MADISON, WIS. -- Ross Kolodziej enters his second season as defensive line coach, and while key pieces return, his room will need to step up further with the absence of Matt Henningsen.
A former walk-on, Henningsen emerged in 2018 and ended his Badgers career with 42 career games played and 13 career tackles for loss. He started at last one contest in the last four seasons. Now, UW hopes to see nose tackle Keeanu Benton progress further on the field and in a bigger leadership role, plus further contributions from defensive ends Isaiah Mullens, Rodas Johnson, James Thompson Jr. and others.
BadgerBlitz.com captured Kolodziej's full session with the media as seen below. Questions and answers are lightly edited for clarity.
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Keeanu was just talking about he's trying to develop as a leader more. How have you seen him try and attack that?
"Yeah, it's been great to watch him grow and develop and challenge him, and also help coach them through that. He's done a great job of taking the reins of the room, and I think also carrying that over for the defense and the team.
"No 1, he's done it through example. He's come in the way he's worked, the way he's attacked the offseason. He's improved his work capacity, and then it's been really nice transition to spring ball. Right now, like I told the room, '95' is right here, and then we kind of got everybody else, and so he's leading by example, too.
'When you turn on the tape, you watch him at the point of attack, technically sound. I'm not saying he's perfect, but he's still working through that. But then the effort, the finish, running to the football. Again, really mastering all the things that require no talent, and doing it at such a level that now he can demand that of anybody else in the room, and his game is really becoming above reproach that way.
"So the maturity, I think even when he gets uncomfortable, now he's pushing through a lot of places and spaces before -- where as a younger guy, you maybe take your foot off the gas a little bit, or need to excuse yourself from a drill or something like that. And he's just grinding through that stuff.
"So impressive to see him grow, physically, and push through it there. But also, in terms of vocally, and earning the respect of his teammates in how he practices and puts it on tape."
Ross, do you think that's a combination of fact that normal progression for a guy who's played a lot of ball, and also he knows what he has to be at the next level to be successful?
"Yeah, within all of it, there's always this natural progression. Your development from kind of a boy to a young man to a grown man, and a lot happens over those four, three to five years, that you're here. And so some of that is just that natural curve, but again, all that happens, it only works if you do it.
"And so the way that he's renewed his approach, the way that he's kind of increased his focus and determination, that's a credit to him. He's certainly riding that wave of a natural growth and development, but it's also the way he's taken his mind and pushed it to grow and develop that way. So, again, hard work works. Again, excited to see him buy into that and continue to grow."
Did he have conversations with you about the draft process, and when he said that he was coming back, what was your reaction?
"More so at the end of last season. I think it's good. He's done a good job of kind of compartmentalizing that, and putting it behind them. But in that moment, to make the decision he made and why and then stick to it. Sometimes I think you see guys come back, but then they come back and they're like, 'Oh, I'm going to the league, I kind of don't need to do this, I don't need to do that. I've already gotten there.'
"He's continuing to not just come back and work on those areas that need improvement. Areas, I won't call them weaknesses, but he's also pushing it into the red in terms of his strengths. He's not satisfied in any area.
"We were kind of joking. He's come up more to meet probably in the winter and spring than all of last year, just one-on-one. So pretty much across the board in any area, whether that's football, strength and conditioning, post recovery, the guy is really raising the bar."
Are you hoping use him in different ways just because of his knowledge, and how much how important he is to the front?
"I think we're always -- especially Jim, Coach Leonhard -- I think does a good or better job than anybody in the country identifying guys' skill sets and trying to set them up for success. Now, it's going to continue to be on Keeanu as well to not miss those layups.
"We're going to put him in positions to make plays, and we got a whole cut up last year of where, it was schemed up and teed up for us, and there's about eight or nine TFLs we missed out on opportunities up front for lack of execution. Whether that was technically or whatever it may have been, but absolutely.
"He's put himself in position to be a centerpiece and a focal point of how we want to attack. Again, his mindset and our mindset with him is certainly any one-on-one he should win in the country. Shame on us if we're not trying to maximize those matchups."
What about Rodas (Johnson) and James (Thompson Jr.). Can you speak to their development and what you expect from them this year and probably some bigger roles compared to last year?
"Yeah, they'll both have increased roles certainly. Obviously, losing Matt Henningsen is a huge void. Whether one guy clearly jumps ahead and just puts a stranglehold on taking that position over, I'm a big believer in rotating guys. If you're in the two-deep in my mind, you're a starter, and so their approach should be the same. Just like we talked about with Keeanu, there is that natural curve of development.
"Both guys unique. James is coming more off of an injury and kind of missing out a year. So you could argue, he's finally starting to be maybe where he should have been even a year ago,
“Rodas, he's battled some things on and off the field during his time here, so the maturity that he’s shown, I'm excited about that. In terms of explosiveness and a twitch, he's got something that's different. So he's another guy, when you look at how do you exploit one-on-one matchups and put him in certain situations, but again, it's going to come back to him to understanding those opportunities and maximizing those opportunities.
“But I would say both, and the group as a whole, iron sharpens iron. So excited to watch them come in and compete and continue to grow, but both have opportunity, and will get plenty of opportunity to make plays for us.”
