Wisconsin Football Report Card: Grading Every Position After Western Illinois Win

Wisconsin earned its first win of the season, but it was far from a flawless performance against FCS Western Illinois at Camp Randall Stadium.

Wisconsin Badgers mascot Bucky Badger leads the team onto the field | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After suffering a lopsided defeat against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field in Week 1, Wisconsin bounced back with a victory over Western Illinois in Week 2. A win is a win, and the Badgers haven’t gotten enough of them over the past few years to complain too much about any victory.

With that being said, it was far from a flawless performance against a lowly FCS opponent at Camp Randall Stadium. Here are letter grades for every Wisconsin position group:

Quarterbacks

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colton Joseph was given a tough task in his Wisconsin debut, taking on a vaunted Notre Dame defense, and thus received a decent bit of the benefit of the doubt despite pedestrian marks last week. Western Illinois was supposed to provide an opportunity for the Old Dominion transfer to show off his exciting dual-threat playmaking ability, but that didn’t come to fruition. He went 12-of-22 for 173 yards and one touchdown through the air while logging four carries for 33 yards on the ground.

Joseph took care of the ball with no turnovers, but his accuracy was shoddy at best and the lack of downfield passing was disappointing. Head coach Luke Fickell suggested after the game that Joseph may not have been fully healthy following the Notre Dame game and that downfield shots weren’t part of the game plan, but that poses some additional questions and doesn’t really absolve the signal-caller of his poor accuracy. Joseph certainly shouldn’t be written off, but Saturday left plenty to be desired.

Ryan Hopkins made his Badgers debut in the fourth quarter, and while he didn’t attempt a pass, the freshman logged three carries for 11 yards, including a first-down scamper. It’s hard to draw much from one drive without a pass attempt, but it was good to see the highly touted youngster get some game action.

Grade: C-

Running Backs

Wisconsin Badgers running back Abu Sama III | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Badgers got off to a sizzling start with a 72-yard touchdown run from Abu Sama III on the first play of scrimmage. It was an electric moment for the Iowa State transfer, who had little running room last week. The rest of his night wasn’t as impressive, but he still closed with 107 yards on eight carries, and eclipsing the century mark isn’t a feat to scoff at.

USC transfer Bryan Jackson II made his Wisconsin debut and was fine, if unspectacular, with 10 carries for 40 yards. Darrion Dupree contributed four carries for 38 yards, showing off some juice with a 28-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

As a team, the Badgers finished with 31 attempts for 233 yards, good for 7.5 yards per carry, which is a strong mark. Maybe it wasn’t a dominant wire-to-wire performance on the ground, but it was a solid enough showing for the running backs to earn a quality grade.

Grade: B+

Wide Receivers

Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Chris Brooks Jr. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As outlined in the quarterbacks section, the aerial attack wasn’t particularly impressive against Western Illinois. Tyrell Henry led the way, hauling in four receptions for 91 yards on a hefty nine targets, while Chris Brooks Jr. totaled two receptions for 39 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Eugene Hilton Jr. wasn’t far behind with three receptions for 32 yards, moving the chains twice in the process.

After showing out against Notre Dame, Malachi Coleman saw one target in the second quarter before exiting with an apparent upper-body injury. The extent and specifics of the Minnesota transfer’s injury are unknown at the moment, but losing his upside and big-play ability for an extended period would be a blow for the Badgers.

There wasn’t anything super special from the wide receivers Saturday, but Joseph’s inaccuracy didn’t help their numbers, and the group didn’t record a drop. With that context, a B feels like a sensible landing spot.

Grade: B

Tight Ends

Much like Week 1, the tight ends weren’t much of a factor for the Badgers. Jacob Harris was the only one to contribute as a pass catcher, albeit minimally with two receptions for six yards on four targets. Grant Stec led the group with 34 snaps, followed by Emmett Bork with 22, Harris with 21 and Nizyi Davis with just one.

The group has been fine as blockers, but there simply hasn’t been much tangible production from Nate Letton’s unit through two games. There’s not much else to elaborate on after Saturday, and I’m curious to see if someone emerges and becomes more involved as the season progresses or if tight end ultimately won’t be a major component of Wisconsin’s offense in 2026.

Grade: C

Offensive Line

Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Colin Cubberly | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The decrease in talent from Notre Dame to Western Illinois is notable across the board, especially in the trenches, but Wisconsin didn’t properly level up. Left guard Colin Cubberly looked strong once again, while right tackle Kevin Heywood looked better at Camp Randall Stadium than he did last week at Lambeau Field. Center Austin Kawecki didn’t play his best game, but I’m not overly concerned about the Oklahoma State transfer.

Where I am concerned is at left tackle, as PJ Wilkins was charged with two penalties and doesn’t look the part of a blindside protector in the Big Ten after transferring from Ole Miss. Is Florida State transfer Lucas Simmons-Johansson any better? It’s hard to say, but Wilkins isn’t inspiring much confidence.

Stylz Blackmon saw the bulk of the reps (36) over Blake Cherry (19) at right guard and was adequate in pass protection, but the same can’t be said for his run blocking. Emerson Mandell will take over at the position once fully healthy and should be a clear upgrade, though some rust wouldn’t be surprising.

