said that Jake Coker, Cooper Bateman and Alec Morris are taking most of the reps, but nonetheless, Alabama has no clear cut starter. The inexperience and uncertainty of many new starters could give the Badgers an edge in their season opener.
5. Clash in the trenches
Simply put, the matchup between the Badger offensive line and the Alabama defensive line will be a crucial factor in the outcome of this game. Over the past few decades, Wisconsin has always had a suitable offensive line, but will need to be at their best come Saturday, as Alabama’s defensive line is arguably the best front in the entire nation. Wisconsin brings back redshirt senior Tyler Marz and redshirt junior Dan Voltz on the line, but the rest of the line remains a mystery due to injuries, inexperience and inconsistent play.
The Crimson Tide will look to exploit this weakness, as they return nine of 10 defensive linemen from last season. Linemen A’Shawn Robinson, Jarran Reed, and Jonathan Allen are all potential NFL first-round picks this year and are simply a strong force once again. Last season, the Tide defense was a top-five unit against the run, and this can be attributed to their defensive line. If the Badger offensive line cannot win the matchup against the Bama defensive front and cannot get a passing game going, it could be a long day for Wisconsin.