Jim has said that the 2-4-5 has basically become your base defense because of the way offenses run so you don't have a traditional nose tackle on the field all the time.
"Correct."
But Bryson Williams, I thought gave you some quality snaps.
"Yes."
At this point, I know it's early, are guys you want to look at and say we need to get them ready to help fill in if Keeanu goes down or if he needs a break?
"Again, it's relative to your schedule, and how teams are attacking you, and even as the season went on, teams started going more 12 personnel but 11 pictures and things of that nature. So we've got to look at ways -- how do we continue to develop our base scheme and be able to utilize that personnel in some of those scenarios? And then, like you mentioned, probably in that 60-65% range, you're looking at nickel pictures. Which then, in a way, you don't have to worry so much about the zero(-technique) nose in a particular very unique skill set.
"When you start getting to the nickel world, you're talking 2is, tilts, three-techniques, which we have between -- you start at the top and you'd say all right, Keeanu/Mullens, James/Rodas, Townsend/Paez. Ben Barten's doing some great stuff for us. Mike Jarvis, he's put on a tremendous amount of weight. He's 290, 295 (pounds) so he's doing some things along there as well, so you feel really good about your depth when you start getting into nickel positions. Hopefully, nobody breaks a shoelace and we don't ever have to worry about it."
Speaking of Gio (Paez), just last year (spring), with Bryson and Keeanu both out he receives some reps at nose tackle. I know he's listed as end he says and do you see him as a nose tackle and and how have you seen him grow heading into his fourth year?
"Gio? Yeah, I don't know who put them put them out as an end. I've never played him as an end. He's a nose-type all day long."
How have you seen him develop and work in?
"He's a guy that's got great opportunity. This is his spring and as we've talked, this is his window to take advantage of it and make his move. Like I said earlier, iron sharpens iron and these guys are all here to compete. He's dealing through a little stuff right now that's kind of limiting him, so he's got to continue to push, continue to grow.
"I appreciate the extra work he's come in and done. But ultimately, it's what you put on tape that's gonna earn you -- like I tell the guys, man, you're either earning your way in or earning your way out, and the tape speaks for itself. He's got just as much opportunity and right as anybody else to get snaps on Saturdays."
Have you noticed with Bob (Bostad) a difference in the way that the offensive line is getting coached, technique the way he coaches, the way he approaches it. Do you notice a difference?
"I focus on my guys."
But you're going against the offensive line every single day?
"We are. But I'm coaching my guys every single day."
What about Mullens?
"The Big Tree."
What about him? Where's his growth? I imagine more will be expected out of him this year.
"Absolutely. And that's, again, getting back to kind of this concept of a natural progression, right? You're a senior, you've played a lot of football. You should be coming into your own in terms of football IQ and understanding the game and things should start slowing down for you. I'm fired up. He probably had one of his best practices Tuesday. He worked some different moves in pass rush. He's such a gifted athlete in terms of strength. I would argue, maybe in the country, I put him in that top tier of guys, and so it's understanding to continue to develop those strengths and use them. That was kind of our message today in meetings was really know thyself, and really understand what you do well, and why. What you need to work on and why, and then there are some things that you don't need to work on, because that's not your wheelhouse, so don't try it, but there's a reason why.
"And so it's continuing to mature and understand who we are, what we do well, and how to use that to our advantage. Like I said, I'm really excited because I thought where he was yesterday, especially that early in spring, to start showing some of that football understanding in terms of formational awareness, the technique that he was executing and using, and then really being able to apply that strength can make him a dominant force."
Saw (true freshman nose tackle) Curt Neal is at least dressed.
"Yes."
Do you think he'll be contribute to you guys during team drills at all this spring?
"Nope, he's strictly indy (position work) for spring, and that's probably the best thing we could be doing for him. He's explosive, he's powerful. He brings a lot to the table, and right now, I think he's in a great spot, and we just need to make sure we keep them there.
Do you see him as a nose tackle?
"I see him as a nose, see him as that 2i. He's twitchy and explosive enough, he could play some of three(-technique) as well. But yeah, he'll start inside the guards."
Ross, you guys up front have been working with the same group of linebackers for basically the last two years pretty much every snap. What's that process of getting them to learn new guys behind them, and that they're going to be communicating with so much?
"If we do our job, right up front, it doesn't matter who's behind us. If anything, we should be pushing that much harder to make sure the picture's that much more clean and clear for that group of guys. But like I said, if we're handling our business upfront, it should be plug-and-play in behind."
We didn't see much of Isaac Townsend last year. Obviously he's starting his second season here. What do you think he can give you?
"He can give us a lot. Coming out of the winter, physically in terms of measurables, I'd say he's probably pound-for-pound, one of our most impressive guys on the field. He started his career as a boundary-type outside 'backer (at Oregon), so he has that type of movement skills and capability with 280-285 pounds on his frame. He's just got to continue to understand the playbook. The world happens a lot faster inside the tackles than out in space.
"He finished the season in a great spot. Now he needs to make sure every time we restart, it's not at ground zero. He's got to pick up where he left off, and I thought, again, compared to our first padded practice to our second padded practice, he had a great jump there.
"Like I said, I'm excited about the group because of the depth, because of the character of those guys, because how they compete and go about it. He's got all the physical skills in the world. Now it's going to be upstairs."
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