In general, the Badgers’ offensive line should’ve dominated a weak Leathernecks front, and it didn’t. The unit wasn’t plainly bad, and not allowing a sack is always a good thing, but the inability to consistently create sizable holes against a weak FCS opponent is a major red flag for a program built on running the football. Mandell’s return should provide a boost, but it’s hard not to be concerned about Wisconsin’s offensive line once Big Ten play comes around.

Grade: D+

Defensive Line

Wisconsin edge rusher Tyreese Fearbry | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Like the offensive line, the defensive line didn’t properly feast against an inferior foe. Generating pressure wasn’t much of an issue, with edge rusher Sebastian Cheeks leading the way with six hurries, but the group wasn’t able to finish plays and ended with no sacks. Tyreese Fearbry’s tackle for loss in the first quarter was the only negative play forced by this unit.

The rotation on the interior was lengthy, as seven defensive tackles logged 14+ snaps, with Hammond Russell IV pacing the group at 23. Western Illinois ended with 38 carries for 154 yards (4.1 yards per carry), which would be fine marks defensively for most opponents. But against a Leathernecks team that ran for 52 yards (2.3 yards per carry) against Illinois State the week prior, Wisconsin’s efforts was poor.

Cheeks’ continued improvement is a positive that feels translatable given his good performance against Notre Dame, but this was a game where the whole front should’ve feasted. They didn’t get gashed, but that’s setting the bar far too low. It was a disappointingly lackluster outing for the big boys.

Grade: C-

Linebackers

Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Cooper Catalano | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The defense as a whole was a letdown in context, but the linebackers mostly did their job. Cooper Catalano was everywhere, leading all players with 13 tackles (eight solo) and posting a stellar 82.4 PFF grade. Mason Posa played well despite recording just one tackle before exiting with a non-contact injury in the third quarter. The standout sophomore didn’t return, though Luke Fickell indicated afterward that Posa could’ve gone back in if needed.

With Posa out and Wisconsin holding a big lead, four other inside linebackers saw action. Thomas Heiberger appears to have usurped Jon Jon Kamara for the top backup spot, with the former seeing 24 snaps compared to just six for the latter. Heiberger missed a tackle but still graded out well with an 82.3 PFF grade.

Provided Posa is fine, as has been stated, linebacker is a position I’m not worried about and remains a clear strength for the Badgers.

Grade: B+

Defensive Backs

Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Bryce West | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While Western Illinois didn’t do much in the passing game, it wasn’t exactly a stellar showing for the Wisconsin secondary. Javan Robinson was fine in coverage, largely living up to his billing as a steady and experienced cornerback after transferring from Arizona State, but he did miss a tackle for the second straight week.

Bryce West looked comfortable and was effective in the slot, while Jai’mier Scott was at fault for the Leathernecks’ 45-yard reception to start the third quarter. Scott’s role on the outside is likely still secure, however, as Oklahoma State transfer Eric Fletcher Jr. posted a paltry 37.3 PFF grade across 26 snaps.

At safety, Marvin Burks Jr. looked better than he did against Notre Dame and should be a productive asset after a breakout season at Missouri in 2025. Matt Jung is the safety with more questions, as he missed a tackle and doesn’t look fluid in coverage.

Along with Cooper Catalano, Jung led the defense with 57 snaps, and there’s not much proven production behind him with Carson Van Dinter and Cairo Skanes. A demotion for the Neenah native therefore isn’t likely in the near future, although I’m skeptical of his ability to hold up as a starting Big Ten safety for a full season.

Analyzing the Badgers’ defensive backs wouldn’t be complete without mentioning defensive coordinator Mike Tressel and his insistence on running soft coverage. Western Illinois felt like the type of opponent where it would’ve made sense to run WAY more aggressive man coverage and see what happened, but alas. The players ultimately have to make plays, and while nothing atrocious transpired, I wasn’t particularly inspired by the Wisconsin secondary in the home opener.

Grade: C- 

Special Teams

Wisconsin Badgers kicker Gavin Lahm | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Special teams were solid at Lambeau Field, sans Harrison Bortolotti’s fumble, and that positive momentum carried over to Camp Randall Stadium. After Liam Danitz partially blocked a punt on the first drive against Notre Dame, he and Carson Van Dinter got home after Western Illinois’ second drive stalled, with Van Dinter scooping and scoring the block to put Wisconsin up 17-0.

Kicker Gavin Lahm, who didn’t exactly turn heads in fall camp, converted all three of his field-goal attempts, including lengthy boots from 49 and 51 yards in the second quarter. He missed an extra-point attempt in the fourth quarter, but it was an overall encouraging effort from Lahm. Sean West didn’t deliver a legendary punt like last week, but his pair of punts went for 93 yards (46.5 average), with the first downed at the 11-yard line and the second going for a touchback. It was a perfectly fine showing from the junior.

TCU transfer running back Nate Palmer handled kickoff return duties, returning four kicks for 126 yards (31.5 yards per return). The signs of explosiveness were enjoyable, but after the Bortolotti debacle, I think most Badger fans would be content with simply having a reliable set of hands back deep.

It’d be nice to be raving more about the offense and defense, but success on special teams shouldn’t be taken for granted. If Bob Ligasheksy’s unit can continue these efforts into conference play, it could prove incredibly helpful for Wisconsin.

Grade: A