Jeff Potrykus

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON – Wisconsin fans could see more and less of linebacker Chris Orr in 2019.

Orr, who will be a fifth-year senior next season, should be the team’s most experienced inside linebacker with T.J. Edwards and Ryan Connelly gone. He has started 16 games and played in 36.

Yet there is less of Orr to see because he has reshaped his body and now carries 217 pounds on his 6-foot frame, down about 15 pounds from the start of last season.

“I wanted to do that because I wanted to stay as healthy as possible,” Orr, who was UW’s No. 3 inside linebacker last season, said after practice on Tuesday. “I wanted to come back more explosive.

“I feel faster. I’m not as tired. My body doesn’t get beat up. I can recover faster.”

According to Orr, the weight loss is the result of better dietary habits and more aerobic work. Both started last season, when Orr played more on special teams.

“Basically, just trying to eat healthier, lower my red meats,” he said. “I was doing more special teams, running more, so it kind of just started coming off naturally.”

Orr was asked if he will be heavy enough and strong enough to hold up on the inside.

“I got stronger,” he said. “I’m not worried about that.”

Neither is head coach Paul Chryst.

“I trust where he is at,” Chryst said. “His weight-room numbers are good.”

Orr is working this spring with several young inside linebackers. That group includes Jack Sanborn, who played in 11 games as a freshman last season; junior Seth Currens, who moved from safety before the start of spring ball; freshman Leo Chenal; and junior Mike Maskalunas, who has played in a total of 22 games.

Not surprisingly, Orr is being asked to do a lot of teaching in the meeting room and on the practice field.

“A lot of questions and we’re kind of overloading them with info,” Orr said of the less experienced inside linebackers. “As long as they take it home and study it – I meet with some guys now and then – it’s not too hard.”

Team goals

Tailback Jonathan Taylor didn’t need time to ponder an answer when asked to share some of the team’s goals for 2019.

Mindful that UW finished three games out of first place in the Big Ten West Division and lost to Minnesota for the first time since the 2003 season, Taylor said:

“Last year we didn’t finish how we wanted to. First things first. Got to win the West, got to win the ax.”

Enough said.

Extra points

The list of players out or limited because of injury/surgery includes: center Tyler Biadasz, offensive tackle Cole Van Lanen, defensive end Garrett Rand, guard-center Jason Erdmann, wide receiver Danny Davis, cornerback Madison Cone, tight end Luke Benzschawel and wide receiver Cade Green…

Quarterbacks Jack Coan and Danny Vanden Boom got the bulk work Tuesday, ahead of Chase Wolf, who redshirted last season, and freshman Graham Mertz...

Kayden Lyles and Alex Fenton worked at center Tuesday.