SB Nation - Jacob Pedersen

B1G 2013 // Can the Badgers make it back to Pasadena?

Hilary Lee — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:16:22 -0000

Last Season

Good News:

Well, all things considered, the 2012 season for the Wisconsin Badgers wasn't terrible. The Badgers managed to recover from a bumpy start to make a second straight appearance in the B1G Championship Game and a third straight appearance in the Rose Bowl.

As with the 2011 B1G Championship game, the Badgers emerged victorious in Indianapolis, this time in even more dominating fashion, completely stomping Nebraska. Seriously, did you watch that game? Man, that was fun. I don't think I'm ever going to let Jesse live that one down.

Montee Ball set a new record for career touchdowns, proving that the Badgers still produce some of the best running backs in the country. But the Badgers lost young QB standout Joel Stave to a collarbone injury against Michigan State. Absent that injury, the end of the Wisconsin season may well have been different...

Bad News:

The third time was most definitely not the charm for Bucky in the Rose Bowl. Though the game against Stanford was probably more competitive than many believed it would be, the Badgers still dropped it 20-14. Given the strength of Ohio State in 2013, it may have been that 2012 was the last, best chance that the Badgers had to take home a victory in Pasadena.

Neutral News:

Ding-dong the Bro is ~~dead~~ coaching a SEC team! I refuse to categorize this as bad news, as it seemed like Bret Bielema might simply be unable to actually win a big time bowl game with the Badgers. And I'm thrilled with the replacement that Wisconsin landed, who I'll profile for tomorrow's article.

Of course, it's not like the Badgers just lost Bielema. Matt Canada (offensive coordinator), Zach Azzanni (wide recievers coach), Andy Buh (linebackers), Charlie Partridge (defensive line), Chris Ash (defensive coordinator), and others all left in the wake of Bielema's departure. It remains to be seen what effect these departures have on the Badgers this year.

Offense

It certainly looks like Joel Stave hasn't suffered any lasting effects from his season ending injury last year. Despite not being the starter, Stave took control of the offense by the end of spring ball and is poised to return to leading the Badgers this season.

Of course, this doesn't take into account the transfer of Tanner McEvoy. McEvoy just arrived on campus a few weeks ago, and will provide some competition for Stave and second-stringer Curt Phillips as the summer continues.

He'll have returning standout senior wide receiver Jared Abbrederis and senior tight end Jacob Pedersen to throw to, which makes me extremely happy because I can continue to shout "ABBRE-CADABRA!" at random points during games.

Melvin Gordon and James White anchor the running game, and I have no doubt they will continue the Wisconsin bruising run tradition in 2013. But... the depth on the line is a little bit of a concern. Without a strong line to make holes and provide pocket protection for Stave, the Wisconsin offense might stall.

Defense

The Wisconsin defense will remain solid, anchored by linebacker Chris Borland and tackle Beau Allen. I expect good things from Dezmond Southward and Ethan Hemer as well. The line has a good amount of depth, with some up and coming playmakers in Brendan Kelly, Tyler Dippel, and Vince Biegel.

I like the chances the Badgers have with incoming coordinator Dave Aranda, and it's possible that with some of the questions on the offense, the defense will be the factor that wins games for Bucky this year.

Special Teams

Abbrederis should still put in good work in the return game, but I'm less confident about the kicking game because... well... Kyle French. Still, the punting game is good and I'm confident that the Badgers can keep opponents pinned deep for the majority of possessions this season.

The Schedule

With the exception of the Spartans, the Badgers have one of the better schedules in the entirety of the B1G this year. The first two non-con games should be easy wins against U Mass and Tennessee Tech. A late season game against BYU also does not particularly trouble me.

I'm a little worried about the road game at Arizona State, because the Sun Devils have a backfield that is on par with, or perhaps even better than, the Badgers. I'm pretty confident that the Badgers can stop Marion Grice and D.J. Foster, but this game is not an easy win.

On the conference side of things, the only truly scary game is against Ohio State. The Badgers have to go to the Shoe and take on a team that might contend for this year's National Championship. Fortunately, the Badgers completely avoid Nebraska, Michigan, and Michigan State. While I'll be sad not to have those awesome games, the in-season record should be better because of it.

Strong upset potential lurks in the games against Northwestern and Penn State, so I just have to hope the Badgers are healthy for them. Both are home games, however, and Wisconsin has a history of being dominant at Camp Randall. I'll be present for the Northwestern game, though likely wearing red and not purple.

The Badgers should be favored against Purdue, Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana.

I ~~can't write off Illinois~~... Oh wait yes I can.

By my count, the Badgers have six easy wins, four winnable challenges, and one tough game. Barring a series of terrible injuries, anything less than 9-3 is a disappointment, and less than 8-4 is a cataclysm.

If you're talking to a Wisconsin fan...

Don't mention:

The three straight Rose Bowl losses.

Do mention:

Beer.

B1G 2013 | WISCONSIN WEEK

MONDAY | Cocktail Party Preview

TUESDAY | Smartest Guys in the Room

WEDNESDAY | Badger Potluck

THURSDAY | Wildcard

FRIDAY | Keeping the Enemy Close

Badger Bits: Wisconsin football puts 3 players on Phil Steele's All-American squads

Louis Bien — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:00:08 -0000

A few days ago we took a look at Phil Steele's All-Big Ten squads. Today we take a look at his four All-American teams, on which the Badgers are pretty well-represented. Chris Borland made 2nd team, Jacob Pedersen made 3rd team and Jared Abbrederis made 4th team, giving Wisconsin more selections than any team in the Big Ten except Ohio State. The Buckeyes had two 1st-teamers (LB Ryan Shazier, CB Bradley Roby), one 2nd-teamer (QB Braxton Miller), one 3rd-teamer (G Andrew Norwell) and one 4th-teamer (OT Jack Mewhort).

