College Football Rankings: Top 25 after spring practice
Wisconsin Badgers
2016: 11-3,
Death, taxes and the Wisconsin Badgers putting together a double-digit win season. The certainties of life aren’t going to change in the 2017 college football season. Yes, Wisconsin saw a great deal of talent turn to the professional ranks, especially a defense that will have to contend with losing both T.J. Watt and Vince Biegel. With that said, they have the players in place to make sure that they won’t miss a beat on that side of the ball.
Jack Clichy and Conor Sheehy are the headliners returning for the Wisconsin defense. They were a fantastically deep unit a year ago behind their star players, which obviously works to their benefit heading into the 2017 season. The even more comforting part was seeing young players and transfers step up when necessary this spring. If that continues to happen, that’s a good sign for the Badgers.
On offense, Alex Hornibrook has the starting job locked down at quarterback as a reliable, solid and unspectacular option. They wouldn’t want anything but in Madison. The one area to be concerned would be the running game to help balance out Hornibrook. With Corey Clement being among those who left for the NFL, there’s no obvious replacement for the bruising running back. Maybe Bradrick Shaw is that guy or maybe it’s a committee. But with how vital the run is to their offense, that needs to still be determined.