Wisconsin Football Week 1 Offensive Snap Count Breakdown and Analysis

Wisconsin started off its 2026 season pretty much just about how we expected them to: with a blowout loss at the hands of Notre Dame under the lights at Lambeau Field.

The Badgers have no time to dwell on the disappointing result, however. Their Sunday night kickoff in Week 1 puts them behind the 8-ball for Week 2 against FCS Western Illinois.

As Wisconsin transitions into prep for the Leathernecks, Badgers On SI has offensive snap counts and analysis from the loss to the Irish:

Author's note: snap count data from Pro Football Focus

Quarterback

Snap counts:

- Colton Joseph (61)

Joseph played every snap for the Badgers. The starting quarterback had moments of brilliance...and an abysmal pick-six he'd like to have back. He took a massive hit in the third quarter that ultimately forced Wisconsin to call a timeout to give its signal-caller an extra moment to collect himself. Still, the toughness and competitive moxie Joseph showed was very encouraging.

Running Back

Snap counts:

- Abu Sama (31)
- Darrion Dupree (25)
- Nate Palmer (4)
- Tyler Jansey (1)

Sama was, as we expected, Jeff Grimes' "workhorse" back. Dupree was involved as well, though primarily on passing downs — 19 of his 25 snaps were as an eligible receiver or pass-blocker. Palmer's four snaps were also all exclusively on passing plays. We didn't see USC transfer Bryan Jackson, who appears to still be battling an injury that limited him throughout fall camp. Jansey got one rep as a lead blocker at fullback.

Wide Receiver

Snap counts:

- Chris Brooks Jr (47)
- Tyrell Henry (45)
- Malachi Coleman (40)
- Eugene Hilton Jr (17)
- Shamar Rigby (15)

Wisconsin kept its wide receiver rotation pretty tight, which came as something of a surprise given how wide open this room appeared to be. Coleman (four catches for 76 yards and a touchdown) was the big revelation, and he flashed some serious skill on the perimeter. Brooks had a solid day with three catches for 38 yards, but wasn't an huge difference maker. Hilton, meanwhile, appeared to have gotten banged up and was also limited to three catches. Henry was the only receiver the Badgers used in the slot. Rigby played 15 snaps but didn't get a target.

Tight End

Wisconsin punter Sean West (91) celebrates his 70-yard punt inside the one-yard line with his offensive teammates. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Snap counts:

- Grant Stec (42)
- Emmett Bork (18)
- Jacob Harris (17)
- Ryan Schwendeman (5)

Stec's 42 snaps and three catches were both career highs. It was interesting to see him as by far and away the top tight end against the Irish. Equally interesting? The fact that second-year player Emmett Bork was the second most-utilized tight end in Week 1, ahead of prized Bowling Green transfer Jacob Harris, who was nearly silent Sunday night with just one catch for three yards. It'll be interesting to see how this room continues to shake out, and how situationally and matchup-dependant the snap counts are.

Offensive Line

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell and center Austin Kawecki. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Snap counts:

- Kevin Heywood (61)
- Colin Cubberly (61)
- Austin Kawecki (61)
- PJ Wilkins (53)
- Blake Cherry (38)
- Stylz Blackmon (23)
- Lucas Simmons-Johansson (8)

Luke Fickell told us in the lead-up to Week 1 that we could expect to see plenty of offensive linemen. That's exactly what transpired Sunday night against the Irish. Heywood, Cubberly and Kawecki played every snap at right tackle, left guard and center, respectively. Cherry and Blackmon rotated at guard, and Cherry played more snaps which is interesting considering Blackmon trotted out with the inital starting five. Wisconsin appears locked in at every position except left tackle, where Wilkins didn't play the whole game, and backup guard, where Blackkmon and Cherry split reps. The return of Emerson Mandell should stabilize the entire line, but it's unclear when that might happen.

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