Although Wisconsin’s 2015 campaign has been shadowed by disappointment, 12 players were honored with All-Big Ten selections with the regular season coming to an end this past weekend.
Redshirt senior wide receiver Alex Erickson and senior linebacker Joe Schobert both earned First-Team All-Big Ten nods after establishing themselves as leaders on their respective sides of the ball.
Erickson led the Badgers with 72 receptions for 924 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 12.83 yards per catch, and also picked up 111 rushing yards on seven attempts.
The Darlington High School graduate was a favorite for redshirt senior quarterback Joel Stave in third-down situations. Erickson had 16 third-down receptions that moved the chains, the third-best mark in the Big Ten.
Schobert, who also earned the Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award, given to the Big Ten’s top linebacker, gained national recognition throughout the season for his ability to disrupt opposing team’s backfields. He finished the year with 9.5 sacks, which is tied for 11th in the country, highlighted by a three-sack performance against Iowa Oct. 3.
Defensive coordinator Dave Aranda used Schobert primarily as an edge pass rusher, but he was also proficient in pass coverage, highlighted by his first career interception against Minnesota last Saturday. Schobert returned the pick 48 yards for a touchdown, but it was negated by a Wisconsin penalty.
Redshirt senior tackle Tyler Marz and senior safety Michael Caputo earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors, while redshirt junior Vince Biegel received a Third-Team All-Big Ten nod.
Honorable mention All-Big Ten members included redshirt freshman offensive lineman Michael Deiter, redshirt freshman linebacker T.J. Edwards, redshirt sophomore tight end Troy Fumagalli, redshirt senior cornerback Darius Hillary, redshirt senior safety/wide receiver Tanner McEvoy, redshirt sophomore defensive end Chikwe Obasih and junior cornerback Sojourn Shelton.
