Matt Henningsen gives Badgers intelligence, experience on its defensive line
COLTEN BARTHOLOMEW
Updated
Senior defensive end Matt Henningsen is the most experienced player at his position for UW even after missing the majority of the 2020 season with an elbow injury.
Five things to watch on Wisconsin's defense as spring football starts
RELOADING AT DEFENSIVE END
UW defensive end Matt Henningsen sacks Iowa's Nate Stanley during the first quarter of a 2019 game. Henningsen missed most of last season due to an elbow injury, but has the most experience among the defensive ends on UW's roster this spring.
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The Badgers must find a new top unit at the defensive end spots after two years of productive play from Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand. Loudermilk is making a run at the NFL while Rand stepped away from football due to injuries.
Junior Matt Henningsen, who missed five games last season after tearing his bicep, and sophomore Isaiah Mullens are the most experienced players in the group and can serve as the starters, but building the talent behind them will be crucial this spring.
The Badgers have been churning out pro-ready outside linebackers in recent years, with players like Zack Baun, Vince Biegel, Andrew Van Ginkel, Leon Jacobs and T.J. Watt becoming NFL starters. The current group of outside backers has high-level talent but didn’t have the most productive season in 2020. UW had 11 sacks last season, with four coming from its outside linebackers.
Both starters return in senior Noah Burks and freshman Nick Herbig, and key rotation players like C.J. Goetz, Spencer Lytle and Marty Strey also are back. This group could be defined by the development of freshmen Kaden Johnson and Aaron Witt. Johnson was a four-star recruit and saw action in three games last season, while Witt played in five games and tallied a strip sack in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl win over Wake Forest.
When inside linebacker Jack Sanborn announced his return for another year at UW, it gave the Badgers one of the best tandems of linebackers in the Big Ten for another season. Sanborn (52) and Chenal (46) led the Badgers in tackles and Chenal (three sacks, seven hurries) was the most productive pass-rusher on the team.
National Signing Day saw the University of Wisconsin football team bring in its highest-rated class in the internet rankings era.
Senior defensive end Matt Henningsen is the most experienced player at his position for UW even after missing the majority of the 2020 season with an elbow injury.
