The Wisconsin football team is closing in on the first real test of how far it has come in the transition to new head coach Paul Chryst.

With only two spring practices left before the annual Spring Game on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium, the team is putting in new players, switching others to new positions and getting a feel for the team before a three-month layoff prior to fall practices.

Defensively, the Badgers return around half of their starting unit from the 2014 team that finished 11-3 with an Outback Bowl win over Auburn.

The secondary is filled with experience, but youth will take over on the front end of the defense, especially at linebacker after the departure of both inside linebackers.

Here’s what to expect for the defense in Wisconsin’s Spring Game:

Defensive Backs

The Wisconsin defense finds its most experienced unit in the secondary with the return of starting cornerbacks Sojourn Shelton and Darius Hilary, along with safety Michael Caputo. The three have combined to start 73 games over the past three seasons for Wisconsin.

After a promising freshman season in which he had four interceptions, Shelton struggled at times last season as a sophomore. He was susceptible to getting beat on deep throws in 2014 but has shined through spring practices so far with a renewed sense of confidence.

Hilary, a fifth-year senior, has started the last 25 games for the Badgers at cornerback. Last season was his best, as he recorded a career-high 41 tackles and three tackles for loss. He broke up five passes over the course of the season, including two against LSU to open up the season.

Another fifth-year senior, Caputo returns to the Wisconsin secondary after leading the team in tackles last season with 106. He also had one of Wisconsin’s six interceptions on the season. Caputo showed his ability to stop opponents in the backfield with six tackles for loss in addition to a team-high four fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. Caputo had a career-high 15 tackles in the season opener against LSU.

The lone addition to the starting secondary is another fifth-year senior in Tanner McEvoy. McEvoy comes over to the defensive side of the ball after failing to produce as a dual-threat quarterback last season. McEvoy saw time at safety in 2013, his first year at Wisconsin, before playing primarily on offense in 2014. But now, with Joel Stave named the starting quarterback, McEvoy will fill the final starting safety spot for the Badgers, and so far he’s impressed in spring practices. Standing at 6-foot-6, McEvoy has been able to show his athleticism in the secondary and only adds to an already experienced defensive backfield for the Badgers.

Backing up the starting secondary will be sophomore safety Lubern Figaro who started five games as a true freshman last season, sophomore Natrell Jamerson who switched from wide receiver to cornerback for spring practice, sophomore cornerback Derrick Tindal and fifth-year senior Devin Gaulden who was the team’s nickelback in 2014.

Linebacker

The Wisconsin linebackers made a name for themselves last season with Marcus Trotter, Derek Landisch, Joe Schobert and Vince Biegel leading the way. Each one was in the top six on the team for tackles and all four combined for 23 sacks and 58 tackles for loss.

Trotter and Landisch have both graduated and left the inside linebacker spots open, while Schobert and Biegel return on the outside for Wisconsin. A redshirt junior, Biegel came on strong last season in his first full season as a starter, logging 56 tackles with 16.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. His tenacity and high energy will be needed once again next season for the Badgers.

Schobert is opposite Biegel, who like Biegel, became a full-time starter for the first time last season. He had 69 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and three sacks as a junior. Schobert improved as the season went on and recorded a career-high 11 tackles against Nebraska.

At inside linebacker, junior Leon Jacobs and redshirt freshman T.J. Edwards have taken over first-team reps in spring practice to replace Trotter and Landisch. Jacobs saw action in 11 games in 2014 and made a name for himself in Wisconsin’s game against Illinois when he recorded a career-high 12 tackles, two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. The Santa Clarita, CA, native played in 13 games two seasons ago as a freshman, but should take over as a starter for the first time in his career this upcoming season.

Edwards did not see playing time as a true freshman after he decided to redshirt last season. The 6-foot-1, 229-pound linebacker from Lake Villa, IL, was a three-star prospect coming out of high school and should see his first playing time at Wisconsin as a starting linebacker.

Defensive Line

Wisconsin graduated two starters, Warren Herring and Konrad Zagzebski, from the 2014 defensive line. Fifth-year senior Jake Keefer, redshirt junior Arthur Goldberg, redshirt sophomore Chikwe Obasih and redshirt sophomore Alec James return to the defensive line with a combined 15 starts among the four of them.

Both Keefer and Obasih are projected to start at the defensive end for the Badgers and have been thus far during spring practices. Keefer, while not starting a game last season, played in all 14 games after suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2013. Obasih has arguably the most potential on the Wisconsin defensive line. The 6-foot-2, Brookfield, Wisconsin native recorded 21 tackles last season including a career-high six against LSU.

Goldberg will anchor the defensive line on the inside for Wisconsin after starting five games last season. Standing at 6-foot-3, 290 pounds, Goldberg saw playing time for the first time in his career at Wisconsin after Herring went down with an injury in the season opener against LSU. Goldberg set a career-high with five tackles against LSU after he replaced Herring.

James started two games for Wisconsin last season after redshirting his freshman season. A four-star prospect out of high school, James is an athletically gifted defensive end who should see playing time on the edge with both Keefer and Obasih.

Sophomore Connor Sheehy and fifth-year senior James Adeyanju will add depth to the defensive line behind the starters.