• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / Badgers / Badgers open up against Alabama, looking for more takeaways

Badgers open up against Alabama, looking for more takeaways

September 5, 2015 By Bill Scott

Dave Aranda

Dave Aranda

The Wisconsin Badgers ranked 10th in the Big Ten and 114th out of 128 FBS schools in defensive takeaways last season.  Despite that fact, they still managed to win eleven games.

Getting more takeaways has been a big emphasis for defensive coordinator Dave Aranda and his players all offseason.

The Badgers secondary intercepted just four passes last season and the team had just six overall, which is better than only six FBS teams.  The goal is to get more hands on footballs and then hang on to the ball when the first part of the goal is accomplished.

More interceptions and takeaways for the defense means better field position for Joel Stave and the Wisconsin offense to work with.  It’s no secret that turnovers generally lead to more points.

Last season, the Badgers forced a total of 17 turnovers.  We’ll see tonight, when the Badgers open their season against 3rd-ranked Alabama, if all of the emphasis and work during the offseason has paid off.

Offensive Line

Lack of Takeaways isn’t the only issue for the Badgers.  In fact, going into the season opener tonight, it pales in comparison to Wisconsin’s banged up offensive line.

Injuries during fall  training camp has forced offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph to shuffle the deck repeatedly, trying to find the five best players to line up against the Crimson Tide.

Center Dan Voltz (20 starts) and left tackle Tyler Marz (27 starts) are the only two offensive line starters that have started a college football game previously.  It is precisely what makes this season opening game against Alabama most difficult for the Badgers.

Alabama’s defensive front seven is one of the best, if not the best, front seven’s in all of college football.  The Badgers didn’t even settle on their number-1 offensive line until this week.  That spells trouble for Bucky and it makes the Badgers the underdog that they are.

Tidbits

This is just the second all-time meeting between the two schools.  The Badgers won the only contest played back in 1928, 15-0.

Paul Chryst makes his Badger head coaching debut tonight.  He is 19-19 as a head coach in Pittsburgh.

Alabama coach Nick Saban is 4-1 against the Big Ten.  His only loss came to Ohio State, last season (42-35) in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Badgers, Sports Tagged With: Badgers, Big Ten Conference, Dave Aranda, Joe Rudolph, Joel Stave, Paul Chryst





compeer financial celebrates beef month

Featured Stories

Wisconsin DNR warns of elevated fire danger this week

Baldwin announces U.S. Senate reelection bid

‘Tragic, terrible’ – Sheriff on Barron County police officers deaths

Two police officers killed in Barron County shootout

UW System Regents approve tuition increase

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Evers’ AmFam funding plan ‘a nonstarter’ with Assembly Republicans

New pitch clock could speed up MLB games this season, says UW expert

Giannis breaks franchise scoring record, Bucks beat Nets in OT

Wisconsin’s Davis declares for NBA Draft

Badgers to face Arizona State in Las Vegas Bowl

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2023 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC

 

Loading Comments...