Whole shebang below:

OFFENSE

	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team	4th Team
QB	Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M	Braxton Miller, Ohio State	A.J. McCarron, Alabama	Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville
RB	T.J. Yeldon, Alabama	Todd Gurley, Georgia	Lache Seastrunk, Baylor	Silas Redd, USC
RB	De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon	Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona	Duke Johnson, Miami	Damien Williams, Oklahoma
WR	Marqise Lee, USC	Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt	Allen Robinson, Penn State	Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin
WR	Sammy Watkins, Clemson	Cody Hoffman, BYU	Brandin Cooks, Oregon State	Tracy Moore, Oklahoma State
WR	Amari Cooper, Alabama	Mike Evans, Texas A&M	Stefon Diggs, Maryland	Davante Adams, Fresno State
TE	Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington	Arthur Lynch, Georgia	Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin	Eric Ebron, North Carolina
C	B.J. Finney, Kansas State	Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma	Hroniss Grasu, Oregon	Tyler Larsen, Utah State
G	David Yankey, Stanford	Gabe Jackson, Mississippi St.	Andrew Norwell, Ohio State	Anthony Steen, Alabama
G	Cyril Richardson, Baylor	Spencer Long, Nebraska	Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA	Tre' Jackson, Florida State
T	Taylor Lewan, Michigan	Cyrus Kouandijo, Alabama	Zack Martin, Notre Dame	Morgan Moses, Virginia
T	Jake Matthews, Texas A&M	Antonio Richardson, Tennessee	James Hurst, North Carolina	Jack Mewhort, Ohio State

DEFENSE

	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team	4th Team
DE	Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina	Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas	Scott Crichton, Oregon State	Aaron Lynch, USF
DT	Will Sutton, Arizona State	Anthony Johnson, LSU	Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh	Daniel McCullers, Tennessee
DT	Louis Nix, Notre Dame	Timmy Jernigan, Florida State	Dominique Easley, Florida	Roosevelt Nix, Kent State
DE	Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame	Devonte Fields, TCU	Morgan Breslin, USC	Demarcus Lawrence, Boise State
LB	Anthony Barr, UCLA	Chris Borland, Wisconsin	Shayne Skov, Stanford	Denzel Nkemdiche, Ole Miss
LB	C.J. Mosley, Alabama	Trent Murphy, Stanford	A.J. Johnson, Tennessee	Hayes Pullard, USC
LB	Kyle Van Noy, BYU	Max Bullough, Michigan State	Khalil Mack, Buffalo	Andrew Jackson, W. Kentucky
LB	Ryan Shazier, Ohio State	Adrian Hubbard, Alabama	Christian Jones, Florida State	Yawin Smallwood, Connecticut
CB	Bradley Roby, Ohio State	Aaron Colvin, Oklahoma	Darqueze Dennard, Michigan State	Loucheiz Purifoy, Florida
CB	Jason Verrett, TCU	Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon	Quandre Diggs, Texas	Antone Exum, Virginia Tech
S	Ed Reynolds, Stanford	Ty Zimmerman, Kansas State	Hakeem Smith, Louisville	Marco Nelson, Tulsa
S	Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix, Alabama	Lamarcus Joyner, Florida St.	Craig Loston, LSU	Jordan Richards, Stanford

SPECIAL TEAMS

	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team	4th Team
K	Cairo Santos, Tulane	Chris Boswell, Rice	Ross Martin, Duke	Chandler Catanzaro, Clemson
P	Kyle Christy, Florida	Tommy Hibbard, North Carolina	Kirby Van Der Kamp, Iowa State	Richie Leone, Houston
KR	Tyler Lockett, Kansas State	Bernard Reedy, Toledo	Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma St.	Jamal Golden, Georgia Tech
PR	Marcus Murphy, Missouri	Tramaine Thompson, Kansas State	Spiffy Evans, Boston College	Rashad Greene, Florida State
LS	Scott Thompson, N.C. State	Drew Howell, Oregon	Matt Dooley, Indiana	Reid Ferguson, LSU
AP	Dri Archer, Kent State	Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois	Antonio Andrews, Western Kentucky	Venric Mark, Northwestern

The nice thing about All-American projections is that it gives a nice measure of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the conference heading into the season. The Big Ten placed 15 players among the four teams. Unsurprisingly, the SEC led the way with 27 selections (Alabama alone had eight).

The Big Ten is apparently lacking in elite skill talent, with no running backs and just two wideouts among 12 making an appearance. At least the Big Ten put one offensive lineman on each of the teams. Also of note, Utah State center Tyler Larsen, a product of new offensive line coach T.J. Woods, made 4th team. On defense, the conference had zero linemen, but three of the eight 1st- or 2nd-team linebackers.

Adam Rittenberg picked his conference snubs, and I agree with most of them. He doesn't like Pedersen ahead of Penn State's Kyle Carter (we'll see), and thinks Venric Mark deserves more credit than a special teams mention (for sure). Rittenberg also mentions Ryan Groy as an overlooked player, which I'm less inclined to believe. He's too much of a jack of several trades in my mind, but I'd be happy to be wrong.

Thoughts in comments are strongly encouraged.

LINKS:

More from the Big Ten blog: Fancy numbers say Wisconsin is undervalued.

Wisconsin won't take part in the lacrosse craze.

Wisconsin comes in No. 5 in the country in APR. Northwestern is a worthy No. 1.

Land-Grant Holy Land is bullish on Carlos Hyde.

Michigan State and the word "if." Equal parts navel-gazing and delicious Spartyfreude.

Kevin Wilson hates chintzy t-shirts.

"It makes mad when I walk in the bookstore and I see the shirt that says, 'We've never lost a tailgate,'" Wilson said. "I've actually bought a bunch, took them home and I started my fires with those. You can laugh, but it's embarrassing to me that you guys like the fact that we don't lose tailgates because I don't like the fact that when we lose that football game and it's a different environment than in other sports."

Roll Damn Toilet.

Phil Steele's 2013 Preseason All-Big Ten Team: 3 Badgers make 1st team

Mike Fiammetta — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:14:14 -0000

Phil Steele, aka "The Oracle" for his reliably accurate and informative college football magazines, released his 2013 preseason All-Big Ten team Monday morning. Three Badgers made the first team, including wide receiver Jared Abbrederis, tight end Jacob Pedersen and linebacker Chris Borland. In total, 12 Badgers were listed.

Related to Wisconsin, the most interesting selection to me is Melvin Gordon on the second team, ahead of James White. We've spent plenty of time discussing what 2013 might hold for the Badgers' two wildly talented running backs, and arguments have been made for both to be the No. 1 back. We've had White ahead of Gordon on our projected depth chart for this season since the spring started, though 1) that can obviously change by the fall and 2) the division of touches certainly isn't tied to the depth chart.

More: Steele's 2013 Wisconsin capsule

Some might argue that for all the praise writers have heaped on Wisconsin's ability to generate another dynamic one-two punch in the backfield -- Tom Dienhart of BTN.com recently tabbed the Badgers' running backs as the conference's top unit at the position, for instance -- either White or Gordon deserves to be a first-teamer. It's especially startling seeing a Northwestern running back get the nod over a Wisconsin back or, well, anyone else, and there's another talented second-team back in Ohio State's Carlos Hyde, too. I might put White or Gordon on the first team next to Abdullah, though Mark does have the numbers to support his case.

