MADISON — Size matters.

Especially in regards to the size of Wisconsin's defensive front seven, a unit that got steamrolled multiple times last fall by offenses that deployed bigger personnel.

For a program that built itself on grit and toughness, particularly in the trenches, the Badgers' maddening inability to stop the run resulted in some embarrassing defensive performances. A 42-10 beatdown in Iowa City, in which the Hawkeyes ran for 329 yards, in particular comes to mind.

Wisconsin has vowed to never let that happen again. It isn't running from those humiliating results — it's embracing them. The 42 push-ups done by every player at the end of every spring practice is one example.

Accountability is nice, but it isn't enough. The Badgers needed to take action to improve their highly permeable defensive front. And take action they did.

No one in their right mind can argue that Wisconsin failed to get bigger up front. You can tell when you walk into the McClain center and gaze upon defensive line coach EJ Whitlow's unit in individual drills. You can tell when they line up against the offensive line in 11-on-11s.

"On a daily basis, we do see it. I don’t think it should be that hard for all of us to see," head coach Luke Fickell acknowledged.

If the eye test wasn't conclusive enough, the numbers tell the same story. Last season, the defensive linemen on Wisconsin's roster checked in at an average weight of 289 pounds. This season? 301.

The Badgers had three defensive lineman that weighed 300 pounds last season. That was a measly quarter of the room. This year? Seven players hit that threshold; that's more than half (yes, I'm rounding LSU transfer Jay'Viar Suggs up from 299).

Transfers like Suggs have played a big part in reshaping this defensive line. While we won't know the true return on investment until this fall, Wisconsin has at the very least compiled a variety of skillsets in addition to the obvious size increase.

“It’s unique, and it makes all of us better...Every guy has their own thing that makes them special," offensive guard Joe Brunner said. "(Charles Perkins) is twitchy, Parker Petersen is strong. Ben (Barten) is a heavy man, he knows how to use his hands well. So you’re working on different things every time you go up against someone different.”

"They do a lot of rotating. We get to see all of them, all day, every day. It’s making us better up front, and it’s fun to play against because they all present something different," center Jake Renfro agreed. "You got some quick guys, some strong guys, and they’re all big.”

"That group as a whole has taken such a step from last year."

Now, trench play in spring practice can be misleading. Last year was a perfect example — Wisconsin reeled in two transfer outside linebackers, John Pius and Leon Lowery. Both dominated the edges all spring and practically wrote the headlines themselves. Come fall, neither made a difference. The pair combined for 3.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles-for-loss.

That's why I'm not quite sold on getting bigger directly equating to getting better. Neither is Fickell.

"Now, there’s another step that we’ve gotta do; bigger is not always what wins. It’s physicality as well. But the bigger you are, the more you can hold up. But we’ve still gotta continue to train and understand what physicality really looks like," he said.

Defensive coordinator Mike Tressel made a similar assertion.

“The mentality of stopping the run is first...Getting bigger, stronger, having guys that love to stop the run. That’s not a scheme thing, that’s a mentality thing.”

Ultimately, there's a lot we can learn from spring practice. There's also a lot that, try as we might, we simply won't know until the Badgers line up against a different colored jersey.

So what do we know?

Wisconsin has gotten bigger on the front seven.

Wisconsin has complied a variety of skillsets on its defensive line.

What we can't be sure of until the season rolls around:

Does this front seven love to stop the run?

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