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BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — The question to Wisconsin junior offensive lineman Michael Deiter provoked a lively, instantaneous response.
Looking across the line of scrimmage, is there a defensive player for the Badgers who really made an impression on you during spring drills?
"Isaiahh Loudermilk," Deiter said emphatically.
Loudermilk is a 6-foot-7, 296-pound redshirt freshman end from Howard, Kansas. He spent 15 spring practice sessions impressing observers with his athleticism, awareness and technique.
Deiter is a versatile two-year starter at center and left guard who saw a lot of Loudermilk during spring practices that ended last week.
"He's a guy who'll be a really good player for us in the fall and will have a really special career," Deiter said. "He's made by far the biggest strides I've seen."
In what regard?
"Football IQ," Deiter said, "and his technique has gotten tremendously better.
"Just having to block him has gotten so much harder. Obviously he's huge; he's a big kid, so he's got that going for him. He's gotten smarter and his technique's gotten better. He's always had the right work ethic, so this was bound to happen."
An informal poll of veteran UW offensive players — asking them which defensive teammates caught their eye this spring — triggered a lot of Loudermilk mentions.
Sophomore David Edwards, who started six games at right tackle in 2016, said Loudermilk has gotten stronger and more mature.
"His understanding of offensive line play, kind of what we're doing to him and how he counters it, stands out to me," Edwards said. "He's done a great job."
UW sophomore tight end Zander Neuville said Loudermilk has become more comfortable in his role after starring in the eight-man format in high school.
"He's just a big dude and he's really been improving this spring as far as reading plays and using his size to his advantage," Neuville said.
When it's noted that Loudermilk is a popular choice in this unscientific Q&A, Neuville smiled.
"He's definitely earned (the attention)," Neuville said. "He's been working hard."
Junior tight end Troy Fumagalli also endorsed Loudermilk, who was an all-state basketball player and National Honor Society member in high school.
"He had a really good winter workout and a great spring," Fumagalli said.
How did Loudermilk stand out from the rest?
"Just his physicality," Fumagalli said. "He's a big guy in there and to be able to use it the way he did, that's a great job. Clogging up holes and being a force."
It speaks to the depth UW has on defense that Loudermilk had a lot of company in this poll.
Senior wide receiver George Rushing cited redshirt freshman cornerback Dontye Carriere-Williams and sophomore safety Patrick Johnson.
Patrick Johnson (22) and Joe Ferguson (36) celebrate after strong play during a spring practice.
"Both of them have come a long way," Rushing said.
Johnson, from Washington, D.C., reminds Rushing of D'Cota Dixon, a senior slated to be a returning starter at safety next season.
"He comes down hard (on the line of scrimmage)," Rushing said of Johnson. "He's hard to block. By the time you go to block him, he's already in the hole and he's bringing the wood."
Sophomore tight end Kyle Penniston mentioned Johnson as well as senior safety Joe Ferguson.
"Joe has really improved on his instincts," Penniston said. "Joe really understands the game."
As for Johnson, Penniston said he faced him a lot in practice last season "and this year he seems like he's on a whole new level. He can do a lot of great things in coverage and the run game."
Sophomore fullback Alec Ingold identified young inside linebackers Mike Maskalunas and Griffin Grady.
"Both of them, as a unit, have been able to step in and take reps," Ingold said. "It's tough going against that number one offensive line and having to cover guys like (Fumagalli) in the flat.
"They did a really good job just being consistent and how they approached practices. They really took advantage of spring."
Nick Nelson (11), Dontye Carriere-Williams (29) and Lubern Figaro (31) at spring practice.
Another guy who got multiple mentions from teammates was junior cornerback Nick Nelson, who sat out last season after transferring from Hawaii.
"He's a very good player," Fumagalli said. "He's explosive. I think he adds to that back end quite a bit.
"It was great working against him, just getting each other better every day."
Sophomore quarterback Alex Hornibrook also spoke highly of Nelson.
"Last year when he was playing scout team there were so many plays that he would make where he would just jump routes," Hornibrook said. "In my head and the coaches' heads, it was like, 'All right, he knows the route because it's on the (play) card and he knows what the offense is doing.
"But we got into the spring and he's doing the exact same thing. We change up and he's still jumping routes, so I learned that it's not that he knows the plays; he has instincts and he knows how to read receivers.
"He's a hell of a player. I can't wait to see him play this fall."
