Gary Andersen finished his inaugural season at Wisconsin with a 9-4 record, a good but not great first year in Madison.
UW's head coach had one telling quote after his team's 34-24 loss to South Carolina in the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1.
"Football becomes really hard when you get yourself into a position where you can't throw it on offense and you can't cover them on defense," Andersen said.
That said, the Badgers must improve in both areas while also filling holes in a few other spots on the roster.
The following is an early look at what things could look like when spring camp opens in March:
Position: Quarterback
Outlook:Joel Stave, who had an up and down sophomore season, is back for the Badgers. But the starting job is expected to be wide open once again. Tanner McEvoy, who made a big contribution at safety in 2013, will move back to quarterback this spring. The former junior college standout provides the dual-threat option Andersen is looking for at the position. Bart Houston, a redshirt freshman, has a huge camp in front of him.
One to watch: Bart Houston
Coming in:D.J. Gillins, a four-star recruit from Florida, will enroll early at Wisconsin.
Outlook:Thomas Hammock oversaw an extremely productive group in 2013. Gone is James White, but Melvin Gordon, who could make a run at the Heisman Trophy, will be back for his junior season. True freshman Corey Clement proved he's capable of being a big contributor at UW and he'll get plenty of work this spring. Junior Jeff Lewis provides depth while Vonte Jackson, who is recovering from his third knee surgery, should also be available for camp.
Outlook:Ryan Groy, arguably the most versatile of the linemen on UW's 2013 roster, will be lost to graduation, while Zac Matthias, a key reserve, has also exhausted his eligibility. Starting tackles Tyler Marz and Rob Havenstein are back on the edges while Dallas Lewallen, Kyle Costigan and Dan Voltz return on the inside. Redshirt sophomore Ray Ball, who will be battling for a starting job at either guard spot, has a huge camp in front of him. The staff would also like to see what it has in freshmen Jackson Keeler and Hayden Biegel.
Outlook: Another position with a good amount of seniors on the 2013 roster, the Badgers will lose linebackers Chris Borland, Ethan Armstrong, Conor O'Neill and Brendan Kelly. Vince Biegel and Joe Schobert are waiting in line at outside backer with Derek Landisch expected to start at one of the two inside spots. Youngsters Leon Jacobs, Alec James and Garret Dooley have a chance to prove themselves this spring. There will be an open spot at inside backer with Marcus Trotter the leading candidate to fill the hole, though the staff may work to get the best four players on the field.
Coming in: Junior college prospect Serge Trezy is committed to Wisconsin along with Lubern Figaro and Austin Hudson. A 6-foot-2, 185-pound prospect from Florida, Hudson will enroll at UW this spring.
Outlook:Kyle French will not be back in 2013, but Jack Russell, who took over the starting job at kicker, and punter Drew Meyer return for the Badgers. True freshman Andrew Endicott, who handled kickoffs this fall, could push Russell in camp in an effort to secure both jobs.
Who to watch Jack Russell
Coming in:Rafael Gaglianone will be on campus this summer and should be in line to compete for the starting job immediately.