The Wisconsin Badgers football program has produced all-conference linebackers like a factory for the last decade.
That’s what made back-to-back seasons of solid to good play from the position seem like a discernible step backward. Adding another layer to that ho-hum production was Luke Fickell and defensive coordinator Mike Tressel coming in and implementing a new scheme.
Tressel runs a 3-5-5 nickel-based defense, and last season, he did his best to blend the system with the inherited players. Results varied, but anyone with two fully functioning eyes could tell the Badgers didn’t have the ideal personnel to play the way they envisioned.