Notes: Badgers' depth on the offensive line could be tested against Purdue
Jeff Potrykus
MADISON – Wisconsin’s staff has been trying to build depth along the offensive line since 2015, when Paul Chryst took over as head coach and Joe Rudolph came in as offensive coordinator/line coach.
Some of the gains have been seen this season as redshirt junior Micah Kapoi has filled in for Jon Dietzen (right ankle, toe) at left guard, redshirt freshman Cole Van Lanen has popped in for Michael Deiter (right ankle) at left tackle and on Saturday when redshirt sophomore Jason Erdmann, a walk-on from Slinger High School, got extensive work at left guard.
That depth could be tested this week when UW (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) hosts Purdue (3-2, 1-1).
Both Dietzen and Kapoi (right arm) were listed as questionable Monday on the team’s preliminary injury report.
“We’re built for stuff like this,” Deiter said. “Because it has happened to us before. This definitely isn’t something we need to panic about.
“And I’m confident in the guys that are banged up. They’re working. They’re tough guys. I think we’ll have them sooner rather than later.”
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Dietzen, who has battled ankle issues since camp and missed the BYU game because of a broken toe on his right foot, started against Nebraska. Kapoi went through warm-ups and appeared fine.
Yet when the staff made a change on UW’s final series of the first half, Erdmann came in for Dietzen and finished the game.
The 6-foot-6, 337-pound Erdmann was able to get movement at the line of scrimmage and at times showed the ability to get out and engage linebackers.
“I thought he did some really good things,” Chryst said. “He handled his business…There is a point where they just have to go play. And it looked like there were times he was just playing.”
Pick-six history: UW has three touchdowns on interception returns through five games this season.
Linebacker Chris Orr on Saturday joined safeties Joe Ferguson (Utah State) and Natrell Jamerson (Northwestern) with his 78-yard score.
UW has recorded three touchdowns on interception returns just twice in the last 20 years.
Aaron Henry (two) and Antonio Fenelus (one) combined for three in 2010. UW finished with 14 interceptions overall that season.
Jamar Fletcher returned three of his seven interceptions for scores in 1999. UW finished with 19 interceptions overall that season.
“Always a little bit of good fortune,” inside linebacker T.J. Edwards, who has two of UW’s eight interceptions this season, said when asked about the odds of scoring on an interception. “I think it is just guys being in the right spot, knowing our assignments, guys going to the ball.
“It is always fun to see guys make plays.”
Recruiting update: Graham Mertz, a pro-style quarterback from Blue Valley North High School in Kansas, on Sunday gave UW an oral commitment for the 2019 class.
Mertz visited UW for the Northwestern game on Sept. 30 and chose UW over several schools. He had offers from Kansas and Minnesota.
Mertz is the second known commitment for UW’s 2019 class. The first was Leo Chenal, a 6-2, 220-pound linebacker from Grantsburg.
Thirty and counting: UW has scored at least 30 points in all five games this season and nine of the last 10 games dating to last season. UW scored 24 points in its eight-point victory over Western Michigan in the Cotton Bowl.
To put the five-game streak into perspective, consider that UW hit the 30-point mark 10 times in Chryst’s first two seasons.
Extra-points: The staff still isn't sure when senior defensive end Chikwe Obasih (left knee) will be able to return. Obasih has been out since suffering an injury in practice after the opener. He no longer has to use crutches but is still wearing a brace on his knee...
Including his 37-yard field goal against Nebraska, Rafael Gaglianone has made 15 of his last 17 attempts dating to the 2015 Holiday Bowl…
UW defenders were credited with eight passes broken up against Nebraska, a season-high. The previous high was seven against Northwestern.