Chandler might be next Badgers wide receiver of future

Wisconsin’s passing game has been a struggle this season, especially with seniors Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor missing significant time.

Davis hasn’t played since Nov. 24 at Michigan while Pryor has missed two of the past three games and was injured in the other (against Indiana).

True freshman Chimere Dike has gotten more involved in the offense but has but nine receptions on 20 targets. Former walk-on Jack Dunn leads all Badgers wide receivers in receptions with 15. Junior tight end Jack Ferguson tops Wisconsin in catches (26), yards (249) and touchdowns (4), but he was all but taken out of the game by Iowa this past Saturday, when he had three receptions for 14 yards.

Enter Devin Chandler.

The true freshman from Huntersville, N.C., got his chance as a kick returner against Indiana with Stephan Bracey sidelined.

Back in that role against Iowa, Chandler also got a couple of passes thrown his way. At the start of the fourth quarter, Chandler was on the receiving end of two Graham Mertz throws, completions of 16 and 12 yards. He also was targeted later in the quarter on an incompletion.

Not a bad first game and perhaps it bodes well for Chandler both in the short- and long-term.

“A young guy like that, a true freshman, any playing time is huge for his growth and development,” Dunn said. “It will pay dividends in the long run. He’s going to be a really good player.”

Here’s the complete rundown of the young Badgers after five games:

“TRUE” FRESHMEN

Jalen Berger, RB
Illinois: Did not play
Michigan: 15 rush, 87 yards, TD; 2 receptions, 13 yards
Northwestern: 15 rush, 93 yards
Indiana: 15 rush, 89 yards
Iowa: Did not play
Season totals: 45 rush, 267 yards (5.9 average), TD; 2 receptions, 13 yards

Tanor Bortolini, OL
Illinois: Did not play
Michigan: Did not play
Northwestern: Did not play
Indiana: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Started, did not record a statistic
Season totals: n/a

Devin Chandler, WR
Illinois: Did not play
Michigan: Did not play
Northwestern: Did not play
Indiana: 2 kick returns, 37 yards
Iowa: 2 receptions, 28 yards; 1 kick return, 21 yards
Season totals: 2 receptions, 28 yards; 3 kick returns, 58 yards

Chimere Dike, WR
Illinois: Played, did not record a statistic
Michigan: Started, 2 receptions, 29 yards; 1 rush, 30 yards
Northwestern: Started, 2 receptions, 52 yards, TD
Indiana: Started, 3 receptions, 40 yards
Iowa: Started, 2 receptions, 28 yards; 3 rush, 21 yards
Season totals: 9 receptions, 149 yards (17.3 average), TD; 3 rush, 51 yards

Nick Herbig, OLB
Illinois: Started, 1 tackle (solo), sack, TFL, PBU
Michigan: Started, 5 tackles (5 solo), 3 TFL
Northwestern: Started, 3 tackles (3 solo), TFL, 2 QBH
Indiana: Started: 2 tackles (2 solo), FR
Iowa: Started, 4 tackles (3 solo), TFL
Season totals: 18 tackles (14 solo), 6 TFL, sack, 2 QBH, PBU, FR

Kaden Johnson, OLB
Illinois: Did not play
Michigan: Did not play
Northwestern: Did not play
Indiana: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Played, did not record a statistic
Season totals: n/a

Jack Nelson, OL
Illinois: Did not play
Michigan: Played, did not record a statistic
Northwestern: Did not play
Indiana: Did not play
Iowa: Did not play
Season totals: n/a

Riley Nowakowski, OLB
Illinois: 1 tackle (solo)
Michigan: Played, did not record a statistic
Northwestern: Played, did not record a statistic
Indiana: Did not play
Iowa: Played, did not record a statistic
Season totals: 1 tackle (solo)

Jack Van Dyke, K
Illinois: 8 kickoffs, 1 touchback
Michigan: 8 kickoffs, 4 touchbacks; 1 tackle (solo)
Northwestern: 2 kickoffs, 0 touchbacks
Indiana: 3 kickoffs, 3 touchbacks
Iowa: 2 kickoffs, 1 touchback
Season totals: 23 kickoffs, 9 touchbacks; 1 tackle (solo)

Aaron Witt, OLB
Illinois: Did not play
Michigan: Played, did not record a statistic
Northwestern: Played, did not record a statistic
Indiana: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Did not play
Season totals: n/a

Preston Zachman, ILB
Illinois: Did not play
Michigan: Played, did not record a statistic
Northwestern: Did not play
Indiana: Did not play
Iowa: Did not play

