3-2-1: What we learned, questions we still have and what we predict

This past spring and throughout the fall, the major talking points have been surrounding position battles, both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Whether it is the quarterback competition between Alex Hornibrook and Bart Houston, the debate over Reggie Love Jr. versus George Rushing for the third receiver spot, or which safeties should replace Mike Caputo and Tanner McEvoy, the deliberations are seemingly endless. Through all the muddled examinations and daily horse races the Badgers are ultimately left with two things: Questions and depth.

The questions are the obvious part of the discussion. Who will be the quarterback? How many games can they win with such a tough schedule? Will the defense be as good as it has in the past, despite the changes? These are questions are all legitimate, but ones that will only be unearthed by time and will remain nothing more than theory and opinion until it actually comes to fruition.

The element that can actually be seen is the depth this competitive environment has cultivated. That competition mixed with talent can be observed on offense and defense alike, and has even bled over into the special teams unit.

The number of options at so many different positions is pretty staggering when you actually look at it.

The staple of the Wisconsin program, the running back position, is four-deep and would be five if the 5-foot-10, 205-pound Chris James didn't have to miss the season due to NCAA transfer rules. The wide receiver position is just as deep with the accusation of some talented freshmen. There are six, possibly even seven, viable threats at the position, with three of them being true freshmen this season. The low man on the totem pole, Kendric Pryor (5-foot-11, 179 pounds), is the most likely to redshirt, simply due to the amount of options currently at the position. Most other years he would have probably seen opportunities in the game-day rotation.

Going down the position chart at the fullback position, the Badgers are stuck again with too many dates to the prom. UW has three different and valuable skillsets in Alec Ingold (6-foot-2, 238 pounds), Austin Ramesh (6-foot-1, 251 pounds) and Leon Jacobs (6-foot-2, 238 pounds). It will likely turn into a position you see a lot of variation at throughout the season, particularly in certain scenarios where the backs can exploit their niche.

When you look over at the defensive side of the ball, things look just as promising.

Almost all people are familiar with the Badgers’ defensive team captain, Vince Biegel (6-foot-4, 245 pounds), and his new partner in crime, the 6-foot-5, 243-pound T.J. Watt. But most casual fans aren’t yet familiar with their (potential) future replacements, Garret Dooley (6-foot-3, 247 pounds) and Zack Baun (6-foot-3, 231 pounds). Dooley made the switch from inside to outside linebacker in the summer of 2015 and has really progressed into a well-rounded player at the position and has been more consistent than ever this fall. Baun, on the other hand, is just a redshirt freshman, but has had a very productive fall camp. He is consistently flying around the field and making plays, both in the backfield and on the edge. He has the looks of being a classic ball-hawk type presence on the outside for Wisconsin in the future. It wouldn't be surprising to see Baun and Dooley on the field regularly this season to temporarily relieve Watt and Biegel.

The defensive secondary appears to be in stable shape as well, even though it saw the departure of two of its top playmakers to the NFL over the offseason.

As it stands, it looks like Leo Musso and D’Cota Dixon, both standing around 5-foot-10 and weighing just under 200 pounds, will be the last line of defense at safety position this season for Wisconsin, but Arrington Farrar (6-foot-2, 220 pounds), Joe Ferguson (6-foot-1, 195 pounds) and Keelon Brookins (5-foot-11, 218 pounds) have had productive camps and have given defensive backs coach Jim Leonard multiple combinations to choose from this coming campaign. There is also talent at the freshman level with the 5-foot-11, 203-pound Patrick Johnson and Eric Burrel, who is a bit slimmer at 6-foot, 184 pounds. Both have shown glimpses of what their potential might be moving forward and the ceiling looks high for both.

The corner position appears to be in good hands with Sojourn Shelton (5-foot-9, 168 pounds) and Derrick Tindal (5-foot-11, 175 pounds) pulling starting duties. The real pleasant surprise out of camp at the position was the 6-foot, 179-pound Caesar Williams, a true freshman from Texas who has had a couple of big plays in scrimmages this fall.

And then the forgotten phase, special teams. Even here we have seen a great deal of competition and rotation.

At punter, we have seen two names battle for the position. This has added an element of stress to the punter’s performances, forcing them to learn while performing in situations that matter. It went back and forth for a long time but it appears the 6-foot, 186-pound Anthony Lotti will likely emerge the starter come game day. He was shaky for a brief period but since has corrected the issues and seems to have taken the driver's seat in the past few practices ahead of P.J. Rosowski.

On the return side of specials, we have also seen some different and exciting options crop up this fall. Most recently we saw talent like A.J. Taylor (5-foot-11, 194 pounds) and George Rushing (6-foot-1, 192 pounds) returning kicks and punts. Wisconsin has even shown and stated it is to use prized running back Corey Clement as a special teams weapon. This indicates that UW won’t be taking any phase of the game lightly and will be doing everything it can to find success as they trudge through their difficult schedule.

The Badgers depth and future looks bright, despite the doom and gloom rhetoric that seems to be following the team due to the challenging calendar of games that faces them this season.