Wisconsin Badgers 2023 Spring Position Preview: Outside Linebackers

As Luke Fickell's first season in Madison draws closer, the Badgers will hit the field for spring practice starting in late March.

Following its Pro Day on March 23, UW will run spring ball between March 25 and April 27 this year, according to a recent social media post. With a completely revamped coaching staff, a few key incoming transfers and brand new schematics, Wisconsin football will look plenty different in 2023. Spring ball will be the first glimpse at this new era.

BadgerBlitz.com is once again expected to watch any open practices available for reporters to attend. Monday, we take a look at the outside linebackers, a position that must replace three-year starter Nick Herbig.

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Wisconsin brings back just about everyone from the outside linebacker room with the exception of a significant piece. The lone departure this offseason was Nick Herbig, who exited early for the NFL Draft. Arguably the team's best defender in 2022, the three-year starter led the Badgers in sacks (11.0) and tackles for loss (15.5).

C.J. Goetz and Darryl Peterson are expected to open camp with the No. 1 defense. Goetz started all 13 games this past season at the boundary position, while Peterson was heavily in the rotation (331 snaps in all 13 games). The redshirt sophomore became more comfortable as the year went on, closing out the season with sacks in the last two games.

The Ohio native was praised by new outside linebackers coach Matt Mitchell for taking on a leadership role, something he noted the room and defense as a whole was looking for.

"I've been really impressed with Darryl Peterson's approach," Mitchell said. "He's approaching things like a pro as far as his attention to detail and has been working really hard trying to lead. I think we're looking for leadership overall on the defense and specifically in the outside linebacker room."

While the group does return just about everyone, it is a relatively unproven bunch. Outside of the top duo, T.J. Bollers (28) and Kaden Johnson (177) are the only returners who saw snaps at Wisconsin this past season. Johnson, a former four-star recruit, could take a similar leap in playing time as Peterson did in 2022.

Michigan State transfer Jeff Pietrowski will likely round out the two-deep. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound pass rusher saw his 2022 season cut short due to injury. But in 2021, he compiled 5.5 sacks and 32 tackles in 483 snaps for the Spartans. Pietrowski's challenge will be learning the system and how to drop into coverage more often after being asked to play with his hand in the dirt a lot in East Lansing.

Aaron Witt, who did not play last season due to a right leg injury, is still battling back from the injury, but Mitchell raved about the linebacker's knowledge and approach to the game. The 6-foot-6 edge saw some snaps in 2020, recording three tackles - two for loss - in five games.

The group will also feature early enrollee Jordan Mayer.

With the team's emotional leader and most impactful player out of the fold, can Peterson step up into that role?

It isn't fair to ask for one player to replace the double-digit sacks and tackles for loss that Hebig contributed. That will have a combined effort from the unit, but when it comes to looking for one player from the bunch to stand out, Peterson appears primed to do so.

On the leadership front, Peterson was noted by inside linebacker Maema Njongmeta as someone who grew into that role during prep for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, and that's carried over into winter workouts.

Peterson should have no problem leading by example, either. Whenever fall camp practices were available to reporters this past season, Peterson was seen in all but one of the sessions getting in extra reps or conditioning after the period. Herbig, who is good friends with the redshirt sophomore, would often join him, and had even joked that there was a time where he turned around and said to himself, "damn, I'm tired. He still wants to get more in?"

On the field, Peteson turned things on to close the year in 2022. He saw two of his four highest snap counts in the two final games of the year with Herbig out. In those two games, he combined to tally three pressures, two sacks and five tackles.

A trio of Peterson, Pietrowski and Goetz should be able to provide steady play, at the very least. How Johnson and Bollers look and how they have progressed will be worth keeping an eye on, especially with Johnson likely elevated into a consistent role.

In 177 snaps, the Minnesota native totaled six pressures and 14 tackles. How can the 6-foot-2, 230-pound player grow and take another step this spring?

"Kaden Johnson played some last year so he is working hard - he's a really good athlete, does a good job of flipping his hips in space, moving around and he's learning our defensive scheme," Mitchell said of the fourth-year player.

Recently wrapping up his second season with the program, Bollers has yet to tap in to his raw potential. This past season he saw just 28 snaps and totaled two tackles. This past summer, former position coach Bobby April included Bollers in a group of five players he thought could play and contribute in 2022. That didn't pan out but the confidence in the Iowa native could be an indication for a jump this season.

"T.J. Bollers is playing that boundary outside linebacker position and is a very physical player that's gotten off to a great start," Mitchell said.

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