“They’ve all been really, really good,” Ruud said Tuesday. “They’re playing at a high level and I’ve been really happy with them.”
Even still, the older group came with some question marks. Barry is a stalwart, having started all 12 games last season and finishing tied for sixth in the Big Ten with 112 tackles. Honas, though, played just three games before a season-ending injury against Michigan and was not cleared for full contact work during the spring.
“They did a good job with his rehab here,” Ruud said of Honas. “When he was in spring, he wasn’t live, but he was moving around with us and did all the individual with us.