UW coaches hope a healthy Zack Baun will leave opponents feeling ill this season

MADISON – August has been a stress-free month for Wisconsin outside linebacker Zack Baun.

More important, it has been an injury-free month for the graduate of Brown Deer High School.

“My goal is to practice every practice,” Baun said, “and I’ve done that so far.”

Minor injuries caused Baun to miss two games in 2016, when he got most of his work on special teams.

He was expected to battle for a spot in the regular rotation at outside linebacker last season but suffered a season-ending broken foot in August.

Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard is pleased with what he saw in camp from Baun, who generally was paired with Andrew Van Ginkel on the No. 1 unit.

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“I think you see a lot more comfort,” Leonhard said. “He had never been able to go consistently because of injuries. You always saw flashes.

“I think you are seeing him grow into being more comfortable being on the field and making plays.”

Baun, 6 foot 3 and 230 pounds, lacks the bulk of Garret Dooley (6-3 and 246) and Leon Jacobs (6-2 and 245), who started last season at outside linebacker. 

He doesn’t have the wingspan of the 6-4, 236-pound Van Ginkel.

“I’m not big but I use my leverage,” Baun said. “It is all about using leverage, staying low.”

Baun, who ran the 100 and 200 meters in track and field in high school, is arguably faster than Van Ginkel or Tyler Johnson, the No. 3 outside linebacker.

He has used that speed effectively, at times, during pass-rush drills.

“I’ve learned that I have more speed than I think I do,” said Baun, whose battles against right tackle David Edwards also were physical. “And that I need to utilize it to my fullest potential.

“But I can’t go with speed every time. I have to incorporate a second move and more power.”

Jacobs and Dooley were effective at setting the edge on running plays and pressuring quarterbacks on passing plays. 

Dooley recorded a team-best 7 ½ sacks; Jacobs had 9 ½ tackles for loss and eight hurries. They combined for 101 total tackles.

Baun appears to have enough bulk to handle runs and the athletic ability to get into the backfield and harass quarterbacks. 

“He brings a different element to the pass rush than a lot of our guys,” Leonhard said, “especially a lot of guys we’ve had in the past. 

“He has good flexibility and bend and twitch getting off the ball. It brings a different element for some of those tackles to work again.”

Baun during camp battled Edwards (6-7 and 315), Jon Dietzen (6-6 and 323) and Cole Van Lanen (6-5 and 311). Edwards is set to start at right tackle. Dietzen and Van Lanen are vying to start at left tackle, though both are expected to play.

“We are on the same team so whenever we can teach each other it’s good,” Baun said when asked about the one-on-one pass-rush drills. “So after we take a rep against each other I’m going to talk to him and ask him what he was looking at.

"He is going to talk to me and tell me what he was looking at. It is all about learning and growing together. David Edwards is just fundamentally sound. Dietzen is strong as hell. Cole Van Lanen is super athletic.”

Baun believes the battles in practice with that trio of tackles will allow him to flourish on the field.

“Look at these dudes,” he said. “They’re huge. I know we’re not going to face another O-line like this. From pass-blocking to the run game, they’re just great overall.”