The rest of Steele's team seems relatively fair to the Badgers, as he rightfully highlights Abbrederis, Pedersen and Borland. Expect to seem Pedersen's name in particular mentioned throughout the summer as a viable breakout candidate among the nation's top tight ends. While none of Wisconsin's relatively young, unproven offensive linemen make the first team, guard Kyle Costigan and tackle Ryan Havenstein get second-team honors. I would've put guard Ryan Groy there as well for his proven versatility, for what it's worth.

Defensively, tackle Beau Allen gets rightfully-deserved second-team props. Safety Dezmen Southward is a third-team safety and you could fairly argue for a promotion. On the fourth team, end Ethan Hemer and linebacker Ethan Armstrong round things out for Wisconsin.

Again, this is just one writer's stab at an exercise that is generally meaningless. That said, did the Badgers get a fair shake here?

Steele's magazine is probably the best among preseason magazines, though, and it's a fantastic read for college football buffs of all ages and levels of fandom. The 2013 issue will go on sale June 18 at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, CVS, Publix, Target, Walgreens and Walmart.

*OFFENSE*
	1st TEAM	2nd TEAM	3rd TEAM	4th TEAM
QB	Braxton Miller, Ohio St	Taylor Martinez, Nebraska	Devin Gardner, Michigan	Kain Colter, Northwestern
RB	Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska	Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin	James White, Wisconsin	Mark Weisman, Iowa
RB	Venric Mark, Northwestern	Carlos Hyde, Ohio St	Zach Zwinak, Penn St	Derrick Green, Michigan
WR	Allen Robinson, Penn St	Jeremy Gallon, Michigan	Kofi Hughes, Indiana	Quincy Enunwa, Nebraska
WR	Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin	Devin Smith, Ohio St	Aaron Burbridge, Michigan St	Shane Wynn, Indiana
WR	Kenny Bell, Nebraska	Cody Latimer, Indiana	Corey Brown, Ohio St	(TE) Ted Bolser, Indiana
TE	Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin	CJ Fiedorowicz, Iowa	Kyle Carter, Penn St	Devin Funchess, Michigan
C	Brandon Vitabile, Northwestern	Corey Linsley, Ohio St	Travis Jackson, Michigan St	Austin Blythe, Iowa
OG	Spencer Long, Nebraska	John Urschel, Penn St	Marcus Hall, Ohio St	Dan Feeney, Indiana
OG	Andrew Norwell, Ohio St	Kyle Costigan, Wisconsin	Jack Allen, Michigan St	Zac Epping, Minnesota
OT	Taylor Lewan, Michigan	Jeremiah Sirles, Nebraska	Ryan Groy, Wisconsin	Fou Fonoti, Michigan St
OT	Jack Mewhort, Ohio St	Rob Havenstein, Wisconsin	Brandon Scherff, Iowa	Michael Schofield, Michigan
*DEFENSE*
	1st TEAM	2nd TEAM	3rd TEAM	4th TEAM
DE	Marcus Rush, Michigan St	Adolphus Washington, OSU	Frank Clark, Michigan	Ethan Hemer, Wisconsin
DT	Bruce Gaston, Purdue	Beau Allen, Wisconsin	DaQuan Jones, Penn St	Lawrence Thomas, Mich St
DT	Ra'Shede Hageman, Minnesota	Carl Davis, Iowa	Quinton Washington, Michigan	Austin Johnson, Penn St
DE	Tyler Scott, Northwestern	Deion Barnes, Penn St	Jason Ankrah, Nebraska	Noah Spence, Ohio St
LB	Ryan Shazier, Ohio St	Glenn Carson, Penn St	Chi Chi Ariguzo, Northwestern	Christian Kirksey, Iowa
LB	Max Bullough, Michigan St	James Morris, Iowa	Mike Hull, Penn St	Ethan Armstrong, Wisconsin
LB	Chris Borland, Wisconsin	Denicos Allen, Michigan St	Desmond Morgan, Michigan	Mason Monheim, Illinois
LB	Jonathan Brown, Illinois	Curtis Grant, Ohio St	Anthony Hitchens, Iowa	Damien Proby, Northwestern
CB	Bradley Roby, Ohio St	Ciante Evans, Nebraska	Nick VanHoose, Northwestern	Andrew Green, Nebraska
CB	Darqueze Dennard, Michigan St	Ricardo Allen, Purdue	Adrian Amos, Penn St	Derrick Wells, Minnesota
S	Isaiah Lewis, Michigan St	CJ Barnett, Ohio St	Greg Heban, Indiana	Malcolm Willis, Penn St
S	Christian Bryant, Ohio St	Ibraheim Campbell, NW	Dezmen Southward, Wisc	Thomas Gordon, Michigan
*SPECIAL TEAMS*
	1st TEAM	2nd TEAM	3rd TEAM	4th TEAM
K	Jeff Budzien, Northwestern	Brendan Gibbons, Michigan	Mike Meyer, Iowa	Drew Basil, Ohio St
P	Mike Sadler, Michigan St	Justin DuVernois, Illinois	Drew Meyer, Wisconsin	Cody Webster, Purdue
KR	Jordan Cotton, Iowa	Dennis Norfleet, Michigan	Tevin Coleman, Indiana	Akeem Hunt, Purdue
PR	Venric Mark, Northwestern	Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska	Corey Brown (WR), Ohio St	Jesse Della Valle, Penn St

Wisconsin Spring Game: Cardinal 61, White 47

Mike Fiammetta — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 23:22:08 -0000

The sun was out one day after this damn winter brought more snow to Madison, a probably-larger-than-expected crowd showed up and nobody got hurt. That's a recipe for a solid spring game, and the Badgers got just that -- and a little more.

The Cardinal team (defense) "won" the game by a 61-47 score over White, but strong individual performances were had throughout the roster. The spring game is just that, the spring game, so we take these results with a few grains of salt. Plus, both units were without nearly half of their starters and we were forced to put up with this mess of a scoring system:

OFFENSE
Touchdown = 6 pts.
Conversion = 1 or 2 pts. (ALL LIVE)
Field goal = 3 pts.
Run of 15+ yards = 2 pts.
Pass of 20+ yards = 2 pts.
First Down = 1 pt.

DEFENSE
Touchdown = 6 pts.
Safety = 2 pts.
Conversion = 1 or 2 pts. (ALL LIVE)
Turnover = 5 pts.
3-and-out = 3 pts.
Blocked FG = 3 pts.
Stopped drive, Sack, TFL = 2 pts.

