The Most Glaring Problem Wisconsin Football Still Hasn't Solved as Fall Camp Ends

Heading into fall camp ahead of an absolutely pivotal season for Wisconsin football, the Badgers had a few key directives.

Among them: anoint a starter at field cornerback, crown a champion in the backup quarterback battle and lock in a starting five along the offensive line.

All of those remain a work in progress, but the first two, at least, are a result of tremendous competition that's unfolded over the course of 15 practices.

However, there's another crucial task Wisconsin needed to accomplish this fall that remains concerningly incomplete: find a go-to receiver who can stretch defenses vertically.

Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes was very vocal about this being a necessity at local media day.

Wisconsin needs a consistent, go-to option

"Somebody needs to emerge as that deep threat for us. There’s two or three guys that might do that, but we’ve gotta see throughout the course of fall camp who really proves to be that primary vertical threat," he said.

Now, the Badgers have had plenty of receivers flash throughout fall camp. A lot of pass-catchers have had promising days, and a lot look to have grown from where they were in the spring.

Eugene Hilton has been the most consistent wideout this fall. He's gotten bigger, stronger and his route-running looks more nuanced. Couple that with his natural feel for the game, and he looks to be a starting-caliber receiver.

“I think (the improvement is) in his work ethic, now. He’s always had the skill to get in and out of breaks and catch the football, but now his mental approach to the game is a little different," wide receivers coach Ari Confesor said. "Now, he’s starting to go harder more consistently and challenge himself, and he’s taking a role as a leader as well.”

He's not the only receiver that's flashed. Oklahoma State transfer Shamar Rigby, now finally healthy and partaking in team drills, made plays towards the back half of fall camp. Minnesota transfer Malachi Coleman has begun to put his physical tools to good use in Madison, and his athleticism makes him another exiting player in that room.

Even the young, rather unheralded freshman Kash Brock looks beyond his years in fall camp. The depth up and down this wide receiver room has had its moments.

Still, no single player has emerged as a consistent, go-to option for Colton Joseph and the rest of the Badgers' gunslingers, let alone a deep threat.

WR by committee or "primary vertical threat?"

Wisconsin wide receivers coach Ari Confesor. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"All those guys, the ones, definitely, all those guys have proven they can play," Confesor said. "We wanna make sure we're trying to develop as many receivers as we can, so we can throw different guys at different teams so they can't just focus on covering one guy and focus on how he releases and how he wins his routes. Now you've gotta be able to cover five, six guys out there."

That's all fine and dandy, but it's also something of the antithesis of what Grimes said prior to fall ball about narrowing down a "primary vertical threat."

How concerned should you be about the Badgers' receivers? That's ultimately up to you. There's definitely talent in this room. The cream just hasn't necessarily risen to the top.

But one thing is for certain — the Badgers were looking for a primary vertical threat to emerge in fall camp, and that's not how things transpired.

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