Wisconsin Football Report Card: Grading Every Defensive Position After Disastrous Loss to Iowa

Wisconsin (5-3, 3-2) suffered a humiliating 30-0 loss to Iowa (6-2, 3-2) on Saturday, extending its struggles against the Hawkeyes under Luke Fickell. While the Badgers’ offense was particularly dreadful, the defense had plenty of shortcomings of its own as Iowa controlled the game from start to finish.

With that, Badgers On SI breaks down and grades each defensive position group following an embarrassing beatdown in Iowa City.

Defensive Line

Iowa's Hank Brown being pressured by Wisconsin's Sebastian Cheeks and Hammond Russell IV — Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Hank Brown (9) being pressured by Wisconsin Badgers edge rusher Sebastian Cheeks (15) and defensive tackle Hammond Russell IV (91) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a superb showing against USC last week, Wisconsin’s defensive front was unable to replicate that success against a physical Iowa team. The Hawkeyes totaled 140 rushing yards on 42 carries (3.3 yards per carry), so it’s not as though the Badgers’ vaunted run defense was completely gashed. The lack of pass rush, however, was glaring, allowing quarterback Hank Brown to settle into a rhythm and pick apart the defense throughout the afternoon.

EDGE Sebastian Cheeks was essentially the lone source of consistent pressure, as the breakout star recorded four pressures, including Wisconsin’s only sack in the second quarter. Opposite Cheeks, Tyreese Fearbry was largely a non-factor, while Justus Boone’s season-high 37 snaps failed to translate into meaningful production. On the interior, Charles Perkins made a nice tackle near the goal line on Iowa’s opening drive, helping force the Hawkeyes to settle for a field goal. Beyond that, the defensive line simply didn’t generate enough disruption to make a difference.

Cheeks’ strong individual performance is enough to keep the grade from being a flat-out F, but just barely. Wisconsin’s defensive front struggled to make its presence felt, particularly in the passing game, as Iowa ultimately won the battle in the trenches.

Grade: D-

Linebackers

Iowa's L.J. Phillips Jr tackled by Wisconsin's Cooper Catalano — Iowa Hawkeyes running back L.J. Phillips Jr. (21) tackled by Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Cooper Catalano (44) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Wisconsin was thoroughly beaten down by Iowa, and the defense fell well short of expectations. However, that wasn’t necessarily because its stars failed to show up. Cooper Catalano was seemingly everywhere, racking up a game-high 16 tackles (five solo) and 1.5 tackles for loss. He also recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter for Wisconsin’s lone takeaway after forcing one himself in the second quarter that Iowa managed to recover.

Fellow sophomore standout Mason Posa was similarly impressive, totaling 13 tackles (six solo), 0.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup. Catalano and Posa both earned elite PFF grades above 90, the two highest marks on the team Saturday and season bests for each.

Elsewhere in the linebacker corps, Jon Jon Kamara made the most of his opportunities after barely seeing the field over the previous two games. The Kansas transfer played 19 snaps and earned an impressive 89.4 PFF grade, highlighted by a forced fumble in the fourth quarter that Catalano recovered. Aaron Witt also saw increased playing time, logging a season-high 33 snaps and forcing a first-quarter fumble that went out of bounds, although his 55.5 PFF grade reflected a less convincing overall performance.

Wisconsin’s defense undoubtedly struggled, but evaluating the linebackers on their individual merits paints a much more encouraging picture. Catalano and Posa continue to serve as pillars of this defense, bringing relentless effort and physicality regardless of the circumstances. Their commitment and production have been unwavering, even as the play of those around them has fluctuated.

Grade: B+

Defensive Backs

Iowa's Reece Vander Zee defended by Wisconsin's Jai'mier Scott — Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Reece Vander Zee (2) defended by Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Jai'mier Scott (6) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

One week after largely shutting down a potent USC aerial attack, Wisconsin’s secondary was carved up by Iowa. Quarterback Hank Brown delivered perhaps the best performance of his collegiate career, going 20-for-24 for 222 yards and two touchdowns as the Hawkeyes consistently exploited the Badgers’ defensive backfield.

At cornerback, Jai’mier Scott was a liability, committing three penalties (two pass interference, one holding) and earning a 53.3 PFF grade. Javan Robinson (59.7) and Eric Fletcher Jr. (52.6) didn’t fare much better, while Bryce West wasn’t quite his usual self in the slot. West played a season-low 17 snaps, and it’s worth considering whether the shoulder stinger he suffered last week contributed to both his reduced workload and diminished effectiveness.

The safety play was similarly disappointing, starting with Iowa’s opening possession. On third down, Matt Jung overcommitted underneath and lost his footing in coverage, allowing the Hawkeyes to connect on a 45-yard completion. It’s been a roller-coaster season for Jung, who appeared to have turned a corner in recent weeks, but Saturday marked a sharp return to his earlier struggles. Despite recording 12 tackles (nine solo) and a tackle for loss, he allowed completions on all five passes thrown his way for 73 yards and missed two tackles, making him a major contributor to Wisconsin’s defensive struggles.

Marvin Burks Jr. was generally solid, but Cairo Skanes took a significant step backward after recording an interception last week. Skanes played 25 snaps and earned a defense-worst 41.8 PFF grade, further compounding the secondary’s issues.

Defensive coordinator Mike Tressel certainly deserves scrutiny for his schematic shortcomings, but the players weren’t without fault. Missed assignments, ineffective coverage and costly penalties plagued Wisconsin throughout the afternoon, leaving little room for anything other than a failing grade.

Grade: F

Special Teams

With Wisconsin’s offense struggling to sustain drives, Sean West was kept busy throughout the afternoon. The punter was called upon six times, totaling 279 yards (46.5 average). His longest boot traveled 55 yards in the first quarter, and he pinned the Hawkeyes inside their own 20-yard line with a fourth-quarter punt.

Neither team made much noise in the return game. Wisconsin avoided surrendering any particularly damaging returns but failed to generate a spark of its own.

With West’s punting accounting for most of the unit’s contributions, Wisconsin’s special teams were largely unremarkable. They failed to provide any meaningful moments but avoided the costly mistakes that plagued other areas of the Badgers’ performance.

Grade: C

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