MADISON, Wis. — Badger backup quarterback Chase Wolf is out for a while with an injury, if not the season. Starter Graham Mertz has less depth behind him.
TMJ4's Lance Allan visited Wisconsin's capital Madison on Monday.
"Any time you lose the team in any role, it's tough," wide receiver Chimere Dike says. "I'm not really sure what details on Chase yet. But I hope that he's going to heal up quick because he's a big piece of our offense and we need him."
RELATED COVERAGE: Wolf's injury hinders No. 18 Wisconsin's quarterback depth
So how have the leaders, including quarterback Mertz, grown in the off-season?
"I'd say decision making," Mertz says. "Not forcing it into windows that aren't there. Making the right play when needed I would say that was the biggest improvement."
"I think the main focus football-wise was pass protection and route running," Braelon Allen says. "I think I've grown a lot in that way. And then off the field, just kind of more growing into more of a leader and being more of a leader for the running backs and the offense and a team as a whole. I think I've grown in all those ways, but those are probably the main two things."
"I've definitely focused on where I am mentally," safety Hunter Wohler says. "My IQ of the game, talking with Coach Leonhard, talking with Torchio, just trying to learn overall how to play the game better. Understand offensive tendencies and just understand the defense overall too. So I think that's been the biggest growing point for me this off-season."
The proof will be Saturday night when the Badgers host Illinois State.