BlackPack-fan summed it up nicely in the GameThread: "This scoring system is genius. ... Its so comprehensive yet its keeping the game close, and sportscenter will have something to say about this game when the final scores are in the 70 and 80s. Enjoying it so far."

That Gary Andersen, so savvy. On to those strong performances:

-- Curt Phillips got the first first-team snaps at quarterback, though Joel Stave was by far the best quarterback of the day. Stave completed 15 of his 20 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown, and he looked exceptionally comfortable both inside and outside the pocket. Phillips, for the record, went 8-for-13 with 82 yards. Entering the summer, it feels safe to say Stave will be Wisconsin's Week 1 starting quarterback barring a complete collapse in the fall or a stunning emergence by JuCo transfer Tanner McEvoy.

-- Melvin Gordon was the lone available running back (at least, among the guys that will actually play) and he looked great. So great that when BTN interviewed Montee Ball on the sideline -- sporting some nifty, post-graduate shades, no less -- you really weren't that concerned that the NCAA's leading touchdown scorer won't to be back next year. The sophomore running back gained 74 yards on 17 carries (don't let the 4.4 yards-per-carry fool you -- he also added 39 receiving yards on 4 catches) and added one touchdown. Newly-converted safety Kyle Zuleger got some carries, as did fullbacks Derek Watt and Derek Straus. Watt also looked good fielding some passes out of the backfield.

-- Receivers: No Jared Abbrederis, but Kenzel Doe (8 catches, 93 yards) was targeted early and often Jordan Fredrick (3 catches, 35 yards) had a few grabs and was also nearly killed by an ill-advised Curt Phillips pass and the tight ends (Jacob Pedersen and Brian Wozniak, in particular) looked alright out there.

-- Offensive line: Probably not the best day for these guys, though in all fairness they've been the most injury-ravaged group this spring. Danny O'Brien (who did not look good at all, by the way) and Phillips suffered from poor pass-protection, and Gordon's brilliance probably obscured some further issues. Tyler Marz started at left tackle while Dallas Lewallen lined up at left guard, for what it's worth.

-- Defensively, the Badgers showed a ton of new looks with their new 3-4 base defense. Andersen said after the game that the D was fairly generic since the game was televised -- damn you, BTN! -- but it seems safe to say this will be a fun, dynamic group to watch come fall. Linebacker Vince Biegel had two safeties by way of "sacks" -- remember, quarterbacks couldn't be hit -- with four tackles and early-enrollee cornerback Sojourn Shelton had a few nice pass-breakups and overall solid, spunky freshman play. Looks like he'll be a contributor in the real games, too. Joe Schobert and Marcus Trotter led all players with 7 tackles.

Box Score

2013 Wisconsin Spring Football: Tight Ends Counting on Being More Involved in Passing Game

Spencer J Smith — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:36:03 -0000

When it comes to the passing game, tight ends and fullbacks usually serve as security blankets for the quarterback, players bound to cause matchup problems and find holes in the middle of the defense. For Wisconsin's 2013 offense, though, these players could serve a much greater purpose.

Last season, tight end Jacob Pedersen was second in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns for the Badgers. During this spring's practices, Wisconsin's offense has featured several packages that use two or three tight ends lined up off-tackle or even spread out wide. A major reason for the tight ends' involvement in the passing game is, of course, Wisconsin's ability to run the ball, which takes the pressure off receivers. But the Badgers' wide receiving corps has also been largely unable to generate a second option alongside Jared Abbrederis, the unquestioned No. 1 receiving option.

Along with those reasons, the tight end group also features a number of players who are athletic enough to both block effectively and run routes.

"Athletically, we really have some good route runners and the ability to catch the ball with our hands really well," tight ends coach Jeff Genyk said. "So, I think [the tight ends] will be significantly involved in [the passing game]."

More Spring Coverage: TE preview OL preview No excuses, OL says

While the necessity to feature tight ends in the passing game might be viewed as a weakness, Genyk believes it will play to UW's benefit.

"The aspect of having kids that are multifaceted is they can do a good job of pass protection, run blocking and run great routes and make plays in the passing game," Genyk said. "It makes it very difficult for the defense. Especially when you get three tight ends on the field, you can really do a lot from a formational standpoint."

Alongside Pedersen at tight end this spring has been fifth-year senior Brian Wozniak and junior Sam Arneson. Both have taken a lot of reps and have proven themselves in the trenches along with the passing attack.

Both Wozniak and Arneson received playing time last season, with Wozniak racking up 94 receiving yards and Arneson scoring two touchdowns among his four receptions.

Pedersen, Wozniak and Arneson were expected to stand out this spring given their past experience, but fifth-year senior Brock DeCicco has been another player who has impressed coaches and teammates during practice this spring.

"I think a guy who has kind of flown under the radar is Brock DeCicco," Pedersen said. "He's got a lot of great skills. I think he can help us out a lot and he'll definitely be used in multiple-tight end sets to help us out."

DeCicco transferred to Wisconsin in 2010 from Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania native redshirted his first season at Pitt and in his second season had only two receptions for 19 yards, but both went for touchdowns. DeCicco played in all 14 games in 2012, but didn't catch a ball.

With the four upperclassmen -- Pedersen, Wozniak, Arneson and DeCicco, -- making a push for more playing time, Pedersen says the competition has brought out the best in all of the tight ends this spring.

"All together, they're pushing me, but at the same time I'm pushing them," Pedersen said. "They're trying to get better than me so that they can get more reps and they're pushing me to get better so I can keep my reps."

Though the lack of receiving options puts the spotlight on the tight ends' ability to contribute in the passing game, it can also be forgotten that the tight ends are still going to be blocking more than they are going to be running routes in the fall.

Genyk knows how important his group's ability to block will be in Wisconsin's run-heavy style and is pleased with the improvement he has seen in that area.

"I think [their blocking] is all improved," Genyk said. "I think their pad level has improved, good hand placement, they're finishing to the echo of the whistle. But, it's a sophisticated blocking scheme, whether it is a zone scheme or a gap scheme and they are able to adapt well to that."

One player who can also add another dimension to the passing game -- and has proven himself a viable option in the past -- is redshirt sophomore fullback Derek Watt.

Watt pitched in with 12 receptions for 150 yards in 2012 -- the fourth-most receiving yards on the team -- proving his ability as a pass catcher. Now, he expects to be even more involved in the passing game.

