With a warm sun squatting over Camp Randall Stadium in a cloudless afternoon sky, the Wisconsin football team concluded its 13th day of fall camp on Tuesday.
At least from the perspective from the stands, it seemed as if the players were pushed a little harder on Tuesday than in other practices so far in this camp, which is understandable, as it was the only practice of the day.
Safeties coach DeMontie Cross could be heard having a lengthy discussion with fifth-year senior Aaron Henry, though the topic of conversation was not clear. And head coach Bret Bielema made sure nobody had a shortage of encouragement when the first-team offense ran a drill against a scout-team defense.
In addition, defensive tackle Beau Allen and tight end Austin Traylor, two players playing a position that is either stacked with experience or emerging talent, got caught up in a small scuffle during another scout drill as well.
News from infirmary
Linebacker A.J. Fenton participated in scrimmages Tuesday, while wide receiver Jordan Fredrick ditched his green jersey.
Those watching from the sidelines included right tackle Rob Havenstein (ankle), wide receivers Nick Toon (foot), Manasseh Garner (hernia) and Chukwuma Offor (unspecified), and linebackers Mike Taylor (unspecified) and Marcus Trotter (hamstring).
Taylor has been allowed to take the evenings off of two-a-day practices, like several other players, but it was unclear why he sat out Tuesday’s lone session. He appeared on the sideline in a jersey and shorts.
Toon is expected to return to all drills Thursday.
Injuries standing in way of talented LBs
With spring camp in the books and fall camp in a full go, it’s pretty clear that UW will again enjoy a pretty deep pool of linebackers.
Sophomore Chris Borland is bound to be one of the Big Ten’s best players this season. He’s constantly pressuring the quarterback and he’s defended the pass and run effectively.
Mike Taylor will build off a consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten selection from last year and projected starter Kevin Claxton, a senior, is also developing into a reliable presence in the backfield.
Beyond those three, solid play has also been seen from Fenton, Trotter, Conor O’Neill and Josh Harrison.
But right now, health concerns are running just as deep.
Injuries have either come into play or have been a concern for five of the seven ‘backers mentioned over the course of fall camp.
The Badgers should feel lucky the kind of health concerns that follow Borland and Taylor aren’t present for Claxton or the reserves. But if one of the starting three goes down, it would be important for the next-man-in-line to avoid the nagging injuries that have popped up this fall.
If healthy, the layered group is poised for a strong year.
Quick notes
-Redshirt sophomore wideout Jared Abbrederis enjoyed a solid day of practice Tuesday. He connected with Russell Wilson on a 35-yard touchdown pass and made a nice, leaping grab between O’Neill and safety Shelton Johnson. He was also by far UW’s most reliable target on Tuesday. Jeff Duckworth had ups and downs, snagging high ball near the sidelines but also dropping two passes later on in the day. Isaiah Williams and Fred Willis also dropped uncontested balls during an 11-on-11 drill. Toon’s reinstatement on Thursday should add more consistency to the unit.
-In other news from the passing game, Wilson seems to have established a reliable connection with tight ends, specifically Jake Byrne and Jacob Pederson. Wilson’s been able to find both ends on downfield routes and has successfully squeezed in shorter passes to the two despite tight coverage.
-As good as Wilson was on Tuesday, the throw of the day may have come from redshirt freshman Joe Brennan, who lobbed a perfect pass 20 yards downfield to James White. The pass hit him in stride along the right sideline, who would have then gone the distance.
-After spending all of Monday morning with the second team, redshirt sophomore Dezmen Southward earned a few snaps with the first-team defense Tuesday. With Havenstein nursing a sprained ankle, fifth-year senior Josh Oglesby manned the No. 1 right tackle spot all day.
-With the ball on the offense’s own 10-yard line, linebacker Derek Watt, brother of former Wisconsin fan-favorite J.J. Watt, jumped a five-yard out, taking it back for an easy touchdown.