Can Wisconsin's defense thrive against Oklahoma State without Nick Herbig and Keeanu Benton?
MADISON – Despite opening the 2022 season with eight new starters on defense, Wisconsin finished the regular season No. 6 in the Big Ten in total defense (305.3 ypg) and No. 7 in points allowed (20.5 per game).
Now as the Badgers (6-6) prepare to face Oklahoma State (7-5) in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl on Tuesday in Phoenix, they must replace two of the more disruptive and experienced performers on that unit.
With outside linebacker Nick Herbig and nose tackle Keeanu Benton preparing for their 2023 NFL draft, the Badgers will be without players who combined for 15½ sacks and 25½ tackles for loss during the regular season.
Without that duo on the field, inside linebacker Maema Njongmeta leads UW in sacks (3½) and tackles for loss (10½).
What must players like Njongmeta and others do to compensate for the loss of Herbig and Benton?
How can Wisconsin fill losses on defense in preparation for Guaranteed Rate Bowl?
“I wouldn’t say do more,” Njongmeta said. “You have to play hard, make plays.”
Njongmeta, a redshirt junior, has started 10 of 12 games this season and leads UW in total tackles with 88.
He has recorded a total of 7 ½ tackles for loss and 34 total tackles in the last four games.
Gio Paez (11 tackles in nine games) is expected to fill in for Benton and Kaden Johnson (19 tackles in 12 games) is expected to replace Herbig.
Oklahoma State will also be without several key players, including QB Spencer Sanders
The loss of two significant playmakers could be mitigated because Oklahoma State must replace several key members of its offense. That includes quarterback Spencer Sanders and running back Dominic Richardson.
Sanders started four seasons and passed for more than 9,000 yards and 67 touchdowns and rushed for more than 1,900 yards and 18 touchdowns.
His likely replacement, Garret Rangel, has completed 45 of 84 passes for 482 yards, with three interceptions and two touchdowns.
Richardson started nine games and leads the Cowboys in rushing with 543 yards and eight touchdowns. He is also fifth on the team in catches (22) for 220 yards.
“It’s obviously going to be different,” safety John Torchio said when asked about Oklahoma State’s personnel losses, “but I’ve learned if you’re playing at a Power 5 school, you’re good enough to make plays and do well at this level.
"You prepare like any other game. They’re still going to run the same concepts.”
More:Here are five Wisconsin players whose bowl game performance could determine their roles for 2023
UW head coach Luke Fickell understands the Cowboys will be missing two of their better players on offense. Nevertheless, he doesn’t expect many schematic changes for the bowl game with head coach Mike Gundy in his 18th season at Oklahoma State.
“That is the uniqueness of bowl games in general when people have three, four weeks you often get some different stuff,” he said. “You’ve got a different quarterback.
“The good thing is that you know Coach Gundy has been there. I don’t know that you’re going to see a whole lot different. I assume they are going to be who they are no matter who the quarterback is.
“We’ve got to focus on what we do. In a bowl game in particular, the key is to be able to make adjustments. Guys have three weeks to prepare. They are going to do something different.
“And if you’re doing what you do, after that ball is kicked off, the adjustments become what wins football games.”
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin must address losses on defense for Guaranteed Rate Bowl
