Lucas: Familiar faces in new places on defense

BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer

MADISON, Wis. – Whether it’s safety Hunter Wohler positioned closer to the ball like a linebacker in one defensive package or linebacker Darryl Peterson playing in space like a safety in another, there have been on-going adjustments individually to a new scheme throughout the spring.

While there are variables with each personnel grouping, there are also constants. Moreover, they apply to the team as a whole. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell accented them before the first practice. Preaching togetherness, he said, “You do it with speed. You do it with energy. You do it with passion.”

The defense has definitely been doing everything with speed and/or tempo.

“It’s just fast-paced,” Wohler described. “It’s non-stop. It’s go, go, go.”

As a result, the energy has been high, high, high.

“That has to do with us going so fast,” said Peterson. “We have no choice but to bring energy.”

Or passion. Especially in matching up with the UW’s up-tempo, no huddle offensive attack.

“It’s literally so fast,” Peterson said. “It’s not anything scheme-wise that is a challenge to me really. But the tempo itself is harder than any scheme they could run. They’re keeping us on our toes. It’s mentally tough. We’ve got to get back to the line real fast. Get the call. Execute the call.”

Added Wohler, “It’s obviously different from last spring ball and last camp and everything. Now the offense is going hurry-up so defensively you have to play the play, come back, get the play and get ready to go right away. There’s no standing around.”

The big picture benefits are obvious, too, according to Wohler. “It’s going to prepare us for teams like Ohio State that are going to throw the ball around and try to spread you out. Playing in the Big Ten we’re going to need a little bit of that and we’re going to need a little bit of defending the run.

“Playing against our offense right now is just preparing us for the future.”

Competing with tempo was an emphasis during winter conditioning. And it has translated.

“In a way it was just like our practices – fast-paced, fast tempo, speed, speed, speed,” Peterson said. “We got a lot in … in a short amount of time, which I love. We were able to do as much as we did last off-season but in a 45-minute to an hour period. We get in. We get out. We get great work.

“They’ve done a great job…