After losing wide receiver Jared Abbrederis and linebacker Chris Borland to the NFL last spring, Wisconsin not only lost two star players but also its biggest leaders on both sides of the ball.
Abbrederis was one of the most prolific receivers in school history, ranking first in career receptions and second in receiving yards and touchdowns. Borland ranks in Wisconsin’s top 10 in a number of defensive categories, including tackles, tackles for loss, sacks and fumble recoveries. His 15 forced fumbles are the second-most in FBS history.
Replacing both of these players in the same offseason is a tall task, and it’s unrealistic to expect one person alone to fill the void. However, amid the Badgers’ slow start, the play of redshirt sophomore wide receiver Alex Erickson and senior linebacker Derek Landisch has been encouraging as Wisconsin undergoes a transition period on offense and defense.
Landisch has been one of the defense’s biggest playmakers this season. He leads the team in sacks and tackles for loss.
“I would attribute [my success] to the guys I play around with. The defensive line, the secondary, it’s great playing with those guys,” Landisch said. “Being in Coach [Dave] Aranda’s scheme, it’s unbelievable the stuff that he can come up with from a game-to-game basis.”
Meanwhile, Erickson has emerged as the primary weapon in Wisconsin’s passing game. He’s the only wide receiver with more than five catches on the season.
“[Being a go-to guy] is what I was striving for the whole time,” Erickson said. “It’s hard to see sometimes when you’re first starting out. It’s hard to see the big picture.”
Statistics paint a similar picture between the two receivers. In his first year as a starter, Erickson has totaled 25 receptions for 301 yards and a touchdown in five games. When Abbrederis broke into the starting lineup in 2011, also as a redshirt sophomore, he posted similar numbers in his first five games—20 receptions for 328 yards and two touchdowns.
The same can be said of Borland and Landisch. This year, Landisch has 26 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception. In 2011, his first year as a full-time starter, Borland had 43 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and an interception. However, Borland was a redshirt sophomore back then, whereas Landisch is a senior.
Though Landisch said he hesitates to compare himself to Borland, the influence of the former linebacker is undeniable. Borland’s prowess as a defender inspired Landisch to emulate him.
Borland, now with the San Francisco 49ers, praised Landisch’s maturity and work ethic in a phone interview.
“He’s intact. He’s got the makeup of a linebacker to get after the ball carrier,” Borland said. “Our mentalities are similar.”
Defensive coordinator Dave Aranda said Borland provided the blueprint for future Wisconsin linebackers.
“We’re trying to pattern our recruiting at linebacker off of that,” Aranda said. “Take a guy who’s around 6-foot tall, 230, 235 pounds, tough, smart, who can blitz, who can cover, who can do it all, to be a very flexible player. I think Chris was definitely that way and Derek has a lot of traits that way.”
There are similarities between Abbrederis and Erickson as well. They’re both Wisconsin natives and former high school quarterbacks who successfully walked on for the Badgers.
“He’s been a great mentor to me as a wide receiver and a friend,” Erickson said of Abbrederis. “He’s been great with technique and work ethic and just the way he carries himself, you can learn a lot from him.”
Now with the Green Bay Packers, Abbrederis credited Erickson’s hot start to the season to his work ethic and preparation off the field.
“He’s a smart player. Obviously being a quarterback, he understands concepts, understands defenses, being able to convert routes and being able to set up defenders,” Abbrederis said, over the phone. “Understanding what they’re trying to do on defense, you can really take advantage of that if you really understand.”
However, wide receivers coach Chris Beatty was quick to point out that expecting Erickson to become Abbrederis was unrealistic while pointing out the differences in their playing styles.
“Jared is a more shifty, route-running receiver where Alex is just technically, fundamentally sound. He’s not flashy in any way,” Beatty said. “A lot of people say Jared’s not flashy, but as a receiver and watching him run routes and having every scout come in and say he runs the best routes in the country, I’d say that’s flashy.”
It’s hard to call Erickson the long-term answer to Abbrederis or Landisch the short-term equal to Borland, especially after a small, five-game sample size. But the similarities are there, and in a season of early disappointment, it’s reassuring to focus on such a narrative.
