After losing star cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu to the NFL Draft and sophomore cornerback Aaron Henry to an injury, Wisconsin looked like it was going to be vulnerable against the pass this year.

However, redshirt sophomore Niles Brinkley and redshirt freshman Mario Goins have stepped in nicely at cornerback.

Brinkley already has two interceptions and 13 tackles and Goins has added 14 tackles. Neither Brinkley or Goins had much experience coming into this year, though Brinkley did play sparingly at cornerback and on special teams last year. Although he saw only a few minutes of game action, Brinkley believes that it definitely helped him in preparation for this season.

“Experience helps everybody. The more experience you have in game time gives you a chance to see things and be able to put it in your memory bank,” Brinkley said.

Goins, however, came into this season completely inexperienced, having red shirted the previous year.

“I didn’t know what to expect so I was just going out there, going with the flow and working hard,” Goins said. “I thought I had technique coming out of high school, but they changed it up. I used to look sloppy, but now I’m out there looking pretty good.”

Wisconsin defensive backs coach Kerry Cooks is impressed with the two young cornerbacks despite their inexperience though he knows they still have work to do.

“It’s amazing how a kid comes in here and red shirts and you kind of wonder if he’s going to be a factor on defense, but these guys have really stepped up to the challenge,” Cooks said. “In August, they came in ready to compete. I thought they did a tremendous job getting themselves in shape both mentally and physically. Thinking back to the first game you can see they were inexperienced, never having stepped on a Big Ten field before or having played against college competition.

“They were letting people get behind them and were biting on things they probably shouldn’t have,” he added. “But over the next few weeks, they took a different approach about studying film, what they were watching and how they approach practice, and you can really see the difference. They’re starting to make some plays and feel more confident. It’s really exciting to see those guys grow.”

Although Brinkley and Goins are friends and teammates, they are also competing for the same job. Though this competition could strain a friendship, Brinkley and Goins don’t see it that way and actually believe it works to their advantage.

“We have a really good connection with each other. We let each other know what the other is doing wrong,” Goins said. “It helps to compete every day and helps us go hard.”

Brinkley agreed.

“We both help each other. If I mess up, Mario might come and talk to me, and I do the same for him. It’s just competitiveness, not dog eat dog. It’s just competing,” Brinkley said.

Cooks feels the same way.

“They have a great relationship. Both of those guys are very competitive,” he said. “For any position, you want to own that position. You don’t want to split reps at any position and that’s how it is with them.”

The other factor both players, along with Cooks, thought helped in their development was the tutelage of senior and two-time all-Big Ten cornerback Allen Langford.

“Allen was just a technician,” Goins said. “His technique was great. When I was struggling with my technique he helped me out.”

“As a football player, that’s what you do to reach the top. You look at how people you’re competing with get leverage and play certain coverages and you blend it with your own certain thing,” Brinkley said.

Cooks believes Langford has been the key to both players’ success despite their inexperience.

“Allen Langford has really taken those guys under his wing. He’s given them some of the insight that he’s had. He’s pulled them to the side and worked with them on their techniques after practice,” Cooks said. “Those guys have taken it to heart and you can see them trying to do what we’re talking about. They don’t want to be embarrassed, so they definitely work their butts off in practice and make sure they keep up with everybody else.”