"Last year, I had I think 12 receptions, so I got in the pass game a little bit," Watt said. "I'm kind of looking for that role to evolve and kind of get incorporated in a little bit more. So getting in more routes -- not a whole lot -- but more than in the past, I think."

If Watt can continue to develop his skills in the passing attack, he knows he can become an even more valuable piece in Wisconsin's offense.

"It's definitely big to have the option that the fullback can catch the ball and be out in the flat, or be the checkdown or be the first option quick off of the snap," Watt said. "It's kind of a safety valve or a quick-hitter that is good for the quarterback to look for."

Spring-ing to the Top: The Very Early Best of the Best Tight Ends in the B1G

Jesse Collins — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:00:05 -0000

In the past fifteen years or so, it seems that the Tight End has taken on quite the role in both the professional and college game. No longer were these players asked just to block the man in front of them, they were also asked to get open, make the tough catch, and truck for a few more yards. Just in case that wasn't difficult enough, more and more coaches figured they could use multiple TE sets and flank out a TE to cause matchup nightmares. It is truly one of the most hybrid positions on all of the field, and it is one that the Big Ten has historically been very proud of.

Interestingly enough, when asked to rank the top five Tight Ends in the B1G, you find yourself missing that one guy who has separated himself from the pack. Still, you have coaching staffs that are high on the Tight End position: Ferentz, Dantonio, BOB, Andersen, and a relative glut of other coaches that like the matchup nightmare have put systems in place that make a defensive coordinator cringe. Even so, can you name five Tight Ends that just have that, "Wow!" factor?

Didn't think so.

And maybe the difficult part now is that we judge this position on such different criteria. With the Gronkowskis of the world showing what a big, fast, and physical Tight End can do, maybe that's what we expect. We look at touchdowns and yards and highlight plays. All that to say, this list - even with help from Graham and MNWildcat - seems a bit incomplete. I'll let you all decide, but for now let's look at where we landed.

1. C.J. Fiedorowicz

Fiedorowicz - aka, "The Polish Hat" (of BHGP Fame) - is one of the more interesting cases of high expectations leading to an understated good season. Going into 2012, many (me included) would easily have pinpointed Fiedorowicz as a player most likely to have a breakout season. His soft hands and gigantic frame fit nicely into quick release offenses, and honestly, he plays just a bit faster than he appears. So what happened? He racked up the most receptions by a TE, generally took up space on running plays - when Iowa had a Running Back not being smoted by some angry deity - and by all accounts was a threat. One might call that a success, but his one touchdown and the general awfulness of Iowa had him flying under the radar.

Well, with a new Quarterback, some more Greg Davis continuity (Hawkeye fans hope), and another year to impress the NFL, the general consensus is that he should be the top of the heap going into 2013. Of course, like I said above, this class doesn't necessarily have the glamour of past years. But that's just my thoughts. Here's MNWildcat with his take:

"The man Hawkeye fans call the Polish Hat, at a massive 6'7", racked up 45 catches for 433 yards last season, but only pulled down 1 TD. With a completely new QB in Iowa City, I expect Kirk Ferentz & Co to lean on such a large target; Fiedorowicz clearly has the hands and ability for the position."

Well said. Depending on the situation, Fiedorowicz's stats could be pretty ridiculous by the end of the season. Touchdown4Kids can only hope his TD's increase dramatically.

2. Ted Bolser @TedBolser

Bolser made a lot of All Conference lists last season, and with over 1,000 career receiving yards, one can easily imagine his Senior campaign being a dangerous one. From 2011 to 2012, he increased his catch total from 14 to 41, and was an important part of the Kevin Wilson attack. MNWildcat was especially high on Bolser for these reasons as well:

"Bolser, based on his impressive career stats, heads this list. Of the returning B1G tight ends, he has the most career receiving yards (and the most last season) and plays a vital role in Kevin Wilson's spread attack in Bloomington."

So why second? There is an argument to be made that there should be a return to the mean this season, and with more talent surrounding Bolser, I at least think his stats will go down a bit as others, specifically Fiedorowicz, goes up. Also, I think that in the spirit of this position, Fiedorowicz means more to the Iowa ground game than Bolser does to Indiana. Nonetheless, if you wanted to say Bolser was the best, you would definitely have a good argument.

3. Jacob Pedersen @j_ped48

I have zero doubt that Wisconsin fans are going to think I am ranking Pedersen too low. After all, he was first team All Big Ten last season (in the coach's eyes at least), and most likely will start the season as a Mackey Award Watchlist member like he did last year. But here's the thing, while he was an integral part to the Wisconsin attack, his stats as a pass-catcher went down and he suffered from much of what Fiedorowicz suffered from - too high of expectations. In fact, while it pains me to say it, there is a legitimate argument that Kyle Carter had a good enough season to push him to this spot over Pedersen. So why not? Well, honestly, I still think Pedersen is a run-blocking beast, and I think that Coach Andersen will be using him in his Five TE sets this season... a lot.

Again, let's check back to MNWildcat as he was gracious enough to put some thoughts down for almost everyone:

"Pedersen, like Bolser, has put up a fantastic body of work during his time at Wisconsin. Gary Andersen's top receiving TE last year at Utah State put up stats almost identical to Pedersen's 27/355/4 last year--look for him to have another big year."

I'm already assuming Andersen ends up a Mackey Award finalist along with the other two guys, and we look like geniuses when this is all said and done. Of course, there is still a really good chance that we all look stupid and you can question our football watching habits.

4. Kyle Carter @KCarter_87

I'll be really honest with you all. I think Carter will be the best Tight End in the conference next season. Sure, he got hurt and hasn't been able to practice this spring, but by all accounts he is close to 100% and will be ready by the fall. In the 9 games before he got hurt last season, Carter hit paydirt twice, and managed to haul in 36 catches for 453 yards. In BOB's intricate TE heavy offense (one that made Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez a lot of money), Carter will be able to thrive. Despite breaking in a new QB, I think that Carter will be getting a lot of balls thrown his way. He's a fast kid who can move in space, and I think he'll do just fine for the Nittany Lions.

Graham, MNWildcat, and I all have him on the list for a reason, and if he can come back from that wrist surgery, look out. I fully expect his numbers to go up in 2013, and you all will see that I do, in fact, watch way too much football. Again, that or you will mock me. Either way we have a lot of fun dialogue going.

