Badger Watch: Quarterbacks
With spring football over, recruiting takes center stage for Wisconsin's coaching staff. Over the next two weeks, BadgerBlitz.com will analyze UW's recruiting efforts with a position-by-position breakdown of targets to see how the Badgers will fill their 2014 recruiting class.
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Today, we start at quarterback.
1. How many will Wisconsin take?
Though Wisconsin did not add a scholarship high school quarterback in its 2013 class, the staff went to the junior college ranks and brought in dual-threat signal caller Tanner McEvoy. They will have three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster at the end of the 2013 season and sit well with their top choice in the 2015 class, Austin Kafentzis, so it's likely they only sign just one in the current cycle.
2. Who has Wisconsin landed so far?
The previous coaching staff under Bret Bielema had landed Michigan's Chance Stewart, but the four-star prospect decommitted, or was asked to look into other options when Gary Andersen took over, depending on who you ask.
3. Who's off the board?
Well, no one. UW has not issued any offers to players who committed elsewhere. That said, they had been in touch with Tyler Wiegers (Rutgers) and Clayton Thorson (Northwestern), among others, who have already committed elsewhere.
4. Which recruits does Wisconsin have the best shot at landing?
The staff has only issued two offers to quarterbacks in 2014. Kyle Allen recently took a trip to Wisconsin on May 4 and while he liked the visit, it's hard to see the Badgers beating out fellow Midwest powers Ohio State and Notre Dame, and schools closer to home, like UCLA.
DeShone Kizer, meanwhile, recently listed a top five of Wisconsin, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee and Notre Dame. That list is perhaps a little deceiving, however. There are reports that neither the Alabama nor the LSU offers are committable as of now, and Notre Dame has yet to extend a scholarship to Kizer.
That could potentially make this a two-team battle with Tennessee for the four-star's services. Kizer has said he would like to decide within the next month, and the Badgers will do themselves a great service if they can get him on campus before then.
If Wisconsin misses out on both players, look for one or more from the group of Drew Doxtator, Luke Rubenzer, Marcus McMaryion, Manny Wilkins, Antonio Woods and D.J. Gillins to receive an offer.
5. Any long shots out there?
Right now it appears Allen and Kizer are the top two targets at quarterback. Considering Allen is the No. 4 pro-style quarterback in the country and Kizer sits at No. 9 for dual-threat signal callers, the coaching staff has set the bar pretty high.
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