Wisconsin defensive coordinator and inside linebacker coach Mike Tressel met with the media Monday afternoon during the Badgers' local media day. The second-year coach touched on a variety of topics, including the need for multiplicity in their personnel, his excitement regarding some of the new linebackers on roster and more.

BadgerBlitz.com has compiled five of the key takeaways below:

When asked what would be most different about the defense this upcoming season, the word “multiple” came up more than once.

“We had a hard time being [as] multiple upfront as we really would’ve liked to have been, because everybody was learning each other and learning the scheme. So hopefully there’s a lot more front multiplicity — that’s what we feel like one of our cornerstones is.”

Many of their transfer portal additions speak to this emphasis, notably linebackers Jaheim Thomas and Tackett Curtis in the front seven, who have each shown the capability to alternate between the inside and outside.

But it’s clear they prioritize it everywhere. Tressel discussed the potential for versatility with the nickel cornerback spot, which is one of the more loaded positions on the defense, where they can and probably will play Austin Brown, Max Lofy, and R.J. Delancy, among others.

“I think Austin and Max can both be fantastic nickels. I think they bring different strengths. If you were to say, ‘What’s their strengths in order, 1, 2 and 3?’ Those might be slightly different. Which is good, like having a one-two punch at tailback.”

Comparing defensive back rotations with running backs is interesting, only because they couldn’t really use defenders situationally last season. Their lack of depth restricted them to virtually the same lineup for most game scenarios.

“Austin, he will continue in fall camp to play multiple spots. But the bottom line is a lot of people have to do that for you to make sure you get your best players on the field at all times. We need 22, 25, 28 guys to play on Saturday. But when it really comes down to crunch time, you need your best guys on the field. Whether that’s in the red zone, that’s in the fourth quarter, whatever that is, when it’s crunch time, you need your leaders on the field. And as the year progresses with bumps and bruises, there needs to be some versatility in players to make sure you get your best players on the field.”

Their increased depth at linebacker and in the secondary should at least create more unpredictability.

Tressel could’ve gone in depth about the shiny new additions in every room, but he chose to specifically highlight some of the inside linebackers. Perhaps it’s because he’s the position coach, but anybody who paid attention to spring ball knows his praise is justified.

“We have a couple rooms that are gonna look a little bit different and that’s really exciting, and probably the inside linebacker room and outside linebacker room are first and foremost in terms of how different they’ll look."

He was asked about Thomas, who previously spent three seasons at Cincinnati with the current coaching staff and will almost certainly become one of the most valuable players on the team given his versatility, athleticism and experience in the system.

“Jaheim Thomas is a guy who has played a lot of football, has produced at all levels of college football. And is also a guy who knows us, knows Coach Fickell, knows myself, understands the expectations unlike most new guys walking in the door, he truly understands the culture, so that transition was really easy.”

Then, unprompted, he began to talk about Curtis, a transfer addition from USC who was interested in Wisconsin out of high school until the previous regime wanted him to move to outside linebacker.

“Tackett Curtis is a guy, who, quite honestly, if you ask me, even though I wasn’t here at the beginning, probably belonged here from the get-go because he’s a Wisconsin type of dude. He’s a bang-your-head-against-the-wall football junkie that also loves it and wants to study it.”

Unsurprisingly, strengthening their depth was perhaps the biggest priority of the transfer portal window. They’re always going to try to add as many good players as possible, but the lack of depth across the board last season was truly alarming.

“C.J. Goetz played 800 [702] snaps last year or something like that. Well can you truly, at this level of ball, be at your physical best if you play that often? We need to as, defensive coaches — and the players need to take the reins and prove they’re ready for it — be able to play 22, 25, 28 guys, so that we’re playing our best at the end (of games). That’s the key to those new faces, and to the competition within rooms.”

When looking around at the defensive groups during spring ball, every room looked significantly improved except for the interior defensive line.

Rodas Johnson and Gio Paez, who played the second and third most snaps amongst defensive linemen for the Badgers last season, both transferred. That left James Thompson Jr. and Curt Neal as the only truly competent members of the rotation. The lack of depth was evident, and maybe the biggest concern on the entire defense.

