Five things to watch on Wisconsin's offense as spring football starts

Badgers’ head coach Paul Chryst on Monday shared eagerness both for his new group of coaches and for returning to the practice field with his players.

Weight jumps and dips, new numbers and new COVID protocols: Here's what you need to know. 

"I love this group of kids and I want to continue to develop them. And with COVID being the way it was last year, I’d have felt a specific way about myself having left after that season," Leonhard said.

State Journal beat reporters Colten Bartholomew, Todd Milewski and Jim Polzin get together over Zoom for a special episode dedicated to the impending retirement of University of Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez.

UW quarterbacks say Badgers head coach Paul Chryst's conversational approach is deepening their understanding of system. 

Former Badgers starter Jack Coan and returning sophomore Drew Pyne have been splitting the first-team reps through the first four spring practices at Notre Dame.

After a bicep tear ended his 2020 season early, UW senior defensive end Matt Henningsen is making his voice heard on and off the field.

Once it was over, Graham Mertz took time to reflect after his first college football season as a starter.

"For Wisconsin football and Wisconsin athletics in general, he's put the ‘W’ on the map.”

“Every time you get to your senior year, you kind of feel a responsibility that it’s kind of your time to take over the reins,” Logan Bruss said. 

“Man, Witt’s a dog,” sophomore Nick Herbig said. “He doesn't always get his job done in the prettiest way, but he gets his job done. No matter what, he’s scrapping, clawing, he's fighting every rep."

“You want the ability for a lot of guys to get reps. And the first thing to go is the number of reps when you don't have (healthy players), or those guys that need the reps aren't practicing," UW coach Paul Chryst said.

“What I do is special, whether it's in the NFL or college or wherever, every day is a gift and every day is special," Badgers RB coach Gary Brown told reporters. 

At UW’s second open practice of the spring on Tuesday, a handful of young players showed promise and might be carving out paths to playing time.

Following a COVID-19 diagnosis, sophomore linebacker Maema Njongmeta's cardiac testing revealed an effusion. 

Making headway and earning reps at inside linebacker for the loaded Badgers is a difficult task, but sophomore Tatum Grass was able to do that last season despite being a redshirt freshman walk-on and still new to the position.

Jake Ferguson breaks down why he returned to Wisconsin, the dynamics of the tight end meeting room, what he makes fun of coach Mickey Turner about, how veterans get through spring practices.

Improvements as a blocker and his first big play in college have junior tight end Jack Eschenbach ready for a breakout 2021 season. 

Chimere Dike showed big-play ability, tight ends were all over the field and Leo Chenal shined at the Badgers' ninth spring practice. 

Dean Engram and Alexander Smith have earned most of their playing time the past three seasons on special teams units.

“He told us that he wanted corners that played with a dog mentality. He just want dogs out there on the island," Badgers junior Alexander Smith said of  new cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat. 

The Badgers passing offense could be "explosive" if UW's top wide receivers can stay healthy this season. 

State Journal beat reporters Colten Bartholomew and Jim Polzin get together over Zoom for a special episode of the show: UW senior cornerbacks Faion Hicks and Caesar Williams enter the Red Zone!

A look at how special teams coach Chris Haering will choose a starting kicker, plus new on the return units and long-snapper position. 

The offense lacked same crispness it has had in other practice sessions. 

"The age of football that we're in with all the spread, all the RPO, you can create some issues," Jim Leonhard said of using his safeties at different positions. 

Defenders and ball-carriers weren’t shy about laying a solid hit on a teammate during 11-on-11 portions of Tuesday's spring practice.

“The first thing when we got back that we talked about was just being a team again,” sophomore quarterback Graham Mertz said.

Loudermilk will have the opportunity to learn from new teammate Cameron Heyward, a two-time first-team All-Pro and four-time pro bowler.

“(Jim Leonhard) painted me a really clear picture of what I'll be doing in his defense, what he saw for me,” Townsend said. “His career and what he's known for doing and developing players, that was a big deal to me.

Gary Brown was the running backs coach for the Dallas Cowboys from 2013-19 and also spent four seasons as an assistant with the Cleveland Browns.

State Journal beat reporters Colten Bartholomew, Jim Polzin and Todd Milewski get together over Zoom to discuss the news around the Badgers men’s basketball and men’s and women’s hockey programs.

From the editor: If you're a UW sports fan, now's the time to support local journalism by way of a digital subscription.

Whatever happens at the high court, changes seem on the way for how college athletes are compensated.