Mike Tressel acknowledges where Badgers must get better on defense
The Badgers defense improved in 2025, but still struggled in a few areas.
Wisconsin football defensive coordinator Mike Tressel observes practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium in Platteville, Wisconsin. | Scott Ash / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Wisconsin Badgers didn’t have the season they wanted in 2025, going 4-8, although a pair of late-season wins gave additional confidence that the team could turn it around with increased resources in 2026.
The offense, once again, was a major issue for the Badgers, as they ranked 134th in the country in yards per game, while the defense saw some early lows before really shining towards the end of the season. Wisconsin finished the year in the top 20 in sack rate, the top 25 in yards allowed per game, and the top 15 in rushing yards allowed per game. Still, there were a couple of areas in which the Badgers didn’t fare well.
They were only average on third downs on defense, which was an issue in 2024 as well, as Wisconsin was outside the top 50 in the country there. And Wisconsin really struggled to generate turnovers once again, ranking 134th in the nation there. So, it wasn’t a surprise that defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said that was where the Badgers needed to grow on defense in 2026.
“The critical areas are takeaways and third and long being dominant,” Tressel said. “Those are two areas where you can’t survive and be a great team if you’re just okay in those areas. So, there’s a lot of focus in terms of takeaways.