Three games into the season, and the jury is still out on the Badgers’ defense. They’re solid but not dominant. Good but not great.
With only two non-conference games left before the Big Ten season, the Badgers are trying to shape up the defense. The young core of talent has given up only 15 points per game but has yet to face a high-powered offense.
Last Saturday’s game against West Virginia was the toughest offense the Badgers have faced so far. They gave up nearly 400 yards but only 17 points in their 34-17 victory. They stuffed the Mountaineers throughout the first half, only giving up a field goal. With a 34-3 lead, the defense struggled after halftime, allowing a touchdown on the opening drive. West Virginia easily took three drives into the red zone as its offense picked apart the Badgers.
“The second half got a little sloppy,” defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said. “We missed some tackles and let a few balls get over the top of us, but that’s what you can’t let happen. You can’t let up.”
The Badgers have yet to be tested, nor will they be when Northern Illinois comes to Camp Randall Saturday. Facing the 70th-ranked offense should be an easy chore for the defense as long as it can cut down on the yards. Offenses are averaging nearly 340 yards a game against UW, which will be cause for concern in the Big Ten season.
“We’ve given up some yards, but really nothing that has hurt us,” Cosgrove said. “We have to play a complete game, and we haven’t done that yet.”
Defensive captain and middle linebacker Jeff Mack said their goal is to be around the 300 mark and they still have a lot to work on.
“We’re improving, but we still have a long way to go,” Mack said. “We still have too many lapses and too many mental errors. We just have to keep getting better.”
The defense has countered the yards by becoming a turnover machine. The Badgers’ 10 turnovers not only lead the Big Ten but are fifth in the nation. With only one last week, they did come back to reality, but their turnover margin is still best in the conference at +2.7.
However, the Badgers cannot get complacent and be forced to rely on turnovers to save them. They must also get more pressure on the quarterback, as the defense has only tallied four sacks this season. They have room for improvement, but the Badgers have been extremely tough on third down and have cut their points given up almost in half from last season.
It will be a totally different ballgame once the Big Ten season kicks off, but Mack feels they will be well prepared.
“We’ve faced three vastly different offenses in the first three games,” Mack said. “From Fresno’s run-and-shoot, old Houston Oilers-type game, to UNLV and their back-motioning, to the spread offense of West Virginia — hopefully that will prepare us for the Big Ten season.”
Although they face another unranked opponent, the 22nd-ranked Badgers cannot take this game lightly. Northern Illinois upset Wake Forest two weeks ago and is hungry to knock off another. The defense knows it must focus on the game at hand.
“We’re not looking past anybody,” Cosgrove said. “We’re not that good to look past anybody, and our kids understand that.”
The defense must continue to get solid play from Mack, strong safety Jim Leonhard, and a contributing cast of others if the team wants to remain undefeated. The yards may pile up, but if the score stays low, the Badgers will continue to roll.
As Mack said, “As long as we get the ‘W,’ that’s all that matters.”