MADISON, Wis. – Paul Chryst is not a fan of open records requests.

The notoriously tight-lipped Wisconsin coach usually doesn’t freely disclose the availability of his players, update the weekly depth chart or give any information that could give an opponent an advantage.

So, with so much uncertainty surrounding the health of his quarterback room, Chryst wasn’t going to change precedent and dive into who would start – or be available – when No.13 Wisconsin travels to Michigan Saturday night (6:30 p.m., ABC).

“Each day you feel a little better when they (the quarterbacks) are able to do something,” Chryst told reporters Thursday. “You go back through the check list and the protocols and they are in line with that. We continue to be hopeful of it. Whoever is going to play, I feel good with it. I feel confident. Their experience level might be different, but I think that’s part of us to give them a plan where they can be successful with it.”

Redshirt freshman Graham Mertz and backup quarterback Chase Wolf both reportedly tested positive for coronavirus following the season opener and are working their way out of the Big Ten protocol. If neither can play, redshirt junior Danny Vanden Boom would receive his first career start. Quarterback Jack Coan remains unavailable after having foot surgery last month, as the senior continues to increase his rehabilitation but has yet to do field work.

The 21-day protocol requires players coming off a positive test is to do walkthrough, progressing to individual workouts and then drill work.

“You keep stacking it,” Chryst said. “We’ve gone through it. Not that we are experts at it, but there’s been enough throughout the year.”

Wisconsin announced Monday that it would resume practices after pausing all football related activity at the end of October due to a spike in coronavirus cases. Although the Badgers did some small group workouts over the weekend, this past Tuesday was the first day UW worked in pads since beating Illinois, 45-7, on October 23.

“I really liked and appreciated their energy and kind of their intention, which reflect the focus of where they are at with it,” Chryst said.

“I think there were a number of things we had to accomplish this week. One was getting back into playing football and the things that go in line with that. The other number one objective was preparing to play against a really good Michigan team. Those were the two big things we had to accomplish this week and I think they had a great purpose to it.”

Not only will this be Wisconsin’s first game in three weeks, this will be the Badgers’ first road game of the coronavirus era. Considering the Badgers still don’t know where the virus outbreak came from that canceled their previous two games, including a road game at Nebraska, Chryst said the program will take greater steps to promote social distancing. Some of the things UW will implement are more buses for travel, fewer people in the traveling party and fewer in-person meetings.

“What’s different is going to be some of the details,” Chryst said. “The big overall picture and purpose isn’t different.”

Chryst told the Big Ten Network Wednesday that he expects players numbering in the “double digits” to be unavailable Saturday, which could also put a strain on where the Badgers are defensively. Michigan’s passing attack – led by sophomore Joe Milton – has proved formidable, and the Wolverines utilize a variety of formations, motions and run-pass options to get defenses off their edges.

Fortunately, the Badgers have solid depth on the defensive line and in the secondary to combat any absences that defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard can be somewhat flexible.

“You’re preparing for so many different things,” Leonhard said. “It is so much more than a two-deep right now. In the past, in the normal situation, you have your two-deep. You know their strengths, weaknesses. You get to game day and all of a sudden three guys might get pulled out. You never know. You have so many contingency plans on what type of plan you can execute.

“You have to prepare for so much more in these teams, which is OK. It’s fun as a coach. You’re preparing for a lot of different things and you’re going through a lot of different what-if scenarios. We feel confident in our guys. We’re blessed. We’re fortunate to have good depth on the defensive side of the ball this year. It’s not a situation where we get to one position and we’re running out of bodies.”