In early August, Wisconsin will open fall camp in preparation for the 2021 season opener against Penn State.

You know what that means -- position previews.

Wisconsin recorded just 11 sacks in seven games during a truncated, unprecedented 2020 season. Only four came from the outside linebacker room -- one each from Noah Burks, Nick Herbig, C.J. Goetz and Aaron Witt.

The talent is there in Bobby April III's group, and there is also a blend of youth and experience with Burks and Herbig returning as last year's starters. The depth appears to be growing as well, with a handful of contributors available who could influence the defense.

Wisconsin's outside linebacker Position-by position previews: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide receivers | Tight Ends/Fullbacks | Offensive line | Defensive line | Inside Linebackers |

Wisconsin does not necessarily need to record the 51 sacks seen in 2019 to be a successful defense, but it does need to ramp up the pressure to force errant decisions by opposing offenses. The defense as a whole registered 22 quarterback hurries in 2020, but 12 of those came from the combination of inside linebackers Jack Sanborn and Leo Chenal.

Herbig emerged as a first-year starter last season and finished with 26 tackles, good for fourth on the team. The Hawaiian also tied for the team lead in tackles for loss with Chenal (six).

Both Sanborn and cornerback Faion Hicks named Herbig as their choice for a breakout player when speaking at Big Ten Media Days.

"That kid, he goes to work, man," Hicks said on July 23. "He comes every day, he brings energy. I'm excited for him.

"I know he kind of broke out last year, but I think he has a lot more in him, and I think he's going to show that this year."

Outside linebackers coach Bobby April III told reporters in early April that Herbig, a former four-star recruit, "brings an energy about him and a love for the game that you don't see from many guys."

"I think just the enthusiasm and effort and his ability to understand what's expected will increase his role even more than what it has," April said on April 9. "Not saying like as a starter, your role ends, right? I think your role in the locker room changes the longer you're a starter or the more years that you put in. So I think that's his next step is really becoming the best player he can be on the field, but also being a key contributor off the field."

Along with the expectations for Herbig, April was also asked about how Burks can take another stride and lead his room.

"For Noah, it's very similar," April said on April 9 when questions about Herbig and Burks were posed together. "You know, a super senior, he still has stuff to work on. He's not ready-made, right? So daily drills and technique stuff, he still needs a lot of that stuff. He needs to really focus in on his improvement, how he can become better, and putting that effort towards helping others in the room as well.

"Don't just be an outside linebacker, be an impact outside linebacker within our group, and I think he's making those steps. It's noticeable that his energy isn't based upon the individual growth, that it's upon the team growth."

Burks comes into his sixth season at UW as the elder statesman of April's room. He has played in 42 total games in Madison, totaling 62 tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks. Though the sack numbers are not high, he has made two timely interceptions -- one each in 2019 (pick six against Northwestern) and 2020 (game-changer against Wake Forest in the Duke's Mayo Bowl).

Burks stated that he wanted to improve on his block releases and continue to hone in on his pass rush -- the latter which was called out as an "area of focus" by his position coach.

April "emphasizes more than anything, the most important part of a good pass rush is your get off," according to Burks.

"So we do a ton of drills, a ton of work this offseason, too, just emphasizing our get off," Burks said on April 9. "A lot of little changes that we've implemented where guys are going like goofy foot with their opposite foot up. We even have the ability sometimes to get hand in the dirt for some guys, so there are a couple things there.

"Then next is just like really emphasizing the violent hands, which is just an area that our group has kind of been struggling with, and we need to work and attack and keep getting better. You know, we're going to keep working through that and hopefully we'll see some good results the spring and fall."

During that April 9 availability -- still early in spring practices -- April called out "three guys out there right now that I was hoping would show up to practice and show up in a way that they would be loud on tape." That trio included Goetz, Witt and Spencer Lytle.

"They're bringing energy, high effort and a physicality that we didn't have from them last season," April said. "They're definitely pushing the group and forming some great depth there."

UW listed Lytle, a former four-star signee, at 230 pounds on its spring roster. He found his way into the backfield a few times during the five practices open to select reporters, showing an ability to disrupt the respective passer.

"I would say, in my opinion, the guy that's made the biggest step so far I think has been Spencer Lytle," Burks said on April 9. "I think that it's a testament to his work that he's done in the offseason, I think he's made some really big strides so far, and I think he's been doing well this spring."

April believes that Lytle has added "great weight" and improved in the weight room, including his speed -- but also "the speed of the game to him is not too big."

"The physicality of the game is not too big right now," April said. "So I've enjoyed working with him. He's a really smart football player that has foot quickness and intangibles that we work with. He'll definitely be a guy, though, that's going to pop out there for you guys. He's moving quick."

Goetz recorded 10 tackles, two for loss, along with two quarterback hurries as he worked himself into the two-deep last year. Burks praised the former three-star recruit from Waukesha (WI) Catholic Memorial as someone who has "done a really good job of stepping his game up and taking it to another level."

Witt suffered a right leg injury that made him miss four of the five open practices to reporters. However, his 6-foot-6, 248-pound frame stands out amongst the others in the group.

April called out not just Witt's physical attributes, but also his mindset.

"The guy is a guy you want in a street fight with you," April said. "He has no fear to put his face into the boiler and come out."

Those five should be in contention for the rotation. Early enrollee T.J. Bollers, for his first semester as a college student, did not seem out of place when working during those practices available for reporters. April and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard hold a lot of talent in that room, which includes second-year 'backer Kaden Johnson and incoming true freshmen Darryl Peterson and Ayo Adebogun.

Izayah Green-May, now in his fifth-year at UW, did not practice in the five sessions open to the media. A one-time starter in 2019 before injuries derailed his ascent to the two-deep, can he rebound to make it into the rotation, and can his athleticism also be used to create pressure on the defense?