Wisconsin Football Week 5 Offensive Snap Count Breakdown and Analysis vs. Michigan State

The Badgers backed up their big-time upset over Penn State on the road in Week 4 with a dominant, reassuring homecoming victory over a hapless Spartans team in Week 5.

Wisconsin is riding high heading into the bye week, having won four straight and sitting at 4-1 (2-0 in B1G play). As the Badgers take a breather, Badgers On SI has offensive snap counts and analysis from the throttling of Michigan State:

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

Quarterback

Snap counts:

- Colton Joseph (59)
- Ryan Hopkins (3)

Hopkins handled three snaps on the Badgers' final drive, all three of which were running plays. He still has yet to attempt a pass in a Wisconsin uniform. Joseph, meanwhile, had a nice bounce-back performance after the three-interception showing at Penn State, even if some of his throws still make you hold your breath a little bit.

Running Back

Snap counts:

- Darrion Dupree (43)
- Bryan Jackson (16)
- Nate Palmer (3)

No Abu Sama once again meant Dupree handled the bulk of the workload in the backfield. Jackson returned to action after he was unavailable against Penn State. Palmer continues to see a handful of snaps week in and week out.

Wide Receiver

Snap counts:

- Chris Brooks Jr (41)
- Eugene Hilton Jr (37)
- Tyrell Henry (28)
- Malachi Coleman (28)
- Shamar Rigby (9)
- Zion Kearney (3)
- Kash Brock (3)
- Jackson McGohan (2)
- Mason Kelly (1)

This was the deepest Wisconsin has gone into its wide receiver room all season. Of course, the reserves Kearney, Brock and McGohan/Kelly only played the final series which lasted three plays. Otherwise, the wide receiver rotation remained largely status quo. At this point, Brooks, Hilton, Henry, Coleman and Rigby, in that order, is the established pecking order in Ari Confesor's room.

Tight End

Snap counts:

- Ryan Schwendeman (27)
- Grant Stec (25)
- Jacob Harris (23)
- Emmett Bork (18)
- Nizyi Davis (3)

Schwendeman's 27 snaps were easily his most in a Badgers uniform, and he led the way in the tight end room. Grant Stec continues to take plenty of snaps each week, but he remains something of a non-factor in this passing game. Still, the staff clearly likes what those two bring to the table in the run game. Harris, who is now Wisconsin's second-leading receiver with 13 catches for 238 yards and three touchdowns, took just the third-most snaps in this room. Davis returned to action for the first time since Week 3 against Eastern Michigan.

Offensive Line

Snap counts:

- Kevin Heywood (59)
- Stylz Blackmon (59)
- Colin Cubberly (59)
- Austin Kawecki (33)
- Emerson Mandell (33)
- Ryan Cory (29)
- PJ Wilkins (26)
- Barrett Nelson (3)
- Blake Cherry (3)
- Peyton Lange (3)
- Lucas Simmons-Johansson (3)

The Badgers obviously went deep into the offensive line room in a blowout victory. The entire second team unit entered the game for the final three-play series, although backup center Ryan Cory was already in the game due to Austin Kawecki's first half upper body injury. PJ Wilkins was replaced by Heywood at starting left tackle, and he rotated with Mandell at right tackle, a decision head coach Luke Fickell said was made by offensive line coach Eric Mateos and offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes.

Add us as a preferred source on Google