Wisconsin defensive end Garrett Rand (93) announced Saturday he was stepping away from football due to injuries.
The University of Wisconsin’s defensive line will look significantly different next season.
Senior Garrett Rand announced Saturday he was stepping away from football due to injuries, which will leave the defense without one of its most experienced players.
— Garrett Rand (@rand3218) January 9, 2021
“After a lot of thought and careful consideration, I’ve decided it is in my best interest to step away from football due to numerous injuries and their potential long-term impact.” Rand wrote in a social media post.
“This is the hardest life decision I have ever made because for most of my life, I have lived and breathed football. First and foremost, I would like to say thank you to my family for all of their support. I would also like to say thank you to all of my coaches, especially coach Paul Chryst, and the academic staff. It was the opportunity of a lifetime to be part of the Wisconsin football team and I am proud to call myself a Badger.
Rand
I will always Cherish my time at this university. The bond and the relationships I’ve formed over the last five years are irreplaceable and I am forever grateful for everyone who’s been a part of this experience.”
Rand started six of seven games this season, missing only the Michigan game. He finishes his career with 47 games played, 58 total tackles, four for loss and a sack. Fellow senior defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk also left the program to make a run at an NFL career.
Seniors had the opportunity to come back to UW after the NCAA decided the 2020 season wouldn’t count against players’ eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With Rand and Loudermilk gone, the Badgers will be relying on players such as Matt Henningsen and James Thompson Jr. at defensive end. Both of them figured to be in the rotation this season, but suffered season-ending injuries.
Looking ahead to the Badgers’ 2021 defense
DEFENSIVE LINE
On the roster: Michael Balistreri (RS Jr.), Keeanu Benton (Soph.), Boyd Dietzen (RS Soph.), Matt Henningsen (RS Jr.), Rodas Johnson (RS Fr.), Cade McDonald (Fr.), Isaiah Mullens (RS Soph.), Gio Paez (RS Fr.), James Thompson Jr. (Fr.), Bryson Williams (Jr.)
Incoming: Mike Jarvis
Departing: Isaiahh Loudermilk (NFL), Garrett Rand (injuries)
Projected starters (end, nose tackle, end): Thompson, Benton, Henningsen
Loudermilk’s departure might be the most impactful loss of the offseason for the Badgers. He was a stud on the defensive line and was able to play as effectively in base as he was nickel.
Rand (above) was Loudermilk’s running mate for years, but he announced that he was stepping away from the game due to injuries. Benton has shown flashes of being a big-time playmaker, and before an injury last season, Henningsen was a solid piece of the end rotation.
Thompson and McDonald saw the field as freshmen in 2020, but Thompson suffered a season-ending right leg injury against Michigan, so his status for the offseason is unknown. Mullens will also be a part of the rotation, if not a starter.
Depth may be a concern with this group moving forward, but they’ve got a solid top group to lean on.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
On the roster: Noah Burks (RS Sr.), C.J. Goetz (RS Soph.), Izayah Green-May (RS Jr.), Nick Herbig (Fr.), Kaden Johnson (Fr.), Spencer Lytle (RS Fr.), Riley Nowakowski (Fr.), Marty Strey (RS Soph.), Aaron Witt (Fr.)
Incoming: Ayo Adebogun, TJ Bollers, Darryl Peterson
Departing: Possibly Burks (Graduation)
Projected starters: Burks (Replaced by Witt if Burks leaves), Herbig
Herbig (above) coming in and earning the starting job opposite of Burks was a surprise this season, but he proved he belonged by playing with a high motor. Goetz got more playing time than expected and he was able to provide some depth, but the young group of Johnson, Witt and the incoming freshmen will likely push for reps next year.
Witt is physically-gifted rusher and tallied a sack in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. A full offseason of preparation should do wonders for him.
Bollers is a four-star prospect that defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard called an “outside linebacker-plus.” Leonhard sees a versatile role for Bollers, and that could start next year.
A big question mark is what the Badgers can get out of Green-May. He missed the year with a right arm injury.
INSIDE LINEBACKER
On the roster: Leo Chenal (Soph.), Ross Gengler (Fr.), Tatum Grass (RS Fr.), Mike Maskalunas (RS Sr.), Maema Njongmeta (RS Fr.), Malik Reed (Fr.), Jack Sanborn (Jr.), Jordan Turner (Fr.), Preston Zachman (Fr.)
Incoming: Braelon Allen (could also play safety), Jake Chaney, Jake Ratzlaff, Bryan Sanborn
Departing: Possibly Maskalunas (Graduation)
Projected starters: Chenal, Sanborn
Sanborn’s return to the Badgers is a massive win for UW’s defense. Keeping Sanborn (above) and Chenal together for another season provides a cornerstone for the defense to build around.
It’s a young group behind those two, but they took strides this season in practice. Chenal and Sanborn rarely, if ever, leave the field, so getting backups ready in case of injury would be the primary concern.
The recruiting class at linebacker, highlighted by four-star prospects Allen and Ratzlaff, is impressive and helps deepen the group. Last season, inside linebackers coach Bob Bostad said he believed he had three players at his position he was comfortable putting on the field — it’ll be more next season.
CORNERBACK
On the roster: Donte Burton (RS Soph.), Dean Engram (RS Fr.), Deron Harrell (RS Jr.), Faion Hicks (RS Jr.), Max Lofy (Fr.), Semar Melvin (RS Fr.), Alexander Smith (RS Soph.), Caesar Williams (RS Sr.)
Incoming: Al Ashford III, Ricardo Hallman
Departing: Rachad Wildgoose (NFL)
Projected starters: Hicks, Melvin
There are rightfully major concerns about this group going into 2021.
After playing well for the most part against Indiana, the corners struggled against Iowa, Minnesota and Wake Forest to end the season. Hicks (above) and Williams will be back and likely be starters, and while the rest of the group has experience, their level of play hasn’t been high.
Leonhard’s aggressive pressures leave the corners on islands often and they didn’t respond well to those one-on-one challenges, with penalties in the secondary being a key issue this year.
There will be a lot of competition for reps in this group — any step up in play from the younger players would be welcome.
SAFETY
On the roster: Travian Blaylock (RS Soph.), Dante Caputo (RS Fr.), Madison Cone (Sr.), Tyler Mais (RS Jr.), Scott Nelson (RS Jr.), Brady Schipper (RS Soph.), Titus Toler (RS Fr.), John Torchio (RS Soph.), Collin Wilder (RS Sr.)
Incoming: Braelon Allen (could play ILB), Hunter Wohler
Departing: Eric Burrell (NFL), possibly Cone (graduation)
Projected starters: Nelson, Wilder
Replacing Burrell will be a tall task, as he was the most experienced player in the group, but the safety position has depth going into next year.
Toler, Torchio and Mais have gotten some snaps over the past two years, and there could be an opportunity for more rotation if Leonhard likes a handful of his options at safety.
Wohler was one of the top recruits in the class, a four-star prospect out of Muskego, but expecting immediate production out of him might be too much to ask.
UW’s safeties are asked to play in the box often, with Nelson and Wilder (above) providing good physicality as tacklers. They’ll need to find someone to take more of an open-field coverage role next season.
