One of the battles the University of Wisconsin football team’s offense will have to fight this spring is against impatience.
With an almost entirely new coaching staff and new players assuming top spots on the depth chart, the offense is likely going to need some time to get things in order.
The Badgers, who finished second in the Big Ten West last season with a 9-4 record, needed to shake some things up after a second straight year of missing out on the conference championship game and a top-tier bowl. UW coach Paul Chryst has hired a new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Bobby Engram, moved Bob Bostad back to the offensive line coaching spot, made Chris Haering the tight ends coach, and brought in former UW offensive lineman Al Johnson to coach running backs as Gary Brown deals with health issues.
Spring practices run March 22-April 22, with the Badgers slated to practice each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday over those five weeks. The exception of the final week, when the schedule goes to Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. Those practices will be on the indoor field at the McClain Center while the renovations to Camp Randall Stadium’s south end zone seating area continue. As has become the norm under Chryst, UW will not have a spring game.
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Here are three key storylines to watch on offense during spring practices:
Engram’s tweaks to the offense
Engram was an interesting hire for Chryst and the Badgers for a number of reasons, but top among them is he doesn’t have experience as a coordinator. He’s spent the past eight years with the Baltimore Ravens as an assistant, coaching wide receivers for five seasons before taking over the franchise’s tight ends.
He’s seen how a team at the highest level can be built around the run and still create chances at plays in the pass game — a formula that has worked for UW in the past and is its best chance to compete for a Big Ten title, but has been lacking the last two seasons. What Engram will bring in terms of formations, motions, pace, passing concepts and more will start to show during spring practices, as how he views his talent on offense.
“I think fundamentally and philosophically, we see the game very similar,” Chryst said of his new coordinator.
It will also be fascinating to watch the working balance between Chryst and Engram. Chryst was the team’s offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and play-caller last season, but Engram will be the play-caller this year after the staff collaborates on the game plan throughout the week.
Who’s at tackle?
Bostad’s move back to the offensive line ensures that position group has a high-level coach. But there are plenty of questions about the players filling out the starting lineup.
All-American left guard Josh Seltzner and All-Big Ten right tackle Logan Bruss are gone, leaving senior left tackle Tyler Beach, junior center Joe Tippmann and redshirt sophomore right guard Jack Nelson as the returning pieces.
Beach had a poor season as a pass blocker in 2021, allowing 24 pressures and earning a PFF pass-blocking grade of 32.2, fifth-worst among Power Five conference tackles who played at least 300 snaps. However, he was a strong run blocker and his PFF run-blocking grade of 81.2 was No. 24 among those same tackles. He’ll have a chance to start again, but it shouldn’t be set in stone that he’s the starter at left tackle.
Former five-star recruits Logan Brown and Nolan Rucci will compete for tackle spots, as will Tanor Bortolini and Riley Mahlman. Bortolini was solid filling in for Bruss when he missed time due to neck and foot injuries, including in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Competition at quarterback
Unfortunately for two-year starting quarterback Graham Mertz, the questions about him can’t be answered this spring.
He’ll need to pick up the changes that Engram brings to the offense, but UW already knows he can look great in a controlled practice setting — he’ll have to perform in the fall to change the conversation around him that’s drifted into disappointment. However, one area he can show improvement is reading his progressions quicker and avoiding the moments in which he sticks on his first read too long.
There could be a battle brewing for the spots behind Mertz, and perhaps to challenge for that starting spot if one of his backups can exceed expectations. Senior Chase Wolf has also looked good in spring and training camp before, but failed to translate that to the game field. Redshirt freshman Deacon Hill and true freshman Myles Burkett will push for backup reps with Wolf, and Hill was one of the standout performers of the team’s bowl practices.
How quickly Hill and Burkett can adapt to Engram and the new offense and let their physical talents show will be fun to watch.
Where Wisconsin football alums stand in the 2022 NFL Draft
LOGAN BRUSS, OG

Michael Conroy, Associated Press archives
Measurables: 6-foot-5, 309 pounds, 10¾-inch hands, 33⅛-inch arms, 5.3-second 40-yard dash, 31-inch vertical leap, 9-foot, 4-inch broad jump, 7.57-second three-cone drill, 4.55-second 20-yard shuttle.
UW career: 42 games played, 35 starts, part of offensive lines that produced a top-two rushing offense in the Big Ten twice. PFF grade over 72 for each of his final three seasons, peaking with his senior year of 82.6. Allowed one sack over last three seasons, per PFF. Showed impressive quickness and change of direction in NFL Scouting Combine workouts.
Consensus draft prospects: Day 3 pick (Rounds 4-6)
JOHN CHENAL, FB

Wisconsin fullback John Chenal runs in for a touchdown against Arizona State during Thursday’s Las Vegas Bowl in Las Vegas.
LE Baskow, Associated Press
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 256 pounds
UW career: 42 games played, 22 starts. Significant contributor on offense and special teams for four years. Tallied 62 carries, 223 yards and five touchdowns as a runner and had 10 catches for 54 yards and a score. Strong blocker at the point of attack.
Consensus draft prospects: Day 3 pick (Rounds 6-7) or undrafted
LEO CHENAL, ILB

KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, 9¾-inch hands, 31-inch arms, 4.53-second 40-yard dash, 40½-inch vertical leap, 10-foot, 8-inch broad jump.
UW career: 29 games played, 18 starts, key contributor to the No. 1 defense in the nation in 2021. Chenal had 172 total tackles (102 solo) and 25 for loss in three seasons. He had 11 sacks, including seven as a junior, three forced fumbles and an interception. Was PFF’s second-highest graded inside linebacker in the FBS in 2021.
Consensus draft prospects: Day 2 pick (Rounds 2-3), with the possibility of going early on Day 3 (Round 4)
JAKE FERGUSON, TE

LE Baskow, Associated Press
Measurables: 6-foot-4⅞, 250 pounds, 9½-inch hands, 32⅝-inch arms, 77⅜-inch wingspan, 15 reps of 225 on bench press, 4.81-second 40-yard dash, 31.5-inch vertical leap, 9-foot , 10-inch broad jump, 7.03-second three-cone drill, 4.48-second 20-yard shuttle.
UW career: 47 games played, 36 starts and 2,637 snaps played over his four seasons at UW. Ferguson tallied 145 catches, 1,614 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career; 91 of his catches went for first downs. Ferguson set a UW record by catching at least one pass in all 47 of his games.
Consensus draft prospects: Late Day 3 pick (Rounds 5-7)
MATT HENNINGSEN, DL

KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL
Measurables: 6-foot-3¼, 295 pounds, 9¼-inch hands, 32⅜-inch arms, 81⅜-inch wingspan
UW career: 42 games played, 29 starts, key contributor to the No. 1 defense in the nation in 2021. He had 91 tackles, 13 for loss, and eight sacks in four seasons. After walking-on at UW, he became a starter as a freshman, quickly earning a scholarship. He had three fumble recoveries and four passes defended in his career. Campbell Trophy finalist and held a 4.0 GPA as an undergrad.
Consensus draft prospects: Day 3 pick (Rounds 4-7)
FAION HICKS, CB

ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Measurables: 5-foot-10, 192 pounds
UW career: 44 games played, 39 starts, 108 tackles, one interception, 19 passes defended, including a career-high 10 as a senior. Four-year starter for Badgers, aiding the No. 1 total defense in the country as a senior.
Consensus draft prospects: Late Day 3 (Round 7) or undrafted
COLLIN LARSH, K

STEVE APPS, STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
Measureables: 5-foot-10, 194 pounds
Consensus draft prospects: Undrafted
SCOTT NELSON, DS

BRANDON BERG, CHIPPEWA HERALD
Measurables: 6-foot-2, 205 pounds
UW career: 29 games played, 28 starts, 127 tackles, 4 interceptions, 19 passes defended. Recovered from a knee injury in 2019 to play nearly every game the past two seasons, aided the No. 1 defense in the country as a senior.
Consensus draft prospects: Undrafted
JACK SANBORN, ILB

DAVID STLUKA PHOTOS, UW ATHLETICS
Measurables: 6-foot-1½, 239 pounds, 9⅜-inch hands, 30¾-inch arms, 74¾-inch wingspan, 4.73-second 40-yard dash, 20 reps of 225 on bench press, 34½-inch vertical leap, 9-feet , 6-inch broad jump.
UW career: 45 games played, 34 starts, three-year starter and All-Big Ten first-team selection as a senior, 230 tackles, 29 for loss, 11½ sacks, 4 interceptions, 8 passes defended, 3 fumbles forced, 2 fumble recoveries, captain of No. 1 defense in the country as a senior.
Consensus draft prospects: Day 3 (Rounds 5-7)
JOSH SELTZNER, OG

UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Measurables: 6-foot-4⅝, 304 pounds, 9½-inch hands, 33¾-inch arms, 79¼-inch wingspan
Consensus draft prospects: Late Day 3 (Rounds 6-7) or undrafted
COLLIN WILDER, DS

DAVID STLUKA, UW ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Measurables: 5-10, 199 pounds
UW career: 46 games played (32 at Wisconsin), 14 starts, 81 tackles, 4½ for loss, 1 sack, 5 interceptions, 16 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery. Leader of the No. 1 defense in the country as a senior. Transferred to UW as a walk-on in 2018 and earned a scholarship.
Consensus draft prospects: Undrafted
CAESAR Williams, CB

KAYLA WOLF, STATE JOURNAL ARCHIVES
Measurables: 6-foot, 188 pounds
Consensus draft prospects: Late Day 3 (Rounds 6-7) or undrafted
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