MADISON - Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard spoke to the media on Tuesday as the Badgers continue prep for Washington State. He covered a number of topics, including returning punts, injuries in the cornerback room and facing Washington State's up-tempo offense.

Wisconsin has struggled to be productive in the punt return department, and those woes continued into the season opener on Saturday. Lead punt returner Dean Engram wasn't able to make much happen against Illinois State, returning two punts for a grand total of negative two yards.

"We wanna be aggressive back there. We wanna make plays, we have to be smart. I think (Engram) forced the last (punt return) a little bit, maybe trying to create something that really wasn't there. A lot of times, that comes from the fact that you go an entire game and opportunity hasn't come," Leonhard said.

Engram, a wide receiver, didn't see any usage on offense. It's very plausible he was itching to make an impact, and in doing so tried too hard to make something happen on special teams.

"I think if he catches the first one a little cleaner, he kinda ran in aggressively and it drifted on him," Leonhard said. "I think if he catches it cleaner he's in a good spot to let that athleticism come out."

That athleticism, particularly his short-area burst and change of direction, are tantalizing traits that get you excited about his potential as a returner. Engram will continue to have chances to make an impact from the punt returner position.

But it's not all on the punt returner to make a great play. As Leonhard noted, punters are getting better and better at downing punts inside the 10, which forces an adjustment upon the receivers fielding punts. One of the key adjustments returners have to make is the yard-line cutoff for fielding a punt or kick.

"Those guys are so much better as far as downing the ball inside the 10," Leonhard said. "Most people have moved that back to an eight. The way these guys can hang it, with the Aussie influence and stuff like that, the ball lands a lot softer than it used to. We've kinda moved it back to that eight-, seven-yard line. If it's a punt with pretty good hang-time, you can usually rely in those not checking into the end zone."

With Jay Shaw and Ricardo Hallman the starting corners in Week 1, and the injuries to Justin Clark and Alexander Smith, Cedrick Dort Jr. has managed to fly under the radar a bit in this cornerback room. He logged significant playing time on Saturday, however, notching the third-most coverage snaps for Badgers corners with 20. He did allow three completions on three targets, but Leonhard liked what he saw out of Dort.

"Really pleased with what he did. There were some nerves, it's funny. You see some of the older guys come in here, it's a new environment, new defense, new guys, right? The stadium is different, and I think our guys were a little nervous going in. They wanna make a great first impression...He's in a role that he really hasn't been in very often, and he played a great game. He really did. I think there's a couple of decisions he'd like to have back...he's becoming more comfortable in that role, and he's excited about it...He'll play on the outside as well, more than he did Week 1, but I'm excited to see what we can do with him in the slot."

This cornerback group will be very fluid until they're fully healthy. Until then, Dort and company will be moving around the formation and two deep frequently. Dort has been an under-appreciated player in this group, but especially as injuries mount up at corner, his experience and leadership becomes more and more valuable.

Speaking of injured corners, Leonhard gave an update on Smith and Clark's availability for Washington State. They appear to be progressing well, but the defensive coordinator wouldn't commit to them being ready for Week 2, or a ballpark return date in general.

"It truly is day-to-day with those guys," Leonhard said. "They're close, but it's a little too early in game week to tell."

Leonhard and the rest of the coaching staff are clearly being very mindful of how they work Clark and Smith back, especially because of the nature of their injuries and the position they play.

"Those are tricky injuries. Hamstrings for guys that have to hit 20, 21, 22 miles-an-hour, it's always difficult. You're gonna be smart, so much of it comes to communication between you and them. How does it feel? Can you let it go? Because as a defensive back, if you're thinking about it, it's not ready. You have to be able to play free and just react. And that's the hardest thing to simulate in a training setting, is the reactionary style of what we have to do.

"If you're guarding that at all, you're gonna get hurt again. A lot of it is getting them in that practice setting, and how'd you feel? 'Ah, I had to think about this.' Well okay, you're not quite there yet."

All in all, it's encouraging to see both Smith and Clark have a decent chance to play this week. The Badgers' secondary could use reinforcements, especially after the leg injury to Hunter Wohler.

Wohler's injury leaves the Badgers in a tough spot at safety, with not a lot of experience playing in Leonhard's defense available at the position.

"Tough to lose Hunter...he just was so consistent for us, really going back to the spring, the summer, through fall camp and even Week 1. It's gonna be a little bit by committee, it's great competition. These guys have been getting after it all camp. I think it's close enough that those guys (Kamo'i Latu and Preston Zachman) are both gonna play, both gonna have their roles, and split that job a little bit," Leonhard said.

The plan, according to Leonhard, is to rotate Latu and Zachman around Torchio depending on who best fits the scenario. But other safeties on the team could soon see meaningful defensive snaps as well.

"Some of the young guys you mentioned, Austin Brown and Titus Toler, guys like that who are right on that brink pushing into the two deep, well, now they're gonna be right on the edge...I love to play guys, I love to get guys on the field and have a role within the game plan."

Washington State leads an offense headlined by quarterback Cameron Ward, one of the better gunslingers in the nation. The Cougars always seem to have a fast, dynamic offense, even after Mike Leach left for greener pastures in Mississippi. They like to utilize a no-huddle, up-tempo style of offense Wisconsin's defense isn't used to.

"It's always communication. First time of the year, right? As you get through the season and you see it more often, your guys are more comfortable and it's not something our offense does a ton," Leonhard said.

So what does Wisconsin's defense focus on in preparation for the air-raid-esque offense?

"It's communication, a little bit of that conditioning, staying consistent with your technique even though things are moving fast. We have a veteran group in a lot of areas that I think can handle that, but we're gonna push it all week to make sure on game day, there's no surprises."

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