Wisconsin's turnover factory has cooked up 12 interceptions this season, increasing recent production to 10 in the last four games. Two key secondary members -- starting cornerback Caesar Williams and backup safety John Torchio -- hold three and two, respectively, among the team leaders.
One Badger sits tied with Torchio for second on the defense with two picks of his own, but he has played reportedly less than 20 snaps on field for Wisconsin's defense.
That would be redshirt freshman Jordan Turner. The second-year inside linebacker has reeled in one interception in each of Wisconsin's last two victories during the limited playing time he has seen on the field with the games' outcomes decided.
“It's been good to finally get out there and then make an impact when I'm out there," Turner told BadgerBlitz.com on Monday. "So I'll say it’s good, but now I need to continue to keep doing that anytime I’m out there.”
Pro Football Focus (PFF) reports that Turner has played only 17 total snaps in three games on defense. He has participated in five contests overall, recording two assisted tackles and those pair of interceptions.
Though his game time reps have come with the contests already in hand, Turner's picks helped keep opposing offenses out of the end zone in the last two wins. Rutgers drove to the Wisconsin 32-yard line early in the fourth quarter of its 52-3 loss to UW on Nov. 6. Facing a 4th-and-7, backup quarterback Evan Simon threw a pass to his left that the 'backer read and grabbed out of the air to nullify any chance of extending the drive.
A smile spread across Turner's face when discussion of his first career interception started.
"I dropped to my landmark and I see in a corner of my eye, a wide receiver coming behind me," Turner said. "I'm just trying to stay under it. I'm still looking at the quarterback, and he just let it go, and I was like, ‘Oh, he don't see me,’ so I just jumped up and grabbed it.
“Then when I landed, I knew once I grabbed it that nobody was over there. I could have taken it to the crib, but my feet gave out on me. I just fell. I looked so unathletic on that play, but s---, I got one so that was a good first pick for me I’d say.”
His second interception in as many weeks came in the fourth quarter of Wisconsin's 35-7 victory last Saturday. Northwestern technically crossed the goal line in the divisional clash, but it was due to a 49-yard scoop-and-score by cornerback A.J. Hampton Jr. off of a Julius Davis fumble earlier in that frame.
Wisconsin's very next series after that Northwestern defensive touchdown ended with another fumble by one of its tailbacks, and Pat Fitzgerald's program received an opportunity to chip away at a blowout loss when starting at the UW 38. The Wildcats eventually drove to the 27 before a Hunter Wohler sack stunted their momentum.
Three plays later on yet another fourth down, this time with 17 yards to go, quarterback Ryan Hilinski threw a ball high that was intended for wide receiver Malik Washington. The ball tipped up in the air, and Turner came down with it, neutralizing a sudden change opportunity.
“My high school coach, he always told me, ‘Run to the ball, good things happen,'" Turner said. "Coach Bo [inside linebackers coach Bob Bostad], he always tells me, ‘Run to the ball, good things will happen.’ So I guess that's a product of running to the ball. Ball’s in the air, gotta grab it so just take off with it at the end. That was fun, too.”
Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard spoke about Turner on Nov. 8, the Monday between the victories over Rutgers and Northwestern, when asked about the redshirt freshman's progression and development. The assistant stated that the redshirt freshman "had a great fall camp" and believes there have been "big strides forward" taken by the 6-foot-1, 228-pound inside linebacker.
“He's behind some really good players, so opportunities are not really high right now," Leonhard said last week. "He had an injury and then came back, and you can just see week in and week out gaining more confidence, and it's awesome to get guys like that on the field. Just to get that experience, they'll build on it. He's a really smart football player. He understands our scheme and loves the physical part of football, and anytime guys get rewarded with playing time and get rewarded with production like that, it's always huge.
"Really excited for what he's going to bring this defense, and obviously what he did this past week [against Rutgers], just going to continue to grow I think as a football player. Excited for a number of young guys that we were able to get a ton of reps in that game and play fast, played aggressive, played physical football. It was a lot of fun to watch.”
Turner, a Farmington, Mich., native, believes he started feeling confidence towards the end of Wisconsin's spring practices. That has carried over through the summer and into fall camp, and it has been growing since then. That is especially key for his position.
“I would say confidence is a big thing that linebackers need, especially inside because you're essentially a quarterback of the defense," Turner said. "You’ve got to get everybody set. You got to make sure everybody's on the same page, and at the same time, you got to know what you're doing. Because middle linebackers, you're supposed to be at the ball every play. That's why I feel like it’s been helping.”
Turner, who said he plays on all of the special teams units, noted the biggest adjustments to the college game have been its pace and the ability to be ready in terms of studying opponents. Of course, Turner has two standout inside linebackers in front of him to learn from in senior Jack Sanborn and junior Leo Chenal.
The tandem arguably is the nation's best duo at said position group, as they have combined for 155 tackles, 28 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks through 10 games heading into Wisconsin's home finale against Nebraska on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT, ABC).
Turner sits in a room of young talent behind Sanborn and Chenal with Tatum Grass, Maema Njongmeta, Ross Gengler and true freshmen Jake Chaney, Jake Ratzlaff and Bryan Sanborn all having eligibility after 2021. He has turned to the starters for advice and feedback, along with some laughs with Chenal.
“So I know recently me and Leo, we've been joking cause he's like, ‘Man, now you got more picks to me.’ And I was like, ‘S---, but you got more tackles than me.'" Turner said. "So I got to learn how to tackle people and defend the run as well, and he was like, ‘Well, I need to learn how to catch them picks.' ... I like talking to Leo and Jack, because they're both smart in the game, and they both help me instinct-wise and kind of get a feel of what offenses are trying to do to our defense to get an advantage over us.
"So I'll say talking to them helps me build my football IQ to raise it to their level, which I'm trying to be in.”
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