Every week Herald Sports will analyze the most recent Wisconsin football game and hand out grades for each position group on a scale from zero to five. Let’s examine how the Badgers scored in their home opener against San Jose State.
Quarterbacks – 2.0 out of 5
Senior Scott Tolzien entered the season with the intention of limiting mistakes and creating more plays downfield. He did neither in the home opener. Tolzien fumbled a snap on a fourth-and-one inside the red zone and also threw an interception while attempting to connect with Isaac Anderson who was well covered. Those are the kind of miscues the senior captain was hoping to avoid. The UW passing game failed to stretch the field against a poor SJSU defense but a high completion percentage and a win allows Tolzien to earn a barely passing grade in week two.
Running backs – 2.5 out of 5
The Badgers rolled up another 200-plus yards on the ground behind a 137-yard effort from junior John Clay, but inconsistency and a poorly timed fumble tarnished the UW rushing attack. Sophomore Montee Ball seemed out of rhythm all day only managing 3.4 yards per carry and freshman James White lost the ball just inches away from the goal line. For a powerful unit with high expectations, the performance against SJSU was average.
Wide receivers – 3.5 out of 5
The Badger wideouts did well considering their top two options, Nick Toon and David Gilreath, both missed significant action with injuries. Freshman Jared Abbrederis had five catches for 58 yards and proved to be a reliable target for Tolzien and senior Kyle Jefferson made a nice 18-yard grab in the red zone.
Tight ends – 3.5 out of 5
Senior captain Lance Kendricks hauled in his first touchdown of the season after Tolzien spotted the wide open tight end in the second quarter, and the Badger tight ends continued to work well in the trenches, blocking for the running game. Jacob Pedersen grabbed a nice 15-yard reception but aside from the Kendricks’ score it was a pretty uneventful afternoon for the tight ends.
Offensive line – 2.5 out of 5
While 227 yards on the ground is nice, the UW offensive line didn’t dominate they way it should have against the Spartans. Tolzien felt some pressure and was sacked twice while Pete Konz had some trouble snapping the ball to his quarterback cleanly. This is a unit that has the potential to be one of the best in the country and they’ll look to bounce back against Arizona State.
Defensive line – 4 out of 5
J.J. Watt produced another stellar outing Saturday. The junior defensive end recorded 2.5 tackles for loss and blocked a field goal in an MVP performance. SJSU only managed to gain 20 yards on the ground as the UW D-line controlled the line of scrimmage. Defensive line coach Charlie Partridge is using a nice rotation early in the season and the UW line is playing with a lot of energy as a result.
Linebackers – 3.5 out of 5
Like the wide receivers, the UW linebackers played well despite health issues with top performers. Sophomore Chris Borland was held out with a shoulder injury and Mike Taylor played sparingly in his return from a knee injury, but Blake Sorensen and Kevin Claxton filled in admirably. Sorensen recorded an interception and the senior pitched in with seven total tackles.
Secondary – 1.5 out of 5
It was a forgettable performance for the Badger secondary. Spartan wide receiver Chandler Jones broke multiple tackles on his way to the end zone for SJSU’s first score and Noel Grigsby made a late touchdown reception look all too easy. Junior cornerback Antonio Fenelus snatched a nice interception, but the secondary was below average throughout the day.
Specialists – 4.5 out of 5
It was a solid outing for the UW specialists in the home opener. Junior kicker Philip Welch connected on both of his attempts and got good distance on his kickoffs, while junior punter Brad Nortman averaged almost 45 yards for his three punts.