5. Devin Funchess @D_FUNCH

So what to think about Funchess. On one hand, he scored five touchdowns last season, which tied him for most touchdowns by a TE in the conference. That's the good. The bad? He only had 15 catches. Now one can make an argument that the Michigan passing game was spotty at times, but after an incredibly hot start, Funchess just kind of fell off a cliff production wise. Why? Well, as Michigan Live reports:

Funchess knows exactly what it was.

"I was like a pretty boy that didn't want to get hit," he humbly admitted on Thursday. "Now I know that I have to change many aspects of my game, change my mindset. Now I just go in there and stick my head in as much as possible.

"I believe I wasn't ready for the Big Ten because it was a tougher game."

But now he's a Sophomore and he is ready for the rugged Big Ten. At lest that what we think is going to happen. Honestly, Funchess has all the tools to be a dynamic Tight End not only on the conference level, but on the national level. This was a tough slot to fill, but Funchess is definitely one who has the talent to make it happen.

Next Man Up:

Dan Vitale

I'll let MNWildcat, as a Northwestern fan, give some insight here:

"I chose Vitale because of the role he plays in Northwestern's offense as the superback: he excels as a modified fullback, as a passing option out of the backfield, a blocker on the line, and a passing option off the line."

I do agree here, though. In that spread system, having a guy who can move around and matchup both in the backfield and on the line is a gift. Vitale actually finished last season with 28 catches and a pair of touchdowns proving he can ~~prove to~~ step in and be a pass catcher when needed.

UPDATE: Hey Everyone, I forgot the poll. Everybody loves a poll. It's there now. Click away.

Poll

Who is the very early best of the best Tight End in the B1G?

C.J. Fiedorowicz

103 votes

Ted Bolser

4 votes

Jacob Pedersen

28 votes

Kyle Carter

43 votes

Devin Funchess

16 votes

194 votes | Poll has closed

2013 Wisconsin Spring Football: Tight Ends. All The Tight Ends.

Andrew Rosin — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:00:05 -0000

Coming into 2012, everyone expected Jacob Pedersen to continue his growth from 2011. A 30-catch, 356-yard, 8-touchdown season was pretty impressive for someone who was the third option on a regular basis. As you can probably tell from the wide receiver preview, he didn't grow.

Now granted, this wasn't a situation as simple as he just didn't improve. The offensive line had struggles during the season, and they weren't so confident in the protection game that they could just send out James White and Montee Ball for passes. Ball and White combined for 39 grabs and 6 touchdowns in 2011. Ball, White and Melvin Gordon combined for 20 catches and 2 touchdowns.

But Pedersen did have flashes of greatness. In three conference games (Purdue, Michigan State and Ohio State), he was able to generate 13 catches, 208 yards and 3 touchdowns. That was nice, but considering he ended the year with 27 grabs, 355 yards, and 4 touchdowns? Just goes to show you just how inconsistent he was over the season.

More Spring Previews: Wide Receivers Quarterbacks Running backs

Spring Depth Chart

1) Jacob Pedersen -- 6-foot-4, 241 pounds, RS Senior
2) Brian Wozniak -- 6-foot-4, 261 pounds, RS Senior
3) Sam Arneson -- 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, Junior
4) Austin Traylor -- 6-foot-3, 243 pounds, RS Sophomore

Incoming Freshmen: T.J. Watt (B5Q Profile)

Strengths

Remember the wide receiver preview where I talked about the institution of the "13" package? If there weren't some quality performances among the tight ends, there wouldn't be talk of this unorthodox package. I mean, Pedersen didn't build on 2011, but he has the talent where if he puts it all together, he's going to be in the NFL in 2014.

Wozniak is still a good blocker, and he seems to be developing into something useful in the passing game. We're likely going to see him as the tight end that stays in to block in most downs when he comes in, but if he continues to grow as a receiver, it would prove very helpful.

Arneson didn't put much on the stat sheet, but when he did, he was truly efficient -- 4 catches, 2 touchdowns. In a way, he was the capper for Curt Phillips when he was making with the victories. If Phillips ends up winning the starting job, Arneson could get a good 30 to 35 grabs on the season. It would definitely answer a lot of the questions if he breaks out and does something.

All in all, if we're talking about bringing the best 11 players onto the field, a "13" package may be an unorthodox decision. But at present? It may be the best 11 on the field. There's experience, there's blockers and there's receiving upside.

Weaknesses

Let's be honest. While there are positions where the Badgers have worries, tight end isn't one of them. There's going to be a high floor to what the Badgers are going to get from this position.

But whereas the position is in reasonably good shape, there is still the chance that Pedersen is only good for somewhere between 25 to 35 catches and Sam Arneson doesn't emerge into the threat that we all think he could be. There's a lot that can go wrong. We're a long way from September.

But between the three tight ends? Something would have to go wrong for the Badgers not to be in good shape at this position.

Once Again, Badgers Fall Short in Pasadena

Ian McCue — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 04:39:59 -0000

Pasadena, Calif. — All it took for the Wisconsin football team’s third straight Rose Bowl to slip away was one misguided pass from the hands of quarterback Curt Phillips, a pass that sealed a 20-14 victory for Stanford Tuesday evening.

The fateful throw came as the Badgers drove down the field behind bruising runs as the clock trickled closer to the two-minute mark in the fourth quarter. All that momentum evaporated when Stanford defensive end Josh Mauro tipped a pass from Phillips intended for tight end Jacob Pedersen that instead landed in the hands of nickelback Usua Amanam.

"You’re at midfield or close to midfield with a chance to win the Rose Bowl," interim head coach Barry Alvarez said. "I just felt like maybe we were a team of destiny.

"So I just felt like somehow we were going to find a way to score."

The fifth-year senior signal caller said Stanford defenders shut off his first two targets on the play, making Pedersen — who had the option to curl inside or head toward the sideline — his man. But according to Phillips a miscommunication and a poor throw on his part ended the potential game-winning drive a yard into Stanford territory.

"It’s extremely frustrating, there’s no doubt in my mind we were going to win that game," Phillips said postgame as he fought back tears. "So it’s tough, but it’s been a hell of a ride the whole time, I’ve really enjoyed it."

Phillips’ final drive marked one of the only signs of offensive success for the Badgers in the second half, as their 14 points all came in the opening 30 minutes.

With the Cardinal defense keeping a muzzle on any offensive production from the Badgers early, speedy tailback Melvin Gordon took a jet sweep 15 yards around the right edge to establish the foundation for the remainder of the drive. A tipped ball somehow found its way into the arms of Jared Abbrederis, and Ball finally found a path to the end zone to cut Stanford’s lead to 14-7.

