One of the best players in Wisconsin football history is gone.

After his record-setting junior season, Melvin Gordon has left for the NFL, leaving behind a huge shoe to fill at running back for Wisconsin.

Additionally, the Badgers are looking to see improvement at the quarterback position and the wide receivers are also continuing to search for the next playmaker.

All of these additions and subtractions are getting ironed out in Wisconsin’s spring practices, which will come to an end Saturday with the annual Spring Game.

Here’s what to expect from the offense in Wisconsin’s Spring Game:

This is part two of our Spring Game preview. The defensive preview can be found here:

Football: Previewing the defense for the Wisconsin Spring Game

Quarterback

In terms of numbers, the quarterback position for Wisconsin is one of the deepest on the team. As far as talent? Well, that remains to be seen.

Fifth-year senior Joel Stave was named the starting quarterback at the beginning of spring practices and it’s his job to lose. After an early battle with the “yips” last season, Stave came back to start the final nine games at quarterback, throwing eight touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 53.4 completion percentage.

The backup spot behind Stave is less clear and far less experienced.

Two quarterbacks, redshirt freshman D.J. Gillins and early-enrollee Alex Hornibrook have been most impressive through spring practices and are certainly in the mix for the second-string quarterback spot. Gillins, who enrolled early last season as a true freshman, has shown an increase in velocity and precision on his passes and the continued ability to escape the pocket and run.

Hornibrook, who originally was committed to Pittsburgh, but came to Wisconsin once head coach Paul Chryst signed on, has been a surprise this spring. Many didn’t expect the left-handed pocket passer to contend for the backup spot, but Hornibrook has shown the ability to compete at the collegiate level early on, and is pushing for more reps.

Football: Hornibrook takes unusual route to Madison, shines early in spring ball

Redshirt junior Bart Houston may be the most intriguing option in the quarterback group. A four-star recruit out of high school, Houston has yet to find playing time while in Madison.  But with Chryst at the helm — who recruited the Californian to Wisconsin – Houston has seen some first team reps in practice. With a strong spring game and fall camp, Houston could find his way toward the top of the depth chart as well.

Arguably the most prized recruit in the 2015 class is Utah-native quarterback Austin Kafentzis. The 6-foot-1 true freshman, like Hornibrook, enrolled early to get a feel for things at the college level. While Kafentzis might be lower on the depth chart once the season begins, the promise and talent is certainly there for the dual-threat quarterback. Breaking numerous Utah high school records, Kafentzis threw for 13,079 yards and 115 touchdowns, and ran for 6,942 yards and 103 touchdowns in his career at Jordan High School in Sandy, Utah.

Redshirt sophomore Thad Armstrong and redshirt sophomore Connor Senger round out the seven-man quarterback group.

Running Back

The post-Melvin Gordon era is officially underway at Wisconsin with junior running back Corey Clement leading the charge. It’s no secret that Clement has big shoes to fill in Madison and after a 949-yard, nine-touchdown sophomore season, the Glassboro, New Jersey native will need to be bigger and better in his third season at Wisconsin. As in the past, the offense will roll through the running back spot and Clement will be carrying the load.

Badgers football: Clement uses spring to adjust to starting role, new coaching staff

Behind Clement there are two viable options in redshirt junior Dare Ogunbowale and rising redshirt freshman Taiwan Deal.

Ogunbowale made the switch from defensive back to running back before the Bowling Green game last season and surprised everyone with 94 yards in his first appearance on offense. Ogunbowale ended the season with 193 yards on 34 carries (5.7 average) and a touchdown. Ogunbowale has more confidence now in his first full season at running back and is the leading candidate to back up Clement this season.

But pushing hard for the second running back spot is Deal, who has had a strong ending to spring practice. Deal was battling for the third running back spot as a true freshman last season before he injured his right hand in September, forcing him to take a redshirt. Because of the injury, Ogunbowale moved to running back, and both are battling for the second spot on the depth chart.

