Why Wisconsin Football Desperately Needs an Alpha WR to Emerge
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There's an old saying in football that when you have two quarterbacks, you really have none.
The fundamental ideology here is that multiple capable players but no clear top option handicaps an entire position group. A plethora of mediocrity is never a substitute for one, really good option.
That of course applies to plenty of real-life scenarios as well, but in football, that phrase isn't only applicable to quarterback.
Some positions – and some schemes – can sustain a constant rotation of players, and some are actually better off because of it. But in the case of Wisconsin's wide receivers, the Badgers need to find at least one go-to option.
Wisconsin revamped its wide receiver room this offseason, bringing in five transfers and a new coach, Ari Confessor. With all of the new additions, there's a myriad of personalities, body types and skillsets.
"You got a lot of guys that maybe didn't have the opportunity elsewhere, but that's what you love because they're hungry. They come in here with a chip on their shoulder," Confessor told reporters.
"We talk about it every day, it's just competing. Competing for that spot, competing for reps, for playing time, and the great thing is, these guys embrace it. They don't shy from it, they don't sit there and pout when someone else is in there."
Still, the Badgers need a No. 1 wide receiver to emerge for this passing game to be successful.
Jeff Grimes needs a go-to receiver
Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes' system can certainly sustain a handful of productive pass-catchers; that's not the point I'm trying to make. But for this offense to really take off, a he needs a big-time, go-to receiver.
Grimes most successful offense, 2020 BYU, was prolific and picked up almost 4,000 passing yards. Sure, he had Zach Wilson at quarterback, but you know who else he had? Dax Milne at receiver, who led the team by a wide margin with 70 catches for 1,188 yards.
Grimes' scheme also doesn't afford as many opportunities to wideouts. Oftentimes, there's just two on the field in any given formation. If you have six or seven players constantly rotating through limited spots, how can any one of them get hot? How can any one of them find a rhythm?
Of course receivers need to rotate based on the situation, but if the Badgers take a true committee approach at wideout, they'll never find a consistent, go-to option. And that's a crucial element for any offense to have.
Quarterback Colton Joseph needs someone to trust on 50/50 balls. He needs someone to trust to separate and get open on a crucial third down. He needs someone with which he has great chemistry – if each receiver is playing limited snaps and highly specialized roles, the lack of continuity will hurt this passing game.
Who could emerge as the WR1?
Eugene Hilton has a well-rounded skillset, and you better believe Wisconsin is going to get him the ball after it narrowly avoided losing him to the transfer portal. Southeast Louisiana transfer Jaylon Domingeaux has turned heads this spring and has length, athleticism and experience. Chris Brooks is a perpetual spring camp darling. Tyrell Henry appears to have taken serious strides ahead of his fifth-year senior season.
All of those players could feasibly become the No. 1 option – and that's the problem I'm talking about. Depth is of course never a bad thing, but considering everyone named in the paragraph above is something of an unknown quantity, it's not exactly depth. It's potential, which again, isn't a problem in and of itself.
But depth and/or potential without a proven top option gives me pause about this wide receiver room. Someone is going to have to take a big major leap this fall.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/wisconsin as Why Wisconsin Football Desperately Needs an Alpha WR to Emerge .
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