Head coach Luke Fickell and defensive coordinator Mike Tressel have embarked on a substantial task this offseason—revamping the Wisconsin football linebacker corps to better suit their envisioned defensive scheme.
When the new staff took over in Madison, the focus was on “meshing the elite.” This concept required Tressel to integrate the strengths of Wisconsin’s previous 3-4 base and 2-4-5 nickel scheme, led by former coordinator Jim Leonhard, with the 3-3-5 nickel defense employed by he and Fickell during their tenure at Cincinnati.
Thanks to the transfer portal, the Badgers added several players who fit the mold of what they would typically recruit.