After Stanford’s Jordan Williamson slid a 47-yard field goal through the uprights, Wisconsin looked set to take a 14-point deficit into halftime.

But Phillips sprinted 38 yards down the left to give his team renewed hope of a score before the break. With less than 30 seconds left in the first half, the fifth-year senior found a diving Jordan Fredrick in the front of the end zone to lower the deficit to three points.

Yet Phillips impressive drive proved for naught, the game marred by the electrifying comebacks that ended in heartbreaking defeat that defined Wisconsin’s 2012 campaign.

"It’s heartbreaking. You’d like to send out guys like Montee the right way, and we couldn’t get it done today," linebacker Chris Borland said. "Like Coach (Alvarez) said earlier, it’s kind of been a microcosm of our whole season. We’ve faced some adversity, fought back and came up short."

The surprising offensive fireworks of the first half transformed into a grind-it-out defensive battle where neither team scored in the third quarter.

The lone score of the second half for either team came on a chip shot field goal that capped a clock-draining 12-play, 66-yard drive that chugged along behind running back Stepfan Taylor’s 25 yards.

But the offense sputtered for much of the game with Phillips throwing for only 83 yards and the combined 155 yards of Montee Ball, James White and Melvin Gordon not enough to make up for it.

"It’s just been up and down, and we just weren’t able to produce what we needed to produce," redshirt junior Travis Frederick said. "As an offensive line we didn’t play the way we needed to in the second half … and I think that really hurt the team."

A steady rushing attack from the Badgers (151 yards) and an efficient two quarters from Cardinal quarterback Kevin Hogan (6-of-9, 90 yards) had the first half score sitting closer to what many expected for a full four quarters of play rather than a half.

Wisconsin’s offensive line kept Stanford’s vaunted defensive line and linebackers under control, as they never sacked Phillips and left enough space for him to run for 64 yards.

"They’re very difficult to block. I thought we had some success, Melvin had a great day on the edge," Alvarez said. "We made some plays, but they were jamming the middle up pretty good."

The Pac-12 champs wasted no time grabbing the early advantage, as running back Kelsey Young scampered around the left edge and into the end zone on a 16-yard run.

The Cardinal’s redshirt freshman signal caller then aired it out to tight end Zach Ertz for 43 yards before running back Stepfan Taylor rammed it past the goal line to hand Stanford the 14-0 lead early.

Twice the Badgers appeared to answer their first score, but the Stanford defense refused to make it that easy. Ball made it into the touchdown nearly untouched but a holding call on left tackle Ricky Wagner negated that score. Phillips then hit Pedersen — who appeared to crawl into the end zone — but a review overturned that call before the Cardinal denied White on fourth and goal.

The players realized the loss came as a result of more than a single errant throw. After chasing Stanford for four quarters, Wisconsin’s effort was too little, too late.

"It stings. It stings just as much because we fell short, extremely short when we had the opportunity to win," Ball said. "They did a great job of stopping a really good offense. But speaking for our offense, we had many opportunities to capitalize on big plays and we fell short."

Fifth Quarter Consensus: Alvarez Wins Fourth Rose Bowl Championship

Jake Harris — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 23:23:19 -0000

The Predictions:

Jake Harris (+285): Wisconsin 28, Stanford 20
Andy Johnson (+286): Wisconsin 31, Stanford 24
Phil Mitten (+288): Stanford 26, Wisconsin 23
Andrew Rosin (+338): Wisconsin 21, Stanford 16
Louis Bien: Stanford 21, Wisconsin 17
John Daly: Stanford 28, Wisconsin 14
Jack Moore: Stanford 24, Wisconsin 23
Nathan Palm: Wisconsin 24, Stanford 20
Nick Korger: Wisconsin 45, Stanford 10

The Reasoning:

The Wisconsin football program's 2012 season has featured more twists and turns than a bad soap opera. Many of the changes have taken place just in the time since the Badgers last played in a game December 1. The result of all the turmoil? Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez will serve as the team's head coach in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. He will look to improve his perfect record coaching in the game to 4-0.

While Alvarez will oversee the game, former head coach Bret Bielema's assistant coaches, many of them lame ducks, are responsible for game-planning. Only running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Thomas Hammock, defensive backs coach Ben Strickland, and possibly offensive line coach Bart Miller may be retained by new head coach Gary Andersen when he takes control of the team in 2013.

Offensive coordinator Matt Canada is set to join former Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Doeren's new staff at North Carolina State, while defensive coordinator Chris Ash will move with Bielema to Arkansas. While that could be viewed as a distraction, Canada in particular may view the Rose Bowl as his final opportunity to open up the playbook for Wisconsin's talented personnel.

In addition to the return of Alvarez to the Rose Bowl sideline and the shakeup of Wisconsin's coaching staff, this game features several interesting story lines. UW is the first five-loss team to play in the Rose Bowl, by virtue of Ohio State's and Penn State's postseason ineligibility. The Badgers are making their third consecutive appearance in Pasadena and sixth since the 1993 season. They are trying to avoid losing three straight Rose Bowl games for the first time since Michigan did it in the 1970s.

To buck the recent trend, Wisconsin will have to slow down a solid Stanford team that has been rolling as of late. The Cardinal have won seven straight games since starting the season 4-2. In each of those seven wins, the Stanford defense has given up 24 points or fewer. The Cardinal not only won the Pac-12 conference, but beat UCLA twice in a six-day span to do so.

It all starts with the defense for head coach David Shaw's team. Stanford has given up just 17.5 points per game in 2012. The Cardinal ranks third in the nation in allowing just 87.7 rushing yards per game (2.84 yards per attempt). Stanford also leads the NCAA in sacks with 56 and tackles for loss with 120.

The Cardinal rotate a lot of players through defensive coordinator Derek Mason's 3-4 scheme. Senior linebacker Trent Murphy has 10 sacks and 18 tackles for loss, while senior linebacker Chase Thomas has 7.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss.

Stanford's defense poses a serious matchup challenge for the Badgers. Led by Doak Walker Award winner Montee Ball, look for Wisconsin to try and test the Cardinal's stout run defense with a variety of looks. James White and Melvin Gordon will be used to keep the defense honest on the edges and try and open up the middle for Ball. Canada was successful in deploying Gordon on jet sweeps and running the "barge" formation with White in the Big Ten Championship Game against Nebraska, and he will likely have a few more tricks up his sleeve for this game.

Despite Stanford's strong overall numbers against the run, the Cardinal did give up 194 rushing yards to Johnathan Franklin in the Pac-12 Championship Game against UCLA. There is no reason Ball can't replicate that effort.

