Badgers CB Hicks making plays while under the microscope
It's not easy to play cornerback, especially at a major program.
Every long completion, every penalty, every mistake is magnified, especially in this age of social media.
Long ago I was told by an NFL player that every cornerback is going to get burned, even the best ones. It's just a fact of life at that position. Hence why players at that position need to have a short memory.
Making it harder for corners is that not every "bad" play is their fault -- lack of pass rush (Wisconsin has just three sacks in four games), defensive scheme and even mistakes by teammates can make a player look bad.
This past week against Iowa, redshirt freshman Faion Hicks had one of those games. He got "beat" for a long gain (although Wisconsin was in a zone defense and quarterback Nate Stanley had plenty of time to throw) and committed a pass interference penalty. For this infraction he got roasted on social media by a supposed fan, who wrote, among other things, "How do you get burned so bad every play and still get to play."
Hicks later responded but deleted his tweet. He received support from other Badgers fans as well as a former Wisconsin cornerback.
https://twitter.com/Cromartie_M/status/1043724131991080966
Another thing with young cornerbacks -- and Wisconsin is playing a slew of them (there are no juniors or seniors in the group) -- is there is a learning curve. The Badgers have been fortunate to have had experience corners the past decade with, among others, Niles Brinkley, the above-mentioned Marcus Cromartie, Antonio Fenelus, Darius Hillary, Nick Nelson, Sojourn Shelton, Devin Smith and Derrick Tindal.
All that being said … Hicks is making plays.
His 13 tackles are most among UW cornerbacks. He has two passes defensed, which is tied for second on the team and most among corners, along with Caesar Williams.
Wisconsin has only four interceptions this season -- Hicks had one of them.
He also has the only tackle for loss among the cornerbacks, stuffing Iowa running back Ivory Kelly-Martin for a 3-yard loss on a second-and-2 play.
It can be hard to be patient, especially in the every-game-matters world of college football. But based on Hicks' early production, he might just be worth the wait.
Here’s the complete rundown of the young Badgers after the first four games:
"TRUE" FRESHMEN
Travian Blaylock, CB
Western Kentucky: Played, did not record a statistic
New Mexico: Played, did not record a statistic
BYU: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: FR
Season totals: No tackles, 1 FR
Donte Burton, CB
Western Kentucky: 1 tackle (solo)
New Mexico: Did not play
BYU: Did not play
Iowa: Did not play
Season totals: 1 tackle (solo)
Aron Cruickshank, WR
Western Kentucky: 1 kick return, 30 yards
New Mexico: 1 rush, 11 yards; 2 kick returns, 32 yards
BYU: 4 kick returns, 84 yards
Iowa: 2 kick returns, 22 yards
Season totals: 1 rush, 11 yards; 9 kick returns, 188 yards (20.9 avg.)
Taj Mustapha, WR
Western Kentucky: Played, did not record a statistic
New Mexico: 1 catch, 3 yards, TD
BYU: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Played, did not record a statistic
Season totals: 1 catch, 3 yards, TD
Jack Sanborn, ILB
Western Kentucky: Did not play
New Mexico: Did not play
BYU: 1 tackle (solo)
Iowa: Played, did not record a statistic
Season totals: 1 tackle (solo)
Bryson Williams, NT
Western Kentucky: Played, did not record a statistic
New Mexico: Played, did not record a statistic
BYU: 1 tackle (solo)
Iowa: 2 tackles (1 solo)
Season totals: 3 tackles (2 solo)
Rachad Wildgoose, CB
Western Kentucky: Did not play
New Mexico: 2 tackles (2 solo)
BYU: Did not play
Iowa: Did not play
Have not played
A.J. Abbott, WR; Nate Carter, QB; John Chenal, FB; Boyd Dietzen, DE; Jack Eschenbach, TE; Jaylan Franklin, OLB; Michael Furtney, OL; C.J. Goetz, DE; Mike Gregoire, WR; Isaac Guerendo, WR; Jacob Heyroth, ILB; Andrew Lyons, OL; Isaiah Mullens, DE; Reggie Pearson, S; Mason Platter, OLB; Cormac Sampson, TE; Brady Schipper, WR; Conor Schlichting, P; Alexander Smith, CB; Marty Strey, OLB; Jack Torchio, S; Nakia Watson, RB; Chase Wolf, QB
