The Wisconsin Badgers closed out their abbreviated 2020 season with a 42-28 victory over Wake Forest in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Dec.30.

In a year where COVID dominated the headlines, BadgerBlitz.com looks back at the season that was, breaking down the bright spots and low points at each position, with an eye toward the future.

QUARTERBACKS | RBs / FBs | RECEIVERS |

With the departure of key weapons Quintez Cephus and Jonathan Taylor following the 2020 Rose Bowl, junior tight end Jake Ferguson likely knew he would have to shoulder a lot of the responsibility of the offense for long stretches of the season. Perhaps that’s why he played through injury and made an impact in all seven games.

Grinding through a torn thumb ligament that was never publicized, Ferguson played 444 snaps (second to only QB Graham Mertz) and led the team in catches (30), yards (305) and receiving touchdowns (four).

Ferguson caught at least one pass in every game to push his career catch streak to 33 straight games, the longest in school history for a tight end and the fourth-longest active streak in the FBS. The chemistry between Ferguson and Mertz was instantaneous from the start, as Ferguson set career bests in catches (seven for 72) and touchdowns (three) in the win over Illinois. It started a streak of catching at least four passes and having at least 50 receiving yards inn UW’s first four games.

As important as his pass catching, Ferguson improved drastically with his blocking. In 2019, Ferguson was graded the 209th-best run blocking tight end (61.1) and the 402nd pass blocking tight end (46.1). In 2020, Ferguson finished with a 69.7 pass block grade (112 out of 424) and a 63.9 run block grade (tied for 114th out of 559).

In a stats-driven business, Wisconsin’s other tight ends didn’t do enough in the Badgers’ passing game to diversify the offense. Hayden Rucci played 174 snaps this season (filling the role of blocking end that Cormac Sampson had last season) and graded out OK (59.9 per PFF) but didn’t catch either of his two targeted passes. Jack Eschenbach recorded only three targets with two catches in his 50 snaps, while Gabe Lloyd (7 snaps) and Jaylan Franklin (1 snap) didn’t figure into the game plan.

It’s hard to know whether the lack of production could be blamed on the scheme or because there were questions about their ability to pass catch that caused plays to be called a certain way. Either way, the Badgers needed players who could step in and catch passes in 2020 and that wasn’t the case beyond Ferguson.

Ferguson’s announcement that he will return in 2021 comes as a surprise to a lot of people and gives the offense a major piece to build around entering next season. That having been said, UW should secure Ferguson in bubble wrap and pack him safely away to make sure a) he’s fully healthy and b) position coach Mickey Turner starts growing the depth at his position.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Rucci take a big leap forward after getting comfortable within the offense, the same with Eschenbach, but the thing to watch is how the young tight ends grow. In the same recruiting class as Rucci, Clay Cundiff did not see the field in 2020. True freshmen Cole Dakovich and Cam Large didn’t either. Those three – along with incoming 2021 commit Jack Pugh – should see a lot of reps to determine if they can be counted on to back up Ferguson and Rucci.

The spring will also be important for Jaylan Franklin, who was switched over from defense prior to the season. The UW coaches lauded his athleticism (evident by his punt block in the bowl game) and ability to pick things up quickly, but we saw him for only one offensive snap.