Tide Illustrated staff writer Henry Sklar spoke with BadgerBlitz beat writer Seamus Rohrer to get some insight on this week's matchup between No. 4 Alabama and Wisconsin.

Alabama hired Colin Hitchler from Wisconsin this past offseason. What was his reputation, and how was he impactful in Madison?

Though Hitchler was only with the Badgers for one season, he was considered a significant loss when he elected to pack it up and head to Tuscaloosa.

While in Madison, he was a safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator, but he was known more for his recruiting prowess. He helped Wisconsin reel in a number of talented defensive backs in the class of 2024 and was seen as one of the catalysts for the Badgers’ inspired recruiting efforts in that cycle. Having come over to Wisconsin with head coach Luke Fickell from Cincinnati, he was one of the skipper’s right-hand men and part of the culture Fickell is seeking to instill.

Alabama saw Tyler Van Dyke in his sophomore season at Miami; of course, this is only his first year with Wisconsin, but how does he fit into the Badger offense, and how has he developed this offseason?

In theory, Tyler Van Dyke is a very good fit in play-caller Phil Longo’s offense. He has the body of a pro-style quarterback at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, but he has enough mobility in his game to where he can escape the pocket and execute designed quarterback runs. In practice, however, he’s had a slow start getting acclimated to the Badgers’ offense in his first two games.

Wisconsin hasn’t thrown the ball all that much through two weeks, but when it has, there have been mixed results. Van Dyke has made some poor reads and decisions throwing the football, but he’s also made some really nice tosses and positive plays with his legs. This offense is still very much a work in progress, and Van Dyke is likewise still meshing with the coordinator Longo.

Alabama’s offensive line struggled last week in pass protection, as Jalen Milroe faced 11 pressures on the night. Who are the top pass-rushers on Wisconsin who could potentially wreak havoc in Alabama’s backfield?

The Badgers’ pass rush has been lukewarm to start the season, but the personnel should be there for them to get hot. On the edge, they’re led by returnee outside linebacker Darryl Peterson alongside transfers John Pius (William & Mary) and Leon Lowery (Syracuse).

Between the three of them, only Peterson has logged a sack this season. Still, Pius is a long, athletic edge defender who is still likely the best pure pass-rusher on the team. Lowery, meanwhile, is a little more versatile and can line up in other spots within the front seven.

On the inside, defensive tackle Elijah Hills has been Wisconsin’s most productive player in the trenches. He’s logged a sack in each of the Badgers’ first two games and looks like the best player on a much-maligned defensive line.

Alabama has a relatively inexperienced secondary who has been susceptible to big plays early this season. What pass-catchers do the Badgers have that could cause a threat to the Crimson Tide?

Wisconsin’s most dangerous pass-catcher is slot receiver Will Pauling. He’s a twitchy underneath receiver that’s extremely adept at getting open. His backup, redshirt freshman Trech Kekahuna, has a very similar skillset. If you give either any space with the ball in their hands, look out.

On the outside, Wisconsin is relying on Bryson Green and Vinny Anthony to develop into reliable boundary receivers this offseason. Green is a more physical, contested-catch type player while Anthony has pure track speed and can take the top off defenses. Both have had solid if not excellent starts to the season, and their skillsets compliment each other nicely. CJ Williams, who scored a 50-yard touchdown last week, is a former highly touted recruit who transferred from USC that the Badgers are hoping continues to make strides in their passing attack.

Alabama and Wisconsin both had scares against non-power conference programs in Week 2. For Alabama fans who weren’t paying attention to the Badgers’ matchup with South Dakota, what went wrong to make the game close for a portion?

Wisconsin came out guns blazing against South Dakota, generating the big plays it failed to create in the opener. But despite a far-from-insurmountable 17-3 halftime lead, it came out extremely flat in the third quarter. Most troubling was the Coyotes’ ability to run all over them in that part of the game, capping off a run-heavy drive with a 35-yard touchdown on an end around.

Essentially, a rough third quarter made this game much closer. The Badgers couldn’t move the ball and finish drives, and their run defense was gashed. But again, those problems only persisted for a quarter and some change.