One of the premier transfers the Wisconsin football staff landed this past cycle has worked to become the defensive line presence the Badgers need.
Former Stephen F. Austin starting defensive lineman Brandon Lane signed on with the Wisconsin football program this past cycle. Lane was once ranked as a three-star recruit and has since put up solid production on the field throughout his collegiate career. Now at his third collegiate home, Lane could become a serious threat along the defensive line for the Badgers during this upcoming season.
Wisconsin Football Transfer Defensive Lineman Brandon Lane Preparing For Breakout Season
One of the bigger transfer commitments the Wisconsin football staff landed that went under-the-radar was the commitment of defensive lineman Brandon Lane. Lane has a tumultuous collegiate career so far, entering college as a three-star recruit and committing to South Dakota State University. After two seasons of reserve play, Lane transferred to Stephen F. Austin where he quickly found playing time.
Lane starred for two seasons on the Lumberjacks defense before entering the transfer portal once again this off-season. The defensive lineman committed to Michigan State after a few weeks, but quickly decommitted and re-entered his name into the portal. Lane then committed to Louisville for four days before flipping and signing his letter of intent with the Badgers.
A series of other transfers and staff changes led to quite the journey this off-season for Lane, but now the defensive lineman will play for the Badgers. With a change of scenery and plenty of experience under his belt the defensive lineman is primed to finally reach his full potential in Madison.
How can Brandon Lane Make a Difference on the Football Field?
Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
For Lane, the easiest way to make an impact on the Wisconsin defense is by getting into the backfield like he typically does. The past two seasons with Stephen F. Austin, Lane recorded nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on a bad defense. One important thing to note is that Lane was one of the most productive players for the Lumberjacks, which often led to double-teams that slowed Lane down.
On a better team with other players an offense needs to worry about, Lane could become a much more impactful player since he will not have to fight through extra blockers. The defensive lineman is a powerful, high-motor rusher that wears offensive lineman down with his tenacity. Trying to effectively block Lane for an entire game is going to be a difficult task when there is not a second blocker to assist.
Can the Wisconsin Badgers Football Defense Continue Solid Play During the Upcoming Season?
A season ago, the Wisconsin football staff produced arguably one of the better defenses in college football, especially their secondary. Wisconsin only allowed an average of 208.62 yards per game through the air, along with an average of 6.49 yards per completion. Touchdowns were also hard to come by through the air against the Badgers as opponents only scored 19 passing touchdowns.
While Wisconsin had plenty of success defending the passing game, the rushing attack was another story as quarterbacks especially found open lanes. Opposing offenses racked up 135.2 yards per game on the ground against the Badgers but only managed an average of 3.4 yards per carry. The Wisconsin football defense also managed to cause a loss of 313 yards this past season, which is a solid total considering their struggles at times.
The main focus for the defense this upcoming season will be limiting the big plays as broken tackles and missed hits led to big-time scores.
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