Football: Ogunbowale trying to lock up running back spot in just his second season at the position

Redshirt freshman Caleb Kinlaw, redshirt sophomore Austin Ramesh and redshirt freshman Mark Saari fill out the rest of the running back unit for Wisconsin.

Fullback

After missing part of last season with an injury, redshirt senior Derek Watt is back on the field for the Badgers at fullback. In addition to his usual blocking duties, the versatile back can slide out to tight end to catch some passes. In his career, Watt has 15 receptions for 170 yards and a touchdown, but his most important responsibility will be paving the way for Clement and company in the backfield.

Ramesh will back up Watt at fullback along with redshirt senior Derek Straus and redshirt sophomore D.J. Spurling.

Wide Receiver

Undoubtedly, the positon with the most question marks is at wide receiver. The wideouts struggled to show any signs of consistency last season, with now-redshirt senior Alex Erickson leading the way with 772 yards and three touchdowns on 55 receptions. After Erickson, tight end (Sam Arneson) and running back (Gordon) rounded out the top three receivers for the Badgers. Of the top six pass catchers last season, only Erickson and Kenzel Doe were wide receivers.

Erickson is back for his final season, and once again will hold the top wide receiver spot for the Badgers, as he did last season.

Behind Erickson, it’s up in the air — to say the least.

Junior Rob Wheelwright will be one player the coaching staff will call upon to step up next season. At 6-2, 201 pounds, Wheelwright has a good size for a wide receiver. He made the most of his one catch last season, hauling in a 17-yard touchdown pass against Minnesota.

Alongside Wheelwright is redshirt junior Reggie Love, who is even bigger than Wheelwright at 6-3, 214 pounds. Love is most remembered for his 45-yard touchdown run against LSU in the season opener last season, but then went on to catch only two passes for 15 yards the rest of the season.

Redshirt sophomore Jazz Peavy has made a name for himself in spring practices and is pushing for playing time at wide receiver. With no clear-cut favorite behind Erickson, the opportunity is there for Peavy to get into the rotation.

Redshirt senior Jordan Fredrick, who is better known for his blocking ability on the outside, reached the 100-yard plateau last season for the third straight season, with 12 catches for 117 yards.

As a freshman last season, George Rushing saw the most playing time at wide receiver among the freshman wideouts, and had five catches for 62 yards. Sophomores Krenwick Sanders and Rushing are both promising wide receivers, who could push for added playing time with solid spring games and fall camps.

Tight End

Wisconsin loses senior tight end Sam Arneson after he was the second-leading wide receiver on the team, with 29 catches, 387 yards and four touchdowns.

Filling in at starting tight end for Arneson will be redshirt sophomore Troy Fumagalli and fifth-year senior Austin Traylor. Fumagalli will look to build on last season when he had 187 receiving yards on 14 receptions. He has good size, standing at 6-foot-5 and 246 pounds. Traylor, the smaller of the two, had just three catches for 24 yards last season, but should complement Fumagalli nicely at tight end.

Regardless, the tight ends should see an increase in receptions this season with Chryst leading the offense. As offensive coordinator for Wisconsin, Chryst heavily relied upon his tight ends to catch passes, which barring any sudden changes, shouldn’t change this season with Stave under center and Chryst calling the plays.

Offensive Line

The offensive line loses three starters from last season with the departure of right tackle Rob Havenstein, right guard Kyle Costigan and left guard Dallas Lewallen.

Returning to the offensive line is redshirt junior center Dan Voltz and fifth-year senior Tyler Marz. Entering last season, both Voltz and Marz were preseason all-Big Ten selections and will be relied upon to pave the way for Clement and keep Stave standing on his feet.

Filling in for the departed seniors is redshirt freshman Michael Deiter and fifth-year senior Ray Ball at guard and redshirt freshman Hayden Biegel — Wisconsin linebacker Vince Biegel’s brother — at right tackle.