Mike Tressel acknowledges where Badgers must get better on defense
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
The Wisconsin Badgers didn’t have the season they wanted in 2025, going 4-8, although a pair of late-season wins gave additional confidence that the team could turn it around with increased resources in 2026.
The offense, once again, was a major issue for the Badgers, as they ranked 134th in the country in yards per game, while the defense saw some early lows before really shining towards the end of the season. Wisconsin finished the year in the top 20 in sack rate, the top 25 in yards allowed per game, and the top 15 in rushing yards allowed per game.
Still, there were a couple of areas in which the Badgers didn’t fare well. They were only average on third downs on defense, which was an issue in 2024 as well, as Wisconsin was outside the top 50 in the country there. And Wisconsin really struggled to generate turnovers once again, ranking 134th in the nation there.
So, it wasn’t a surprise that defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said that was where the Badgers needed to grow on defense in 2026.
“The critical areas are takeaways and third and long being dominant,” Tressel said. “Those are two areas where you can’t survive and be a great team if you’re just okay in those areas. So, there’s a lot of focus in terms of takeaways. The focus is not just the count every day, but it’s the ball awareness and opportunity awareness. All the time I want to see if they’re aware exactly where that ball is, and they know exactly when the opportunities are, and that they don’t just tag a hip in those opportunities.
“So ball awareness, opportunity awareness will lead to takeaways. And you can see the confidence in the back end leading to some more takeaways as well. And then the other thing is third down, and today was our first third down day, and quite honestly, we kept it pretty simple because I think we got some guys that can rush. But more than anything, scheme can get in the way if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing and you’re doing it fast. A simple plan executed violently is always better than a plan where guys are thinking. So it’ll build, but the main thing is a simple plan executed violently.”
Wisconsin’s got a much different look personnel-wise this season, so Tressel will have his hands full trying to maximize the potential of this group, both from a rush and a coverage perspective. A big part of that will be creating turnovers. Players have to make plays, but also be in a position where they can make those plays. Last year, the coaching staff and players acknowledged there were opportunities to be had that the team didn’t capitalize on enough.
Can that change in 2025?
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos