Former QB Edwards enjoyed making the transition to Wisconsin linebacker
T.J. Edwards had barely played any defense before arriving at Wisconsin in the fall of 2014. And it showed.
"I played outside linebacker the first scrimmage we had here and Kyle Costigan, who was an All-American guard, now one of our strength coaches, he was pulling, just on a typical power play and I didn't even see him," Edwards said. "It was like the second or third play I was in and I was just taken off my feet.
"I had never felt that type of power in my entire life. So that was definitely my first welcome to it. I was like, 'All right, here we go.' "
It's an unlikely journey, from high school quarterback to one of the nation's most decorated inside linebackers. But that's where Edwards sits heading into his fifth season with the Badgers.
Edwards, a Lake Villa native and Lakes High School graduate, was a Butkus Award finalist and first-team all-American by AP, ESPN and USA Today last season. He delayed a likely NFL career to spend one more year in Madison.
Wisconsin is a heavy favorite to win the Big Ten West. Edwards would like to add a playoff spot and national championship to the list of possibilities.
"I came back for a reason," Edwards said this week at Big Ten media days. "I came back because I was excited about what we had here and what this team can do, so there's definitely a nice little buzz around town.
"We want to be the best college football team in the country. That should be everyone's goal. That is our goal."
Other than that initial collision, Edwards' transition to linebacker happened quickly. He has started 39 games in three seasons and twice led a nationally ranked defense in tackles.
In Lake County, Edwards is remembered as a talented quarterback who led Lakes to the playoffs twice. Even when coach Luke Mertens tried to get Edwards some experience on defense, it didn't last long because of an injury.
"I played like two games at safety and maybe a couple series in those games," Edwards said.
Back in those days was Edwards a linebacker who happened to play quarterback, or did he just change his entire mindset when he got to Wisconsin?
"I think it's definitely a mindset switch when you get to the college level and you're playing linebacker and you're in the box," he said. "Especially since I never really did it in high school. It was not a terribly hard transition. I've always been kind of physical, so that was a good start.
"I think linebacker's more fun. You get to run around and hit people more. But I miss the ball in my hands a little bit, for sure."
Wisconsin has long been known for developing talent on the offensive line, so Edwards thinks his freshman year running with the scout team, getting knocked around by top-notch linemen, was the best training he could get.
Badgers safety D'Cota Dixon shared his thoughts on how Edwards made such a successful transition to linebacker.
"T.J., he's a hard worker, man. He's a grinder," Dixon said. "He's a leader, too. He does it by example. He's the same person every year, same person every day. So in a lot of ways I'm not surprised. He's an athlete. He's a baller. That just goes to show how good he really is."
Last year, Wisconsin ranked second in the nation in total defense. But Edwards and Dixon are among just four returning starters on defense. So even though expectations are high, the Badgers will be rebuilding the defense.
There were plenty of references this week to Wisconsin's off-season team slogan - "Nobody cares, work harder."
"Our strength coaches started that going into the winter, just because no matter what the talk is about us this year, it's not that big of a deal," Edwards said. "We've just got to keep our head down and work. I just think it's kind of what we do here at Wisconsin."