“I don’t think it’s any shock that for defensive line and interior defensive line in particular, we needed to keep growing in terms of depth. That’s a position that absolutely needs to be fresh every single snap because there’s nothing else like it in sports, where 700 pounds are just lined up to hit you in the mouth every single play, and if you even relax, you look foolish.”

There are a few other intriguing linemen, but the room will ultimately live and die with Thomspon and Neal. Tressel seemed optimistic about the progress they’ve made off the field as well as on.

“James and Curt Neal both have taken… steps forward in terms of their belief in their ability to impact the game. James has always been a guy that has the size and strength and works very, very hard. But where I think he’s taken the big step is the mindset of, ‘I’m going to be a game-changer. I’m going to be disruptive. I am not going to just do my job, but I’m going to impact things out here. Be aware when I’m on the field.’ That mentality is a critical step up front in particular. So I’m really excited to see that. I think Curt’s taken that same step.

After spring had ended, they acquired Brandon Lane, a nose tackle from Stephen F. Austin with an ideal body and athleticism but lack of experience at the FBS level. Regardless, he should instantly be a top-three member of the rotation alongside Thompson and Neal.

“He is a big, strong dude that quite honestly can have an impact because, A, he’s a good football player, but B, it just gives us more ability to make sure we keep bringing in new fresh faces so we’re the ones doing the pounding play-in and play-out when it comes to up front. There’s no secret, in a Fickell team, it’s gonna be about winning up front. We’re an o-line and d-line drive program.”

The NCAA implemented a number of rule changes for the upcoming season, mostly as a result of the Michigan sign-stealing scandal, which should make the college sideline bear a closer resemblance to the NFL.

The biggest change is that coaches will now be allowed to communicate with one player on the field via a mic in their helmet. Additionally, teams can have up to 18 tablets on their sidelines, which is an innovation that’s transformed NFL game days over the past decade.

However, Tressel seemed hesitant to completely embrace the new technology, mostly out of fear of over-complicating directions for his players.

“It’s interesting because, as you talk to a lot of NFL players who wear the green dot, or NFL coaches, probably the biggest warning you get is, ‘The less the better.’ You can’t get in these guys’ heads as they’re trying to play ball. The other big difference in college and pros is very seldom do you see a huddle, so you cannot rely on giving the call to the mike backer, and then the mike backer telling the defense. There still has to be signals.

“So what I really envision will be a help is you can give quick reminders of what’s the situation, quick reminders of the personnel they’re facing or where the sticks are at. You can give quick situational reminders and make sure that gets echoed across the board, but you can’t rely on that for calls because of the tempos you face in college football. You certainly can’t be in a situation where the guy’s focusing on you instead of the guys he’s trying to face on the field.”

Yet, as is expected with Tressel’s personality, his eagerness to adapt seemed to come from more of a place of competition.

“No one’s gonna know what’s exactly the best, but let’s put the time and effort to make sure we do it better than the other guys, whether it’s perfect or not.”

The defense will be led by safety Hunter Wohler, the AP All-Big Ten First Teamer who’s become one of the best Badger players in recent memory.

“Here’s a dude who, A, understands ball and absolutely loves it, B, when your best players are your leaders, that’s much more impactful, C, [football is] very, very, very important to him and that rubs off big time, too. He’s a guy that can come off the field and communicate what he’s seeing, that’s really important as well. He can help everybody on the defense digest any adjustments you’re trying to make.”

Cornerback Ricardo Hallman was also brought up as fitting the criteria of “best players [who] are our leaders”, and would probably be the best player on many Big Ten defenses.

“He’s constantly working. Even when it’s times when there are no coaches around. On a Saturday, one of your few weekends off, you might roll through, walk by the in-door [practice facility] and he’s out there doing drills by himself, or running drills with the defensive backs.

“We can show stats and say, ‘He led the NCAA in picks last year, and look what he’s doing. Maybe there’s a correlation.’ You have some testimony there for the other guys. That’s gonna be big for us.

Wohler and Hallman both could have left for the NFL Draft, but they probably didn’t want 2023 to be the punctuation mark on their Wisconsin careers. It’s rare to have multiple leaders who set an example with both their play and direct guidance.

“These guys are leaders, and they’re intense leaders when it’s appropriate, too. That, if necessary, are gonna back people against the wall and say, ‘These are the standards of the Badger defense’, so it’s really cool that those guys, amongst others, are leading our crew.”

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