The Wisconsin Badgers used a broad defensive rotation in their 54-10 win over Eastern Michigan, according to snap-count figures compiled by Pro Football Focus, a trend that figures to narrow when Big Ten play opens next week at Penn State.
Front seven saw significant rotation
On the defensive line, Notre Dame transfer DeNigel Cooper played the most snaps with 25, followed by Hammond Russell IV with 21 and Jacob Anderson with 20. That group, along with contributors such as Dillan Johnson and Nolan Vils, formed a heavy-rotation front designed to hold up against an out-of-conference opponent.
| Defensive lineman | Snaps |
|---|---|
| DeNigel Cooper | 25 |
| Hammond Russell IV | 21 |
| Jacob Anderson | 20 |
| Dillan Johnson | 17 |
| Nolan Vils | 16 |
| Charles Perkins | 15 |
| Junior Poyser | 11 |
Cooper’s 25 snaps follow a 22-snap performance the previous week, suggesting the coaching staff is increasing his role in the front. The series of rotations up front allowed Wisconsin to keep players fresh, but the staff likely will pare the rotation against higher-caliber Big Ten competition.
Outside linebacker depth emerges
The Badgers fielded their deepest outside linebacker rotation so far this season. Senior Tyreese Fearby paced the room with 43 snaps, while Sebastian Cheeks logged 33. Other contributors included Justus Boone (19), Nick Clayton (16), Michael Garner (12), Jayden Loftin (10) and Will McDonald (6).
- Tyreese Fearby: 43 snaps — a team high among OLBs.
- Sebastian Cheeks: 33 snaps — second among OLBs and a key pass-rush option.
- Nick Clayton: 16 snaps — marked a career high.
Loftin and McDonald saw their first snaps of the 2026 season, and Clayton’s playing time represented a career high. The breadth of the rotation gives Wisconsin flexibility, but the staff will have to decide who can handle bigger workloads against Penn State’s diverse offensive fronts.
Inside linebacker rotation balanced but unsettled
Inside linebacker snaps were distributed across a half-dozen players, with Cooper Catalano leading the group at 38 snaps. Mason Posa (29), Taylor Schaefer (28), Thomas Heiberger (26) and Jon Jon Kamara (24) also played significant minutes. Aaron Witt logged 11 snaps and Landon Gauthier saw five.
The spread suggests Wisconsin is still evaluating its most consistent three-down options at the position heading into conference play. Catalano’s workload indicates he is the current focal point of the room, but the presence of multiple contributors could complicate assignments against Penn State’s multiple tight-end and H-back sets.
What the snap counts mean moving forward
The deep rotation across the defensive line and linebacker rooms served two purposes in the blowout win: preserving depth and providing audition snaps for players behind the starters. Head coach staff comments after the game indicated rotations were intentional, but the snap distribution also reflects an awareness that starters may need to log heavier minutes once the Big Ten slate begins.
Simply put: expect fewer names on the stat sheet when the Badgers face Penn State. Some specific takeaways:
- DeNigel Cooper appears set to remain a fixture in the front rotation given back-to-back heavier workloads.
- Tyreese Fearby and Sebastian Cheeks have separated themselves snap-count-wise at outside linebacker.
- Inside linebacker remains a competitive room; Cooper Catalano has taken a lead role but several players have significant snaps.
Snap-count data was compiled and provided by Pro Football Focus. The Badgers open Big Ten play next week at Penn State, a game that will test whether Wisconsin trims its rotation in favor of a more defined starter–reserve structure.
For fans tracking personnel trends, the Eastern Michigan game offered both confirmation and questions: confirmation of certain players’ roles and the question of who will absorb expanded minutes once conference opponents force Wisconsin’s hand.
