Wisconsin football: Three questions for Week 2 vs. Washington State
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After beating an FCS foe in Week 1, the Wisconsin Badgers enter Week 2 aiming to improve their record to 2-0 on Saturday against Pac-12 opponent Washington State.
Wisconsin is a 16-point favorite heading into the contest, but with some injury concerns and a drastic uptick in competition upcoming, the Badgers will need to be on the top of their game to take down the Cougars.
With that in mind, here is a look at three key questions for this weekend's matchup.
Will Wisconsin get cornerbacks Alexander Smith and Justin Clark back for Week 2?
The Wisconsin Badgers played without two of their top cornerbacks last Saturday against Illinois State. Seniors Alexander Smith and Justin Clark each did not dress for last week's game but have been inching their way back closer to playing, according to coaches.
During his Monday press conference, Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst said, "I think we will be able to find out more this week, particularly with Justin, and where he is at." Chryst later said, "it's been going well for him," but that this week of practice will go a long way in determining if the two upperclassmen are available for Washington State.
Just days before kickoff, the Badgers will already be short-handed in the secondary with starting safety Hunter Wohler out for an extended period, heightening the importance of potentially getting Smith and Clark back for Week 2.
Smith is arguably Wisconsin's top cover corner, while Clark was the team's No. 1 nickel corner in the spring. With each player a true game-time decision, it will be interesting to see if the Badgers get back some much-needed depth at cornerback this Saturday.
Washington State is known for its ability to throw the ball on offense in recent years, so having both available would go a long way in helping Wisconsin this weekend.
Cornerback's coach Hank Poteat had this to say about each player:
"A competitor. Was always around the ball. Can play inside or outside, can play corner as well as nickel. Just made a lot of plays for us, so looking forward to seeing how he looks." - Hank Poteat on Justin Clark
"Our leader of the room, who was here last year, he was my third corner, who can play every position in the secondary, Alex Smith. You know, I feel like he's a guy who is under the radar, but I see him as elevating his game to the next level going into this upcoming season." - Hank Poteat on Alexander Smith
Can Wisconsin clean up punt return?
For the most part, Wisconsin played fairly well against Illinois State after some early jitters.
The offense showed balance and put up over 400 yards of offense, while Jim Leonhard's defense once again pitched a shutout.
Even in special teams, there were bright spots with Isaac Guerendo showing some nice burst on a 33-yard kickoff return, Vito Calvaruso making his first-career field goal, and Andy Vujnovich punting the ball well in limited opportunities.
However, one area where the Badgers struggled was on punt return. Dean Engram fielded two punts against Illinois State and finished with -7 yards. Additionally, the return unit had two holding calls deep in their own territory that pushed the ball back further.
Wisconsin hasn't had consistent success at punt return since 2017, when Nick Nelson held the role. The Badgers play a brand of football predicated on good defense, a solid run game, and sound fundamentals. This strategy makes field position all the more important, especially with a young offense still developing.
The punt return unit will hopefully show improvement this Saturday after another week of preparation.
Will the Wisconsin offense continue to spread the ball around this Saturday?
One of the major storylines from Wisconsin's 38-0 win over Illinois State was how many players got involved in the passing and running game. Quarterback Graham Mertz completed passes to seven different targets, with five players recording at least 20 yards receiving in the game.
While Braelon Allen was still the clear No. 1 running back, four tailbacks had at least two attempts during the game. Allen finished with 148 yards, Chez Mellusi added 48 on 10 attempts, Julius Davis had 37 yards on six carries, and Isaac Guerendo found the end zone on one of his two attempts.
During postgame availability, several players discussed the team's ability to get a lot of playmakers involved in the offense. Head coach Paul Chryst had this to say about Mertz's ability to get multiple players involved, "I think that it's always good when you take what they're giving you. And I thought that for the most part, you know, it felt like he [Mertz] was doing that. And I think, too, I do believe that he's got a real confidence in a number of guys, you know, so that that also probably is indicative of that."
With Washington State coming to town this Saturday, it will be fascinating to see if the Wisconsin offense can continue to spread the ball around. This off-season there was a heightened focus on getting the ball out in space to players, and it worked in the opener. Against a much tougher defense that likes to bring pressure, the Badgers might need their weapons on the outside to step up once again.
Related links:
- WATCH: Linebacker Maema Njongmeta talks first-career start with the Badgers
- Clay Cundiff and Hayden Rucci provide a 1-2 punch at tight end for Wisconsin
- Wisconsin versus Washington State by the numbers
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