Published Sep 13, 2018
The 3 Cs: BYU
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Jon McNamara  •  BadgerBlitz
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BadgerBlitz.com's weekly feature, The Three Cs, takes a look at one thing we're curious, confident and concerned about heading into Wisconsin's contest against BYU.

Answers are provided by staff members Jon McNamara, John Veldhuis and Jonathan Mills.

Curious

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McNamara: Not an answer we'll get this week against BYU, but I'm curious to see if Wisconsin does indeed redshirt sophomore quarterback Jack Coan, who played last fall as a true freshman. Against New Mexico, it was third-stringer Danny Vanden Boom who entered late and tossed his first collegiate touchdown pass. Moving forward, the staff can use Coan in up to four contests and still preserve his redshirt. That would appear to be the path the Badgers are on at this point.

Veldhuis: I will be curious to see just how the Badgers split up their reps at wide receiver with Danny Davis back and available to play for this game. Does he just eat in to the reps of guys like Jack Dunn and Adam Krumholz, or does he get on the field to spell Kendric Pryor and A.J. Taylor? I assume that Davis will wind up playing more on the outside and bump Taylor into the slot when the Badgers have three receivers on the field, but it's hard to say for sure until the Badgers play a full game with this group of wide receivers.

Mills: I am curious to see if the Badgers start slow on offense again. Against the Lobos, Wisconsin was slow out of the gate and didn't truly come alive until shortly after the first half. I expect UW's running game to slowly wear down the BYU defensive front, but as for how long that might take is yet to be seen.

Confident

McNamara: I'm confident in Cole Van Lanen's ability at left tackle. According to Pro Football Focus, Van Lanen, who recorded 109 snaps over the last two weeks, currently grades out as the No. 8 tackle in the country. The sophomore has not allowed a sack or quarterback hurry over two games.

Veldhuis: I am confident that Wisconsin's pass rush will get more opportunities to get after the quarterback this week than they have in their other games so far this season. The Badgers played two offenses in a row that try and get the ball out of the quarterback's hands quickly - or emphasize the option - which means that their outside linebackers haven't had time to try and get some negative plays on deeper drop-back passes. BYU's offense has more traditional pro-style offense elements than Western Kentucky and New Mexico, and that should give guys like Andrew Van Ginkel time to rush the quarterback. It could also put some stress on Wisconsin's defensive backs, who will have to cover down the field longer, but that's part of the trade-off when you play different kinds of offenses.

Mills: I am confident wide receiver Danny Davis will immediately boost the production of the receiving corps. As good as players like A.J. Taylor and Kendric Pryor have been, Davis seems to boast the big-moment abilities to a greater extent. He [Davis] just gives quarterback Alex Hornibrook another weapon on offense and I think Davis will not miss a beat when he returns.

Concerned

McNamara: I'm concerned about Jonathan Taylor's fumbles. At some point it could cost Wisconsin a game.

Veldhuis: It's hard not to be concerned about Taylor's fumbles. That's an issue that needs to get fixed, and quickly. He has the talent to make up for losing a fumble every now and then, but it's hard to justify giving him as many carries as he's getting when those turnovers are coming at a decent clip.

Mills: I am concerned that quarterback Alex Hornibrook is going to start to lean on the ground game too much. Even though Jonathan Taylor brings so much to the table, the true leader of a program's offense is its quarterback. Through two games, Hornibrook hasn't been throwing it out as much as I expected - especially against two weaker opponents. Come BIG Ten play, Hornibrook's arm will be a major factor if UW hopes to visit Indianapolis.