2022 Wisconsin Badgers Positional Review: Wide Receivers

Wisconsin ended its season on a winning note with a 24-17 over Oklahoma State in the Guaranteed Bowl on Dec. 27. After a brief break, UW will kick up winter conditioning as it begins its early preparation for the 2023 campaign.

Over the next two weeks, BadgerBlitz.com will review each position before turning the page from the 2022 season. Today, we take a closer look at the Wisconsin wide receivers.

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With the departure of seniors Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor, Wisconsin’s top two receivers, and position leader Jack Dunn, the group had plenty of opportunities and receptions available. Chimere Dike embraced that opportunity.

UW’s No.1 receiver throughout the season, Dike was a favorite target of former quarterback Graham Mertz and led the team in catches, yards, touchdowns, and average yards per game. Dike’s yardage total is the second-highest for a UW receiver since 2016.

He started the season with a 100-yard performance against Illinois State, helped by a 74-yard catch and run, but his 10-catch, 185-yard, three-touchdown performance at Northwestern was a testament to his ability. His 52-yard catch over the middle saw him possess the ball in stride, speed between three defenders to the edge, and sprint down the sideline. His 21-yard score saw him improvise when the pocket broke down, breaking off his route and making an over-the-shoulder catch. His six-yard catch was a well execute route and catch in stride. Dike was one of eight Big Ten players since 2000 to compile 10+ catches, 185+ yards, and 3+ scores in a conference matchup and the most yards by a UW receiver since 2013.

Dike’s first two touchdowns against Northwestern came on third down, which was a theme of his season. Entering the postseason, Dike had 311 yards and five scores on third down, ranking him 10th and tied for first in the country, respectively. No player in all of college football has had more than five touchdown catches on third down in a single season since 2019.

Last season also saw the emergence of redshirt freshman Skyler Bell, who made his first career start in the season opener and caught at least one pass in 13 of UW’s 14 games. Finishing the season with 30 catches, 444 yards, and five touchdowns, Bell’s breakout was against New Mexico State when he caught four passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns. It was just the third 100-yard receiving game from a UW freshman since 2000 (Brandon Williams in 2002 vs. West Virginia, Kyle Jefferson in 2007 vs. Penn State). Bell also made an impact on the ground with three runs over 20 yards.

Inconsistent play at quarterback and on the offensive line funnels down and directly impacted receivers, as does inclement weather. UW had three games where its receivers had fewer than six combined catches. Those three games saw Mertz fail to throw for more than 100 yards. While the victory over Maryland was hampered by wind and rain, the loss at Ohio State and narrow win at Nebraska didn’t have that excuse as a crutch.

Statistically, the passing game was better than in 2021. Wisconsin’s team pass efficiency jumped from 105th in the FBS (120.73) to 65th (133.76) and passing offense from 120th (160.2 ypg) to 114th (183.8), but the Badgers were rarely a downfield threat. Against conference competition, UW receivers only had three pass completions over 30 yards.

Wisconsin fans have become stoked with the yet-to-be-officially-announced hiring of offensive coordinator Phil Longo. In the four seasons Longo coordinated the North Carolina offense, his Air-Raid attack averaged over 68 plays per game that resulted in 36.3 points, 198.3 rushing yards, and 290.0 passing yards per game. Those numbers have resulted in Longo developing fifth-round draft pick Sam Howell and Drake Maye, who has passed for 4,115 yards this season, at quarterback and having a 1,000-yard receiver each season.

Dike posted a 78.9 PFF receiving grade out of the slot, caught all six of his scores from that position, and finished the year with 2.28 yards per route run, all top-10 in the conference. Bell will have a chance to grow his role by being more consistent (his 14.3 drop percentage was the highest on the team) but his extended playing time last season laid a solid foundation to build on.

The potential big-play potential of Longo’s offense could mean big jumps for players like Keontez Lewis, Dean Engram, and Markus Allen. Lewis didn’t record a reception in 11 games at UCLA last season but finished with 20 catches for 313 yards and three scores. His deep touchdown drop in the bowl game stands out, but he was second behind Dike in receptions over 40 yards (two).

Engram converted from defensive back in the offseason but still had 13 catches for 152 yards with a lot of room to grow. The new staff also needs to find out what it has in Markus Allen, who had seven catches in the first six games, entered the transfer portal on Oct.17, committed to Minnesota on Nov.28, and then recommitted to Wisconsin Dec.7. Offensive assistant Jack Cichy, a former UW outside linebacker, tweeted after the news that Allen “ran the wrong routes consistently, dropped countless passes in game and practice … couldn’t take responsibility and enters portal ... commit to rival … decommit and expect to be welcomed back … kids are so soft it’s embarrassing.”

Wisconsin freshman receivers Vinny Anthony (10 games), Chris Brooks (1), and Tommy McIntosh (0) will all have an opportunity to elevate their stock in the spring, walk-ons Haakon Anderson, Cam Fane, Alex Moeller, Grady O’Neill, and Cole Toennies, and touted 2023 receiver Trech Kekahuna may factor into the equation. UW had no senior scholarship receivers and lost only Stephan Bracey Jr. to the portal this season, so it will be a deep unit for the incoming staff to work with.

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