OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

COLTEN BARTHOLOMEW [email protected]

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.