Every week Herald Sports will take a look back at the Wisconsin football game and grade the position groups on a scale of zero to five.

Here is how they fared in Week 1 against Northern Illinois:

Quarterbacks — 4 of 5

Head coach Bret Bielema stuck to his word and played both junior Scott Tolzien and redshirt freshman Curt Phillips in the season opener with varying degrees of success. Tolzien started the game with an 80-yard touchdown and finished the game 15 for 20 for 257 yards — the most ever for a Badger QB’s first start. He also threw two interceptions. The first one was only partially Tolzien’s fault, but the second was a potentially game-changing mistake. If Tolzien can learn from the second interception, the first start can be qualified as a huge success. Phillips appeared nervous on his first few throws and was off the target — often high — with open receivers. He settled down, however, and didn’t make any crucial mistakes. Phillips justified his playing time by rushing four times for 34 yards, flashing his elite speed on a 20-yard dash in the third quarter.

Running Backs — 2.5 of 5

With eight men constantly stacked in the box, sophomore John Clay and junior Zach Brown were unable to break any big runs and were largely neutralized throughout the game. They finished with a combined 29 carries for 94 yards at a 3.2 yards per carry average and long carries of seven and 11 yards, respectively. Neither Erik Smith or freshman Montee Ball touched the ball. The saving grace for the group was Clay managed to plunge for two one-yard touchdown runs.

Wide Receivers — 4.5 of 5

Isaac Anderson got the offense started with a bang, chipped in an end-around rushing touchdown for 23 yards and finished the game with three catches for 100 yards. Although he largely became a non-factor in the second half, his game breaking plays provided life for the offense and crowd. Nick Toon utilized his superior size the entire game and grabbed five balls for 72 yards. Chants of “Toooooon” could be heard after every catch. The starting two received little support from the rest of the receiving crew and last year’s leader David Gilreath didn’t manage a single reception.

Tight Ends — 4 of 5

Captain Garrett Graham finished with six catches for 82 yards, including four first downs. Graham also held his own blocking, sealing the edge on Phillips’ 20-yard scramble. Both Lance Kendricks and Mickey Turner played extensively, though neither contributed much to the passing game.

Offensive Line — 3 of 5

With both center John Moffitt and right guard Bill Nagy sidelined with injuries, their replacements Travis Frederick and Kevin Zeitler filled in capably, though Frederick was charged with a holding penalty. A blown protection led to Tolzien’s interception in the second quarter. Collectively, the line failed to open many holes with eight men in the box, though they were successful at the goal line.

Defensive Line — 3.5 of 5

Senior O’Brien Schofield was a monster. Finishing the game with 2.5 tackles for a loss, his best play of the game — breaking up an option run and recovering the fumble — was blown dead because of an inadvertent whistle. J.J. Watt debuted well for the Badgers recording half a sack and finishing with 4.5 tackles. Although the rest of the line was thin because of injuries, it noticeably wore down in the fourth quarter.

Linebackers — 3.5 of 5

Mike Taylor had strong debut, forcing the Huskies only turnover and recording a tackle for a loss. Although he looked out of place and lost at times, his speed and aggression were evident. Moving to outside linebacker this season, Jaevery McFadden also appeared a little unsure of his assignments and got flagged for a facemask penalty but finished second on the team with six tackles and one TFL. Both Blake Sorensen and Culmer St. Jean shined at moments.

Secondary — 2.5 of 5

Chris Maragos played like a senior captain, making plays all over the field. The rest of the secondary was extremely shaky. Back from an ACL injury, Aaron Henry got beat deep, was flagged for interference and was nonexistent in run support. Neither Devin Smith or Antonio Fenelus made their presence felt.

Specialists — 1 of 5

After a sterling freshman year, Philip Welch pushed both his field goal attempts to the right and nearly missed a PAT. His kickoffs were average. Brad Nortman was solid, landing both punts inside the 20. Gilreath failed to make an impact in the return game, dancing too much instead of heading up the field.