REDSHIRT FRESHMEN
Tyler Beach, OL
Western Kentucky: Played, did not record a statistic
New Mexico: Played, did not record a statistic
BYU: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Played, did not record a statistic
Season totals: n/a
Logan Bruss, OL
Western Kentucky: Played, did not record a statistic
New Mexico: Played, did not record a statistic
BYU: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Started, did not record a statistic
Season totals: n/a
Jake Ferguson, TE
Western Kentucky: 4 catches, 43 yards
New Mexico: 1 catch, 4 yards
BYU: 3 catches, 61 yards
Iowa: 4 catches, 58 yards, TD
Season totals: 12 catches, 166 yards, TD
Izayah Green-May, OLB
Western Kentucky: Played, did not record a statistic
New Mexico: Played, did not record a statistic
BYU: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Did not play
Season totals: n/a
Deron Harrell, CB
Western Kentucky: Played, did not record a statistic
New Mexico: Played, did not record a statistic
BYU: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Started, 3 tackles (3 solo)
Season totals: 3 tackles (3 solo)
Matt Hennigsen, DE
Western Kentucky: Started, 4 tackles (1 solo)
New Mexico: Started, 2 tackles (1 solo), TFL
BYU: 2 tackles, QBH
Iowa: 2 tackles
Season totals: 10 tackles (2 solo), TFL, QBH
Faion Hicks, CB
Western Kentucky: Started, 3 tackles (2 solo), INT
New Mexico: Started, 1 tackle, PBU
BYU: Started, 5 tackles (3 solo), PBU
Iowa: Started, 4 tackles (4 solo), TFL
Season totals: 13 tackles (9 solo), 2 PBU, INT, TFL
Kayden Lyles, DL
Western Kentucky: Started, 2 tackles (2 solo)
New Mexico: Started, 2 tackles (1 solo), FR
BYU: Started, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Started, 1 tackle (solo)
Season totals: 5 tackles (4 solo), FR
Scott Nelson, S
Western Kentucky: Started, 7 tackles (5 solo), 2 PBU
New Mexico: Started, 4 tackles (2 solo), INT
BYU: Started, 5 tackles (1 solo) 1.5 TFL, PBU
Iowa: Started, 4 tackles (1 solo), PBU
Season totals: 20 tackles (9 solo), 4 PBU, 1.5 TFL, INT
Josh Seltzner, OL
Western Kentucky: Played, did not record a statistic
New Mexico: Did not play
BYU: Did not play
Iowa: Played, did not record a statistic
Season totals: n/a
Danny Vanden Boom, QB
Western Kentucky: Did not play
New Mexico: 1-for-1 passing, 3 yards, TD
BYU: Did not play
Iowa: Did not play
Season totals: 1-for-1 passing, 3 yards, TD
Aaron Vopal, OL
Western Kentucky: 1 tackle (solo)
New Mexico: Did not play
BYU: Did not play
Iowa: Did not play
Season totals: 1 tackle (solo)
Have not played
Michael Balistreri, DE; Ethan Cesarz, ILB; Jake Collinsworth, FB; Alex Fenton, OL; Cade Green, WR; Hunter Johnson, RB; Collin Larsh, K; Tyler Mais, S; Emmet Perry, WR; Coy Wanner, TE
Out for season
Blake Smithback, OL
"TRUE" SOPHOMORES
Adam Bay, LS
Western Kentucky: Played, did not record a statistic
New Mexico: Played, did not record a statistic
BYU: Played, did not record a statistic
Iowa: Played, did not record a statistic
Season totals: n/a
Madison Cone, CB
Western Kentucky: Played, did not record a statistic
New Mexico: 1 tackle (solo), INT, PBU
BYU: 3 tackles (3 solo)
Iowa: 1 tackle (solo)
Season totals: 5 tackles (5 solo), PBU, INT
Danny Davis III, WR
Western Kentucky: Did not play (suspended)
New Mexico: Did not play (suspended)
BYU: 4 catches, 40 yards
Iowa: 1 catch, 12 yards, TD
Season totals: 5 catches, 52 yards, TD
Jonathan Taylor, RB
Western Kentucky: Started, 18 rush, 145 yards, 2 TD
New Mexico: Started, 33 rush, 253 yards, 3 TD
BYU: Started, 26 rush, 117 yards; 3 catches, 14 yards
Iowa: 25 rush, 113 yards; 2 catches, 6 yards
Season totals: 102 rush, 628 yards, 5 TD; 5 catches, 20 yards
Have not played
Jack Coan, QB
Dave Heller is the author of Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow (a Larry Ritter Book Award nominee), Facing Ted Williams - Players From the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived and As Good As It Got: The 1944 St. Louis Browns
