UW attacked Northwestern early with first-down passes

MADISON – Northwestern's defensive coaches likely didn't anticipate what they saw early from Wisconsin.

The Badgers entered their game last week a heavy run team on first down. In their first five games, the Badgers averaged 10.2 first-down runs in the opening half and 5.8 first-down passes.

Only one time – the previous week against Illinois – did UW throw the ball on its first offensive play of the game.

So how did offensive coordinator Bobby Engram attack the Wildcats early en route to a 42-7 victory?

Graham Mertz hit Chimere Dike for 11 yards on first down. Standard dropback pass, no play-action. Mertz then faked a handoff to Braelon Allen and hit Dike on a slant for 9 yards.

“It was good to get a feel early for how they were playing different formations, different plays,” Mertz said. “We started off quick throwing. I enjoyed it.”

UW had a combined five passes and six runs on first downs on its first two series.

The first series, 66 yards on 11 plays, ended with a missed field goal. The second series, 98 yards on nine plays, ended with Mertz executing a play-action fake before hitting Skyler Bell for a 15yard touchdown.

In just two series, the Badgers had almost matched their season average for first-down passes in the opening half.

“I think I talked about it before the season,” Mertz said. “You don't want them to know what you're doing. You want to have that element of being on the attack.

“So, whatever you can do to mix it up and keep them on their heels, I think that is good. Make them defend the whole field…truly make them defend everything.

“I think that's how you have to play the game.”

Badgers built lead in first half with help from big third-down plays

UW held a 7-0 lead after the first two series and built the lead to 28-0 by halftime.

However, the Badgers went away from throwing on first down and finished the half with six first-down passes and 13 first-down runs. They expanded their lead to 28 points largely by hitting a trio of big third-down plays.

The Badgers faced third and 5 from their 48 on their third series, after Mertz threw an incompletion on first down and then hit Dike for 5 yards on second down.

Working out of the shotgun, Mertz hit Dike on a dig route at the Wildcats' 40. Dike caught the ball without breaking stride, got a key block from Keontez Lewis and outraced several defenders down the left side line and to the end zone.

“It was man coverage and he just did a great job of winning,” Mertz said of Dike. “He knew the leverage he had. He knew how to attack it. He knew how to win the route.”

The Badgers faced third and 8 from the Wildcats' 21 on their fifth series, after a pair of runs gained a combined 2 yards.

Again working from the shotgun, Mertz was given outstanding protection but eventually moved up into the pocket between left guard and left tackle. He saw Dike alertly break away from a defender and toward the end zone and floated a perfect pass that Dike caught for his second touchdown.

That came three plays after Mertz hit Dike for a 43-yard gain to the Northwestern 23 on third and 10.

The Badgers faced third and 2 at the Northwestern 23 on their sixth series.

This time Allen lined up in the Wildcat. A Northwestern defender came unblocked off the right side of the UW formation but tight end Jack Eschenbach slid over and got a piece of him to allow Allen to scramble to his right. He found Chez Mellusi open at the 14 and Mellusi did the rest to help UW build its lead to 28-0.

That left the Badgers 6 of 8 on thirddown conversions and they finished the game 10 of 14 to push their season total to 47.9%, the No. 3 mark in the Big Ten.

“Those are things we've been repping since the spring,” Engram said of the big third-down plays. “You're always looking for new, but I think when guys feel comfortable with what they've done they are going to do it well.”

A key factor for UW in its victory was neutralizing Northwestern’s pass rush

Northwestern's defense is not nearly as stingy as it was under defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz, who retired after the 2020 season.Nevertheless, the performance by UW's offense was its best by far in league play.

UW didn't turn the ball over and only two penalties were called on the offense, for a total of 15 yards. Engram used the Pistol, some Wildcat and more play-action passing than in previous games.

The biggest factor, however, is that Northwestern's pass rush never got to Mertz.

“That is clean football,” Engram said. “That is good football. That is winning football.”

UW on Saturday faces a Michigan State team that has uglier defensive numbers than Northwestern.

The Spartans are 13th in the Big Ten in total yards allowed (445.5), 11th in points allowed (27.0) and last in passing yards allowed (292.0 per game).

“We never take anybody lightly,” Engram said. “They play hard. You can tell they are passionate about the game. They are going to mix coverages on you and they'll blitz in different ways to try to attack the middle.

“We just have to be on top of our game and make sure we're sound in our rules.”

MICHAEL REAVES / GETTY IMAGES Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz celebrates a touchdown with receiver Skyler Bell in the first quarter against Northwestern last Saturday. “We started off quick throwing. I enjoyed it,” Mertz said.