MADISON, WIS. -- Darryl Peterson signed with Wisconsin as part of the vaunted 2021 class that boasted the program's best ever ranking in Rivals.com's era. The former four-star prospect arrived in Madison during the summer and has had a good start to his first camp at UW.
As a disclaimer, it is still early in fall camp and a lot can still change. Reporters have watched three full practices of the seven heading into the weekend, and Wisconsin also listed Aaron Witt (right leg) as out on the first day of camp on Aug. 3, along with C.J. Goetz (right leg). Though the former has not been dressed since then, the latter suited up this week and received 11-on-11 reps during Wednesday and Friday's sessions.
That said, Peterson worked with players who have contributed in rotation in recent years during those practices open to media. The first-year edge rusher received some reps opposite Nick Herbig at outside linebacker on Tuesday. He has also worked in tandems with Izayah Green-May, C.J. Goetz, Spencer Lytle, T.J. Bollers and Kaden Johnson in the past week, according to BadgerBlitz.com's notes.
"I think DP’s talented," head coach Paul Chryst said on Tuesday after practice. "He's coming in, and I think he's working to -- there's almost an approach that I don't know that necessarily one is right and one is wrong -- but he's coming in with the approach to do everything he can to learn it to play and impact it early. I think everyone has that want, but some guys are gonna go kind of navigating a lot and that becomes a little bit more difficult.
"I think he does a good job of kind of, even when he wasn't here of, getting a jump on things. Then he comes out and what you're able to see out of him -- and certainly [outside linebackers coach] Bobby April will speak better than me on it -- but I see him where he looks to me like you got a number of snaps where he’s playing. There’s a lot of times with young guys where you can see them kind of thinking through it. You can almost hear their wheels grinding a little bit, and that's natural. That's not a negative.
"But I think that it seems early that he's shown ability to -- and Nick Herbig went through this last year -- whether he was right or wrong, he didn't worry about overthinking. He went. I think DP’s come in with a -- I know I was talking about this with Keeanu [Benton] -- but he's got a good purpose, in a different way. I've liked the way he's approached camp."
BadgerBlitz.com spoke with Peterson after practice on Friday to discuss the reps received during the first week of camp, his adjustment to the college game so far, and more.
Questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity.
BB: First week, your first fall camp as a collegiate athlete. How are you feeling so far with moving forward and adjusting?
DP: I'm feeling really good. Just trying to learn every day and take it all in. You know, it can be not so much frustrating, but you kind of want to learn so fast, and sometimes when it's not, it can be frustrating. But I'm trying to just do my best to learn fast and be efficient when I get out there.
BB: We've seen you out there, I think the first practice that we were able to see fully [on Tuesday], you were with Nick Herbig to get a few reps. The past couple ones you were kind of working almost like second-team where you were with Izayah Green-May or today Spencer Lytle. Just how have you kind of worked into that rotation, and just what are you learning when you're going through those reps?
DP: I've been trying to do a better job of just watching and learning. Watching older guys like Nick Herbig and Noah Burks and those guys, and trying to watch how they work or what they do, and I've been trying to mirror in that way. And just trying to work my way up the depth chart and just keep working every day.
BB: What was the biggest difference, going from the high school training you did, where, obviously, you were a standout athlete, going on now to Wisconsin and going through summer conditioning?
DP: It was, I think, having to learn to drop into coverage. I've never done that before so it's been different. But I'm getting better every day at it and I'm working towards being the best I can be in coverage, and that's been the biggest difference because in high school, I never was in coverage at all. So coming here having to be in coverage a lot, you know, it's been fun to learn. I'm excited to just be the best I can be.
BB: What are some of the things that you have to go through with footwork, or just discipline mentally, what all goes into coverage?
DP: I think more than anything, communicating. Just knowing who to call off and who I have. You know, just communicating in that sense, and just being loud out there on the field, because it'll be 90,000 people here, so just being able to communicate and be loud.
BB: I know it's still the first week, but when you're getting these reps with some of those that have contributed in the past, what does that do for you? How are you feeling about it, and how are you taking it all in?
DP: Well I try not to get too high and not to get too low. Obviously, it's a blessing to be able to get out there and get reps. We still got a lot more practices to go, and I'm just trying to get better every day so I can keep getting those reps and hopefully potentially get more reps. So try to get better every day.
BB: What do you feel your strengths right now that allows you to get those reps?
DP: I feel like I'm very powerful. I've been using my power, using my speed off the edge. I've been rushing the passer pretty well, but I still got to get better in coverage. I got to get better in a lot of things. Those are the main things, my power and stuff like that.
BB: Where are you sitting right now for height, and I know that there's the fall camp roster, but sitting at for weight?
DP: I'm about 6-foot-2 about 245 [pounds].
BB: Coming down a little bit?
DP: Yeah, it can fluctuate. When we started camp, I was like close to 250, like 248, I think, something like that. I've been 243 and even back up and back down so camp, you never really tell how much you weigh. It's been fluctuating a lot.
BB: What have you learned from guys like Nick Herbig and especially Noah Burks being a super senior, his sixth year in the program? What have you learned from those that have been here before?
DP: I learned how important footwork is. How much that first step can lead to a big play, or can give you a disadvantage. Just know how important footwork is and how important the little things are. Because you can do a little thing wrong and that can mess up the whole play. So just learn the little things matter a lot.
BB: As a group I know the defense only had 11 sacks last season. You weren't here, but we've seen a lot of pressure being generated so far during practices that we've seen. Just how are you assessing the edge rushing?
DP: We're gonna have a big year. We're gonna have a big year, a lot of sacks, and you can count on that. Top to bottom.
BB: I know you're a true freshman, too, but which players throughout camp in the first week do you feel stood out the most to you so far?
DP: We're all doing pretty well, I'd say. But obviously you can't miss Braelon [Allen]. Braelon's been doing a great job at running back. Markus Allen and Skyler Bell, they've been doing well at the receiver position. We got a lot of guys. We got a lot of guys that are contributing right now. So just we got a good class. There's a lot of guys that are in there doing their thing. So as a whole, I think we're doing pretty good as a class right now.
BB: I remember in the "Better Know a Badger" series, you said you had high aspirations or expectations. Have they changed from then?
DP: No sir. My goal is still to be on that field and be playing Week 1.
BB: Going forward, is your position coach, Bobby April III, utilizing you any differently than you thought you'd be? How is he using you throughout fall camp?
DP: No. I'm pretty much doing what I expected to be doing and just trying to get better at the little things. I knew what I would be coming here and doing but, obviously, getting out here and doing is way different from watching it or being in a book. So I'm just getting out there and getting reps, and even when I'm not out there, get mental reps. Just doing better with that stuff.