While Curt Phillips is set to make his fifth consecutive start at quarterback for Wisconsin, redshirt freshman Joel Stave has been cleared to play. Phillips obviously has the respect and admiration of his teammates and coaches, but Stave is the better passer. Against a Stanford defense that ranks 83rd against the pass, expect Stave to take a few series to try and loosen up the Cardinal safeties.

Stave is more turnover-prone than Phillips, however, and Stanford has forced 26 turnovers this season, including 14 interceptions. Ball security will be at a premium no matter who is in the game. Wide receiver Chase Hammond may miss the game for Wisconsin, depleting an already thin receiving corps. Still, Jared Abbrederis and Jacob Pedersen remain capable.

Offensively, Stanford is led by freshman quarterback Kevin Hogan, who took over from junior Josh Nunes full-time at the beginning of November. Hogan is undefeated as a starter and has completed 72.9 percent of his passes for 973 yards. He has a stellar 9-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Hogan also boasts decent mobility. His best day as a runner came against Oregon State's tough defense (11 carries, 49 yards).

Senior running back Stepfan Taylor drives the train for the Cardinal, however. Taylor has rushed for 1,442 yards and 12 touchdowns this season and averages 4.8 yards per carry. He did manage just 78 yards on 24 carries against UCLA in the Pac-12 Championship Game, though.

Wisconsin's defense has had time to heal. With healthy defensive ends in David Gilbert, Brendan Kelly, Tyler Dippel, and Pat Muldoon, and middle linebacker Chris Borland back to full health, the Badgers should be in good shape.

The team announced that freshman kicker Jack Russell would handle placekicking duties in the Rose Bowl. Russell is 0-for-2 on field goal attempts this season, but has apparently practiced better than redshirt sophomore Kyle French. French has hit 10 of 16 field goal tries this season, but has struggled recently.

Sophomore Jordan Williamson isn't much better for the Cardinal, however. He has connected on just 15 of his 25 attempts. Stanford allows just 18.43 yards per kickoff return, but allows 7.47 yards per punt return.

Who has the edge?

Offense: Wisconsin

Defense: Stanford

Special Teams: Stanford

Coaching: Wisconsin

Intangibles: Push

Seven Badgers Earn First Team All-Big Ten Honors

Phil Mitten — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 01:50:32 -0000

Wisconsin's senior tailback Montee Ball was voted the Big Ten's top running back for the second straight year, headlining a list of seven Badgers selected first team All-Big Ten by either the media or coaches.

In total, 16 different Badgers were honored, including junior tight end Jacob Pedersen who was a somewhat surprising winner of the Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year award. Pedersen was a first-team pick by the coaches, honorable mention by the media.

Eight players from the defense and special teams received all-conference votes. That does not include senior safety Shelton Johnson, Wisconsin's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient. On the offensive side, six more players received votes, including Ball, who won his second Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year award just two days after setting a new NCAA record for career touchdowns.

Junior wide receiver Jared Abbrederis, currently fourth in the Big Ten with 764 receiving yards, joined Ball as a consensus first-team pick. Along the much-maligned offensive line, senior tackle Ricky Wagner (consensus) and junior Travis Frederick (media) were named to the first team. Junior Ryan Groy was a second-team pick by the coaches.

Linebackers Mike Taylor and Chris Borland led the way on defense, just as they have all year. Taylor, a senior, was a first-team pick by the media, while the coaches voted Borland, a junior, to the first team. Senior cornerback Devin Smith was a second-team selection by the media as well. All three received honorable mention from the other group.

Senior cornerback Marcus Cromartie, junior lineman Beau Allen, junior safety Dezmen Southward, and junior defensive end David Gilbert round out the consensus honorable mention picks on defense. Another junior lineman, Ethan Hemer, received votes from the coaches. Redshirt freshman Drew Meyer was honorable mention at punter.

View entire All-Big Ten teams

2012 All-Big Ten Conference football teams

Offense

Montee Ball - First team (consensus)
Jared Abbrederis - First team (consensus)
Rick Wagner - First team (consensus)
Travis Frederick - First team (media), Honorable mention (coaches)
Jacob Pedersen - First team (coaches), Honorable mention (media)
Ryan Groy - Second team (coaches), Honorable mention (media)

Defense

Mike Taylor - First team (media), Honorable mention (coaches)
Chris Borland - First team (coaches), Honorable mention (media)
Devin Smith - Second team (media), Honorable mention (coaches)
Beau Allen - Honorable mention (consensus)
Marcus Cromartie - Honorable mention (consensus)
David Gilbert - Honorable mention (consensus)
Dezmen Southward - Honorable mention (consensus)
Ethan Hemer - Honorable mention (coaches)

Special Teams

Drew Meyer - Honorable mention (consensus)

Big Ten Sportsmanship Award

Shelton Johnson

SB Nation - Jacob Pedersen

B1G 2013 // Can the Badgers make it back to Pasadena?

Last Season

Good News:

Bad News:

Neutral News:

Offense

Defense

Special Teams

The Schedule

If you're talking to a Wisconsin fan...

Don't mention:

Do mention:

Badger Bits: Wisconsin football puts 3 players on Phil Steele's All-American squads

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

SPECIAL TEAMS

LINKS:

Phil Steele's 2013 Preseason All-Big Ten Team: 3 Badgers make 1st team

Wisconsin Spring Game: Cardinal 61, White 47

2013 Wisconsin Spring Football: Tight Ends Counting on Being More Involved in Passing Game

Spring-ing to the Top: The Very Early Best of the Best Tight Ends in the B1G

ICYMI: OTE's Very Early Best of the Best

1. C.J. Fiedorowicz

2. Ted Bolser @TedBolser

3. Jacob Pedersen @j_ped48

4. Kyle Carter @KCarter_87

5. Devin Funchess @D_FUNCH

Next Man Up:

Dan Vitale

Who is the very early best of the best Tight End in the B1G?

C.J. Fiedorowicz

Ted Bolser

Jacob Pedersen

Kyle Carter

Devin Funchess

2013 Wisconsin Spring Football: Tight Ends. All The Tight Ends.

Spring Depth Chart

Strengths

Weaknesses

Once Again, Badgers Fall Short in Pasadena

Fifth Quarter Consensus: Alvarez Wins Fourth Rose Bowl Championship

The Predictions:

The Reasoning:

Who has the edge?

Seven Badgers Earn First Team All-Big Ten Honors

2012 All-Big Ten Conference football teams

Offense

Defense

Special Teams

Big Ten Sportsmanship Award