If you had to describe the 2018 Wisconsin Badgers defense in one phrase? Growing pains.
A unit ravaged by injuries and getting contributions at multiple spots by true freshman led to a down season in Jim Leonhard’s second season as defensive coordinator. A lack of pass rush paired with incredibly thin depth at the defensive line. Then that partnered with a secondary full of inexperienced players to become the perfect recipe for the Badgers, whom had begun to be known for their stingy defenses in recent years.
Now, if I told you that a defense that “struggled” by UW standards, would be losing seniors Olive Sagapolu, T.