Wisconsin's 2018 season is still a few months away, but it's never too early to get the inside scoop on the teams the Badgers will square off against this fall.
The Badgers will welcome the Minnesota Golden Gophers to Camp Randall Stadium, so we asked Randy Johnson of the Minneapolis Star Tribune a few questions about what the Badgers should expect to see in year two under P.J. Fleck.
Our questions and Randy's answers are included below.
Miss a preview? Catch up below:
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What's the vibe around the program like after P.J. Fleck's first season in town? Were people expecting more in his first year, or was some kind of step back to be expected?
Randy Johnson: There probably isn’t quite as much excitement around the program as there was when P.J. Fleck took the job, but a solid recruiting Class of 2018 and a strong start to the 2019 class has created some optimism. With Fleck coming off a Cotton Bowl berth at Western Michigan, I believe a lot of people thought 2017 would be much better than 5-7, especially considering the Gophers were 9-4 in 2016. But I don’t think people realized how much change Fleck was bringing to the program and that it would take some time to see positive results in the win/loss column.
The Gophers really struggled offensively last year. What are their chances for a step forward in 2018? How much of that depends on the quarterback battle, and who do you think will emerge as the starter in the fall?
Randy Johnson: The Gophers’ quarterback play was quite bad last year. Fans who were critical of Mitch Leidner, who was a senior in 2016, probably would have wished they had another year with him when watching Conor Rhoda and Demry Croft struggle. Even though none of their QBs entering the 2018 season has thrown a pass at the FBS level, there is reason to believe the position will be improved. Redshirt freshman Tanner Morgan appears to have a slight lead in the starting race over early enrollee freshman Zack Annexstad after both had solid spring games. Junior college transfer Vic Viramontes is third in the rotation but will have a chance to improve during training camp. Fleck likely won’t name a starter until late in training camp, but he has hinted that more than one QB could play. I’d expect Morgan will start the Aug. 30 opener against New Mexico State, but Annexstad has shown he’s a quick study.
Do the Gophers have to replace many playmakers on the defensive side of the ball this year? What's your outlook for that group right now?
Randy Johnson: The biggest loss on defense is tackle Steven Richardson, a four-year starter who occupied space in the middle. He’ll be tough to replace. The Gophers will miss linebacker Jonathan Celestin, too, but Thomas Barber, now a junior, should be able to fill that leadership role. Carter Coughlin gives the Gophers a solid pass-rush threat. The secondary will get a big boost with the return of Antoine Winfield Jr., who missed the final eight games because of a hamstring injury. Winfield’s playmaking was missed greatly last year.
What's an under-rated storyline about this team that you'll be following - something that could determine whether 2018 is a step forward or not?
Randy Johnson: The Gophers have a playmaking wide receiver in junior Tyler Johnson, but he needs some help. Fleck is high on redshirt freshmen Demetrius Douglas and Chris Autman-Bell, and if either emerges as an effective second option, the offense should improve. Also, true freshman Rashod Bateman, a four-star recruit, has the potential to win a starting job.
What does a realistic step forward look like for the Gophers this season, record-wise? Do you think they can get back to a bowl game? Or is their schedule going to make that challenging?
Randy Johnson: A realistic improvement would be six or seven wins and a bowl game. The swing game in the nonconference schedule is a visit from Fresno State, which went 10-4 and played in the Mountain West title game last year. If the Gophers go 3-0 in nonconference play (New Mexico State and Miami of Ohio are the other opponents), they’ll have a good shot to make a bowl game. In Big Ten play, the Gophers have tough trips to Ohio State and Wisconsin, while visits to Maryland and Nebraska look like toss-ups and the trip to Illinois needs to be a victory. Minnesota has four Big Ten home games – Iowa, Indiana, Purdue and Northwestern. Two wins in those home games might get the Gophers to a bowl, while three wins should put them safely in. Can they do it? Quarterback play holds the answer.
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John Veldhuis covers Wisconsin football, basketball and recruiting for BadgerBlitz.com on the Rivals.com network. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnVeldhuis.
