Badgers' defense has chance to remain one of nation's best

With the way its defense performed in 2020, the University of Wisconsin football team believes it should’ve won more than four games.

But as the Badgers move into the offseason, they’ll need to find and develop replacements for key players at each level of the defense and try to turn more of their pressures into sacks in 2021.

UW brought in 11 recruits on defense in the 2021 recruiting class, not counting any walk-ons that might be added in February. Five of those players earned four-star rankings from recruiting sites. Couple that with the recruiting success on defense the last two seasons and there’s plenty of young talent to like on the roster.

Let’s take a look at how the Badgers’ defense could come together next season.

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State Journal beat reporters Colten Bartholomew and Jim Polzin break down the news around the Badgers’ men’s basketball and football teams.

CB Caesar Williams will return to Wisconsin Badgers

Senior cornerback Caesar Williams announced Sunday night he was returning to the Badgers’ football program instead of making the jump to the NFL, which gives UW eight starters returning on defense.

Badgers move Ross Kolodziej to defensive line coach

Kolodziej, a former UW defensive lineman, had been the program's strength and conditioning coach for six seasons under Paul Chryst.