UW’s defense is weakest after turnovers
MADISON – Wisconsin’s defense, save for some ugly moments in losses to Ohio State and Illinois, generally has been solid in 2022.
Entering the regular-season finale Saturday against visiting Minnesota, UW is fourth in the Big Ten against the run (103.6 yards per game), seventh in points allowed (20.3 per game) and sixth in yards allowed (295.3 per game).
One area in which the Badgers have struggled this season is limiting the damage after a turnover, particularly after an interception thrown by Graham Mertz.
Mertz has 13 touchdown passes and seven interceptions in league play. That includes a pix-six against Iowa.
Of the remaining six interceptions, UW has allowed five touchdowns and made one stop. That stop came in the third quarter at Iowa. The Hawkeyes took over at their 44 but went three and out and punted from midfield.
“We need to find a way to get off the field after a turnover,” interim head coach Jim Leonhard said after UW’s 15-14 victory over Nebraska. “We haven’t been great there.” Consider the evidence:
Ohio State held a 7-0 lead in the opening quarter when Mertz threw an interception that gave the Buckeyes the ball at the UW 16.
The Buckeyes scored in two plays, a 3-yard run and a 13-yard pass, for 14-0 lead with 8:54 left in the first quarter.
Illinois trailed, 7-0, when Mertz threw an interception late in the first quarter. The Illini needed seven plays to drive from the UW 16 but one was huge, a 13-yard pass play to the 6 on third and 13. A pass-interference call on cornerback Jay Shaw on fourth and goal gave the Illini life and quarterback Tommy DeVito scored on a 1-yard sneak to help forge a 7-7 tie with 4:30 left in the quarter.
UW held a 10-7 lead in the second quarter when Mertz threw another interception and the Illini took over at the UW 47.
Chase Brown ran for 18 yards on first down; UW jumped offside on fourth and 1 at the 5; and DeVito eventually scored from 1 yard to help the Illini take the lead for good, 14-10, with 7:31 left in the half.
UW held a 7-0 lead at Michigan State when an interception gave the Spartans the ball at the UW 12. Two plays later, Jalen Berger scored on a 12yard run with 20 seconds left in the opening quarter.
The Badgers and Nebraska were scoreless in the second quarter when Mertz faced third and 8 from his 38.
He saw Skyler Bell open deep and Chimere Dike open underneath, but past the first-down marker. He threw deep but the ball died in the wind and resulted in an easy interception. Malcom Hartzog returned the interception 23 yards to the UW 37 and the Cornhuskers needed eight plays to reach the end zone.
Nebraska converted a third-and-7 situation when Casey Thompson hit tight end Travis Vokolek for 8 yards to the 4.
“That is a ball you throw every day,” Mertz said. “It gets frustrating because you can’t with the conditions.”
Minnesota enters the game tied for fourth in the league in interceptions with 12. The Gophers handed UW a 2313 defeat last season in Minneapolis and that game turned on an interception early in the third quarter.
UW held a 10-6 lead but Mertz’s pass to Kendric Pryor was too far inside and cornerback Justin Walley made the play to give Minnesota possession at the Badgers’ 28.
The Gophers needed two plays to reach the end zone and never trailed.
One encouraging sign for UW was that the defense held Nebraska to 27 yards on 13 plays in the fourth quarter. Coupled with the offense putting together two touchdown drives, UW was able to rally for the 15-14 victory.
“That fourth quarter, that was complementary football,” safety John Torchio said. “We’ve been waiting for that for a long time.”