Wisconsin’s 2014 recruiting class was one of the more heralded groups the Badgers have ever put together, according to the recruiting services. However, since arriving on campus the class of 22 players have had a mixed bag of results.
In fact, one could say UW has had two sides to the coin for its freshmen in 2014. Call it the Jekyll and Hyde effect if you will.
On the one hand, there’s been little to no production from freshmen on the offensive side of the ball. That isn’t the same thing on the defensive side of things though, as Wisconsin has found two regular contributors and a surprisingly solid safety right out of the gate.
Of course we’re talking about Lubern Figaro at safety, Derrick Tindal at cornerback and Conor Sheehy at defensive tackle. There’s little question that the biggest contribution from any freshman this season has come from Figaro, who was one of the lesser-talked about recruits in the 2014 class coming out of Everrett (Everrett), Mass.
Figaro was a question mark after a mental lapse that caused a touchdown that could’ve been prevented against LSU in the opener. However, since that moment he’s continued to grow and at this point isn’t someone you worry about putting in the secondary anymore.
To date, Figaro is seventh on the team with 12 tackles, owns 0.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and an interception. Not bad for someone who wasn’t even supposed to see the field in 2014.
Tindal has become a reliable enough cornerback that he’s the Badgers’ backup cornerback behind Darius Hillary. He’s played in four games and recorded eight tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack off the edge.
Wisconsin has long struggled for true depth, and with the emergence of Tindal at cornerback they’ve found four capable corners on a weekly basis.
Safety Austin Hudson has taken up a key role on special teams and linebacker D’Cota Dixon was turning in to a regular contributor before nagging shoulder issues took away his season and forced him on to the sidelines.
Offensively though, Wisconsin hasn’t seen anything out of a group of wide receivers that were hyped to be the best single class UW has ever put together at the position.
Those platitudes still may come true, but the trio of receivers (George Rushing, Natrell Jamerson and Krenwick Sanders) has combined to pull in a grand total of one catch for 10 yards on the season.
It’s been a spot of sincere frustration for head coach Gary Andersen, and he may have hit the boiling point earlier this week with the young trio of receivers.
“We had some discussions this morning, just talking about where we sit, how we try to move kids forward without hurting the team,” said Andersen at his weekly press conference. “Again, I go back, and it is a complex offense, but these kids should be in a spot to where they know the offense now and they should be able to get out there and be involved. It’s getting better. I said it a week ago, you’ve got to show it in practice to get on the field, and that is improving.
“So our ability to get those kids in those moments is hopefully those moments on Saturday, I should say, is hopefully close to happening. I like them.”
UW also brought in two intriguing running backs in Taiwan Deal and Caleb Kinlaw, two backs that were going to compete to be the third back in Wisconsin’s rotation. However, Kinlaw had knee surgery in camp and is going to be redshirted after not being 100 percent at the end of camp and Deal had to deal with a concussion issue that kept him out a bit longer than expected.
By the time the duo was ready for football activities, this team was already moving on to LSU prep week, and both are now redshirting.
It forced the coaching staff to move walk-on sophomore Dare Ogunbowale from cornerback to running back, and he responded with 94 yards against Bowling Green. Wisconsin can consider itself lucky to have found that precious third back, because Deal or Kinlaw could very well have had a redshirt taken off them if an injury went down.
Perhaps the best bit of news for the Badgers freshmen offensive linemen is that they haven’t been pressed in to service so far this season. Not even the full-time starting center from spring, Michael Deiter, has been pressed in to action.
In total, of the Badgers’ 30 “true” freshmen in this class, the vast majority haven’t seen the field just yet and most of them won’t. As Dave Heller of Fox Sports Wisconsin put it:
22 #Badgers “true” freshmen haven’t played. Safe 2 say they won’t? 5 RS FR haven’t played, will any? Dooley, Kelliher, Peavy, Senger & Watt
— Dave Heller (@dave_heller) October 8, 2014
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Heller also put out a great article outlining the performances of UW’s freshmen and to say it’s been sparse in the contribution department would be an understatement.
Ironically, the answers to what is ailing Wisconsin may not be in the quarterback (or quarterbacks) or the play calling, but in the ability to have the lights finally turn on for the majority of this group of freshmen.
Wisconsin’s need for quality throughout it roster has shown, and not enough of the youngsters have shown up…yet.
Let’s wait and see if things turn around, but after five games it’s hard to be encouraged by what we’ve witnessed on the field.
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