Have not played
Haakon Anderson, WR; Dylan Barrett, OL; Ben Barten, OL; Cole Dakovich, TE; Ross Gengler, ILB; Kerry Kodanko, OL; Cam Large, TE; Max Lofy, CB; Cade McDonald, DE; Gavin Meyers, K/P; Malik Reed, ILB; Isaac Smith, WR; Sean Timmis, OL; Jordan Turner, ILB; Trey Wedig, OL; Amaun Williams, CB; Daniel Wright, QB

Out for season
James Thompson Jr., DE (1 game, no stats)

REDSHIRT FRESHMEN

Stephan Bracy, WR
Illinois: 2 kick returns for 28 yards
Michigan: 1 kick return for 33 yards; 1 rush, 3 yards
Northwestern: 3 kick returns, 53 yards; 1 reception, 11 yards
Indiana: Did not play
Iowa: Did not play
Season totals: 6 kick returns, 114 yards; 1 reception, 11 yards; 1 rush, 3 yards

Logan Brown, OL
Illinois: Played, did not record a statistic
Michigan: Played, did not record a statistic
Northwestern: Played, did not record a statistic
Indiana: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Played, did not record a statistic
Season totals: n/a

Dean Engram, WR
Illinois: Played, did not record a statistic
Michigan: 2 punt returns for 0 yards
Northwestern: 3 punt returns, 7 yards
Indiana: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Played, did not record a statistic
Season totals: 5 punt returns, 7 yards

Tatum Grass, ILB
Illinois: 1 tackle (solo)
Michigan: 2 tackles (1 solo)
Northwestern: Played, did not record a statistic
Indiana: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: 1 tackle
Season totals: 4 tackles (2 solo)

Spencer Lytle, OLB
Illinois: Did not play
Michigan: 1 tackle
Northwestern: FR
Indiana: Did not play
Iowa: Played, did not record a statistic
Season totals: 1 tackle, FR

Semar Melvin, CB
Illinois: Played, did not record a statistic
Michigan: 1 tackle (solo)
Northwestern: 1 tackle
Indiana: Did not play
Iowa: Did not play
Season totals: 2 tackles (1 solo)

Graham Mertz, QB
Illinois: Started, 20-of-21 passing, 248 yards, 5 TD; 5 rush, 2 yards
Michigan: Started, 12-of-22 passing, 127 yards, 2 TD; 3 rush, 8 yards
Northwestern: Started, 23-of-41 passing, 230 yards, TD, 3 INT; 7 rush, 13 yards
Indiana: Started, 20-of-34 passing, 202 yards, INT; 8 rush, 15 yards
Iowa: Started, 20-of-38 passing, 169 yards, INT; 5 rush, -17 yards
Season totals: 95-of-156 passing (60.9%), 976 yards, 8 TD, 5 INT; 28 rush, 17 yards

Hayden Rucci, TE
Illinois: Played, did not record a statistic
Michigan: Played, did not record a statistic
Northwestern: 1 tackle (solo)
Indiana: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Played, did not record a statistic
Season totals: n/a

Out for season
Joe Tippmann, OL (2 games, no stats)
Titus Toler, S (2 games. INT)

Have not played
Peter Bowden, LS; Dante Caputo, S; Clay Cundiff, TE; Julius Davis, RB; Quan Easterling, FB; Rodas Johnson, DE; Cooper Nelson, WR; Maema Njongmeta, ILB; Gio Paez, DE.

“TRUE” SOPHOMORES

Keeanu Benton, NT
Illinois: Started, 3 tackles (2 solo)
Michigan: Started, 1 tackle
Northwestern: Started, 1 tackle (solo), FF
Indiana: 1 tackle (solo)
Iowa: Started, QBH
Season totals: 7 tackles (3 solo), FF, QBH

Leo Chenal, ILB
Illinois: Started, 4 tackles (1 solo)
Michigan: Started, 3 tackles (3 solo), sack, TFL, INT, QBH
Northwestern: Started, 6 tackles (3 solo), 5 QBH
Indiana: Started, 9 tackles (9 solo), QBH
Iowa: Started, 6 tackles (4 solo)
Season totals: 28 tackles (20 solo), sack, TFL, INT, 7 QBH

Jordan DiBenedetto, WR
Illinois: Played, did not record a statistic
Michigan: Played, did not record a statistic
Northwestern: Played, did not record a statistic
Indiana: Did not play
Iowa: Did not play
Season totals: n/a