MADISON, WIS. -- Jaylan Franklin admitted that "special teams is kind of like my first love," working on that third phase of the game since his second year in the program. Last weekend, however, the former outside linebacker turned tight end received his shot on offense.

The tight end room became depleted in game-available Badgers with Jack Eschenbach, Clay Cundiff and Hayden Rucci all ruled out by UW before the game. Then redshirt freshman Cam Large, who made his collegiate debut at Illinois two weeks prior, left Saturday's divisional clash against Purdue with a right leg injury.

Enter Franklin, a redshirt junior, who found himself on the field in game time action during Wisconsin's 30-13 win in West Lafayette.

“Just throughout the last two weeks, we've been banged up in a lot of spots," Franklin told reporters on Friday. "So really just preparing myself to go in, regardless of what happens. You never know if we're blowing them out, or if we're losing bad and need to give some guy a break, I just want to be prepared anyway.

"That's kind of the standard here. Regardless, if you're projected to play or not, you need to be ready and you need to know the details like you are the starter. So I tried to prepare myself as a starter, even if I didn't get in."

Franklin "kind of knew" on Thursday after receiving reps during that practice that he may have chance to play.

"I'm pretty sure even on that Friday when we're padded up and going through like a pregame and stuff, I was getting those reps so I was pretty sure that we would get at least a couple," Franklin said. "But to go in there, and I think I had eight total, it was awesome, awesome experience for me. Definitely felt good to get my feet wet."

Asked as to when they found out that Franklin may have a bigger role, tight end Jake Ferguson stated on Tuesday morning that they knew both Cundiff and Eschenbach would be out last week, "and then Rucci happened to take a hit, and so it kind of started earlier in the week."

Ferguson -- the elder statesman in Mickey Turner's room as a redshirt senior -- noted that that Franklin "was locked in" throughout the week during practice, meetings and walkthroughs.

“He did a great job of just really focusing on what he had to do at his spot and learning different spots," Ferguson said. "The Y, the H -- whether he was wrapping, blocking on the reach, something like that. But he did a really good job just kind of adapting to that and being ready when his number was called, and I think that's something you need out of guys like that. Just taking a step up and showing the coaches, showing the guys that he can play and he can make some big plays.”

Franklin believed he received eight snaps during Wisconsin's win against Purdue, and Pro Football Focus reports the same number of reps for the fourth-year Badger. All eight came on running plays, according to the service, and that includes two that resulted in touchdowns.

Franklin explained that the Badgers "had a lot of inside zone and back blocks for" him, where he would run across the formation and then take on Purdue's defensive end. That happened on Braelon Allen's four-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, as he lined up in a three-point stance off the right side of the line of scrimmage just outside of Ferguson.

With wide receiver Kendric Pryor in pre-snap motion from left to right, quarterback Graham Mertz received the snap and handed the ball off to the 17-year-old Allen. Franklin went from right to left and laid a shoulder into defensive lineman Jack Sullivan. Allen followed him and left tackle Tyler Beach on way to the end zone.

"It was really a fullback position I was in the goal line when Braelon got in, but I kind of just knew that it was the same type of assignments that I would have as my H-[back] position," Franklin said. "I went up and went in and just kind of put it all out there, regardless what d-end it was -- whether was 5 [George Karlaftis], 98 [Greg Hudgins III], 99 [Sullivan] -- I just kind of went in there and just did what I've been practicing all week.”

Franklin also worked in 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) during Chez Mellusi's 20-yard touchdown in the third quarter. He believes that was an outside zone run so he became responsible for Purdue's strong-side ("SAM") linebacker, which he recalled was Jalen Graham.

Junior safety Cam Allen came off the edge and nearly stymied Mellusi for a significant tackle for loss; however, the Clemson transfer spun, eluded the potential stop, and after some moves, burst his way into the end zone for the go-ahead score.

"We didn't have anybody for the safety on that play because they were bringing field pressure to the outside zone, so really, it could have been a disastrous play," Franklin said. "We made it work and Chez just spun off that first block, and after that, took it to the house. So we all were on our assignments on that play.”

Earlier this week, Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst thought Franklin "did some really good things," then referenced how players will receive "an opportunity if they do the work and put themselves in position for it" during the course of a season.

"He got it, and I thought he thought he put it in there," Chryst said on Monday. "The goal line, he had a nice block and did some other things well. That can sometimes give a guy confidence, and he's got to be able to build on it. A lot of times that can help kind of now and as you prepare, ‘OK, I do know now what that's like, what it feels like.’

"And yet I think, the credit to him, it didn't just start last week when it looked like, ‘We’re going to need you.’ It's been going on."

How Franklin's role in the offense evolves will be something to watch as Iowa comes to town on Saturday (11 a.m. CT, ESPN). UW listed Large and Rucci as out this week on its preliminary status report, along with Cundiff and Eschenbach as questionable. However, Chryst acknowledged to reporters on Thursday that the latter two both practiced this week. UW releases its pregame status report before kickoff on Saturdays, so their official status will be known then.

Franklin switched numbers from No. 42 to No. 81 after spring football this year, but he transitioned positions from outside linebacker to tight end before the 2020 season. His athleticism previously appeared evident on the defensive side of the ball, even registering a sack in the 2019 season opener at South Florida, but many thought that could translate for Wisconsin's passing game along with his 6-foot-4 frame.

Now at a listed 240 pounds, Franklin still works on the kickoff and punt return units for Wisconsin. He started with special teams during his redshirt freshman season in 2019 and credits that phase for keeping him "locked in," as he described it, when he did not play on either side of the ball.

Franklin also believes he has made strides in blocking and feels more comfortable now in that particular area compared to a year prior. However, he still feels he can improve on that facet of his game, along with being a more reliable pass-catcher.

"I think so far, blocking is something I need to continue to prove that I can do," Franklin said. “I think I'm good in the receiving game, but I can also work on my routes and be more of a technician in that as well. Trying to bring my athleticism into blocking and running routes has really been something I pride myself on.”

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