MADISON -- This upcoming Friday, head coach Paul Chryst will lead his No. 19 Wisconsin Badgers into Raymond James Stadium to take on the South Florida Bulls.

With the start of every game week, Chryst chatted with the media on Sunday and BadgerBlitz.com made it out to Camp Randall Stadium for that and more. Check out some of the highlights from the nearly 20-minute session:

What Coan showed specifically during fall camp and where he took steps forward:

“I thought he improved from his understanding certainly of what we’re doing, his command of the offense. His drop, football, I thought he made some strides there. I thought the whole group actually had a really good camp. Those of you who were there, you knew that Jack, every rep he got this camp was with the ones. I thought he did do a good job of just, he’s got a better understanding I think of himself, our offense, of what teams are doing, and I liked the progress he’s made. I think that group as a whole had a good camp.”

Does Chryst see the confidence level in Jack Coan improve from a year ago? Reading things better, throwing the ball better, anticipating things better?

“I do, and I think that’s kind of natural. I think that a big part of it is he’s trusting the work that he’s put in. There’s also the more you play with guys and you develop trust in them, and I think that helps in Jack’s case, [at] quarterback, when he knows A.J. [Taylor] and trusts A.J. and this and knows 'KP' [Kendric Pryor]. It’s been fun. He worked obviously with 'Q' [Quintez Cephus] before but doing that more and he’s certainly got a good feel for Danny [Davis] and 'Ferg' [tight end Jake Ferguson]. That’s also a big part of it that not only does he trust himself, and I think you trust yourself from the work you put in, but it’s also knowing what the other guys and what they’ve done together. That’s helpful.”

On Graham Mertz and Chase Wolf listed as the two second-team quarterabcks and what he sees in those two:

“I think that both have gotten a lot better since spring ball. I think that their styles are a little bit different, and yet I think they’re both kind of figuring out as much who they are and how they can play to their strengths within our offense so I like that.”

“Like you said, Brian did a good job of putting that together, because depth charts are tricky. We certainly have a rep chart, and yet there’s a good chance probably on that, there are four DBs listed as starters. Yet, [you] anticipate personnel grouping, we’ll probably start with five DBs or more. You just kind of go with it.”

“But I love what Chase and Graham have done. They’ve got to keep going, and they’ve got to keep growing, but I like where they’re at.”

On being balanced offensively and if he saw what he wanted to in passing game to give him some confidence heading into season:

“Yeah, certainly have confidence in that, and there’s no doubt we’ve got to be more balanced. I think like anything, you’ve got to earn the right to be more balanced. You got to produce there. I like the group that has to absorb some of that, when I’m talking about the receivers, the tight ends and the backs and certainly the quarterbacks. But I think for us to be the best offense we can be, we absolutely have to be more balanced. I think the pieces are there, and yet you've got to go out to do it when it matters, and we haven’t done that yet.”

On true freshman Jack Eschenbach and what he could provide, and also about any updates about Zander Neuville:

“Zander’s, he’s been making good progress, and later this week, he’ll go through a thing. He’s been cleared to do limited [work], but to where we’re fully cleared, that’ll be in the next couple of days.

“Eschenbach, I give him credit he took advantage of all the reps that he did get and I think that there are certainly some areas where if need be, he could help us. That group, I thought did a good job of trying to maximize what they had. 'Z,' getting him back [to] where he’s cleared that would be a good step. Kind of just seeing where he’s at football shape-wise, but he’s been able to do a lot of the stuff and get going. So to get fully cleared, we’ll see.”

On wide receiver Quintez Cephus being in the two-deep and how much time he may be to see on the field on Friday:

“That’s where again I think we still need to use this week and yet, I think how he’s come in and the way he’s picked it up, it’s been good. We’re glad to obviously have him back. Certainly there are some things that I think kind of come back, and just getting into playing shape and going. I think he’s in good shape, but you got to get into playing shape. So we’ll see how this week goes, but certainly feel like he can give us something.”

On the South Florida offense, its quarterback Blake Barnett, and what challenges that offense could pose:

“The quarterback, he’s played and has played well, so I think anytime you’ve got an experienced quarterback that’s good. It looks to me like they’ve got a number of different skilled athletes that could be dangerous. [I] know a little bit about [South Florida offense coordinator] Kerwin [Bell] and what he’s done. He’s a good football coach and it’s going to be a good plan. Same thing defensively, they’re going to have a good plan. I think they’ve got good players, so we don’t know exactly. I think they’ve got the ability to kind of mix and match different personnel groups, and we’ve got to match that accordingly. Then play good, sound football.

“First games are always interesting because there’s an excitement to them. There are guys that will be playing their first reps, and even guys that have started before getting back into it, so we’ve got to do a good job of handling that and obviously the opponent.”

On how USF game came about and if Chryst likes that test right out of the gate?

“I do. I don’t know that I know how it came about but I do like it. You’re going to choose to like it, and I think our guys are fired up to playing it and playing a good team. Every first game, you’re going to find out a lot about yourself. You’re going to get tested in ways that maybe you could anticipate and don’t anticipate. I think always a chance to go on the road and when you’re playing against a good football team, the older players that have been in it know this is how you got to approach it. You can already feel it and hear it, and we’re all trying to make sure that the young guys know exactly what it is. Certainly looking forward to it.”

On the competitive dynamic of Chenal brothers impacted their respective units and team:

“Every day those two truly compete. In the weight room, they’ll compete against each other. If they’re on their last set, and the one just did it, there are times where you can just see them put a two-and-half [pound weight] on either side just to out-do each other. I think that competition, healthy competition is great for a team, and I think those two embody it a lot. We feel really fortunate to have both of them here, and there’s no doubt that it rubs off on the rest of the team in a positive way.”

On Kayden Lyles, his growth in camp and his transition back to the offensive line, along with if Chryst would anticipate a three-man rotation at guard:

“First of all, Kayden, I think it took him spring just to get back into the rhythm of it, and had a good summer, and it’s been fun to see him kind of truly getting back into the groove of playing o-line. We feel like he’s certainly got some talent, and really talented, and yet you've got to play and you've got to play with each other. We do anticipate a lot of those linemen playing. I think that we’re going to need it.

“The first thing is, do they earn the right to play, and if they’ve earned the right to play, then you find the spots. I think that we’ve got guys in that room, in those positions, that have earned the right to play and people will see them.”

If Chryst and Wisconsin know what they have with defensive end duo of Garrett Rand/Isaiahh Loudermilk:

“I’m excited about what it could be. Do we know it? No. I think we’ve built up some depth. I’ve appreciated what 'Henny’s' [Matt Henningsen] done and [David] Pfaff and Bryson [Williams]’s had a good camp, and Keeanu [Benton]’s done a nice job. It’s going to take all of them, but I am excited to see. I think we got a picture in our mind of what it could be, but to be able to go out and see it and to be able to do it over a course of time, I think that will be one of the stories of the year really. How does that turn out to be?”