No. 12 Wisconsin releases first depth chart for Penn State

MADISON, WIS. -- Preparation to face No. 19 Penn State began for No. 12 Wisconsin, as the two Big Ten programs clash inside Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday.

UW unveiled its Week 1 depth chart within the program's game notes. A transfer running back claims a first-team spot, and a few more observations from the release stand out in the days leading up to the cross-divisional contest.

Mellusi, the Clemson transfer, assumed the first-team spot at running back with redshirt freshman Jalen Berger behind him. The former three-star prospect from Naples, Fla., showed patience and burst out of the backfield during fall camp open practices.

Assistant coach Gary Brown told reporters before fall camp that he believes Mellusi is "a true three-down guy."

"He's a guy that you don't have to take off the field," Brown said on Aug. 5. "He can pass protect, he can run routes, he can catch the ball out of the backfield, and he can run the ball with tremendous skill.

"So that's the thing that really we're all trying to get with all of our running backs and have them be three-down guys. We're getting close. We're getting close, but Chez is probably the closest one to that skill set."

UW listed redshirt sophomore Joe Tippmann as the first-team center, beating out redshirt senior Kayden Lyles. Tippmann held the initial starting reps with the offensive line for the last five fall camp open practices to reporters.

Josh Seltzner and Jack Nelson hold down the left and right guard spots, respectively, while redshirt seniors Tyler Beach and Logan Bruss lock down the edges on each side.

In terms of second-team listings and any major callouts, Wisconsin designated Tanor Bortolini as the No. 2 right tackle instead of Trey Wedig. Bortolini played center in 2020 but also worked at left and right tackle during the recent fall camp before suffering a right leg injury on Aug. 14.

*Tight end Jack Eschenbach claimed the No. 2 tight end spot behind redshirt senior Jake Ferguson.

*In the secondary, Wisconsin lists six players in the two-deep. Faion Hicks and Caesar Williams hold the No. 1 spots, but then UW designates Donte Burton and Dean Engram behind Hicks, with Semar Melvin and Alexander Smith behind Williams. Melvin and Burton both have starting experience from years past, while Engram and Smith initially impressed during open spring practices in April.

*Collin Larsh is the No. 1 placekicker with Jack Van Dyke No. 2. UW listed Van Dyke listed as limited on Aug. 13, and reporters never saw him kick field goals after that during the open practices. Van Dyke is the No. 1 kickoff specialist.

*UW designated wide receiver Devin Chandler as the No. 1 kickoff returner, with cornerback Faion Hicks No. 2 -- then Engram as No. 1 punt returner with wide receiver Jack Dunn No. 2.