Wisconsin left tackle Cole Van Lanen will miss Purdue game

MADISON – Wisconsin’s offensive line will not be at full strength Saturday against Purdue.

Redshirt junior Cole Van Lanen suffered a head injury during practice this week and on Thursday was ruled out for UW’s home finale.

According to head coach Paul Chryst, redshirt sophomore Tyler Beach is set to replace Van Lanen in the starting lineup.

Van Lanen has started all 10 games this season.

Beach, a graduate of Port Washington High School, started one game this season. He opened at right tackle in UW’s loss at Illinois when offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph juggled his top five linemen.

“He has definitely progressed and improved,” Chryst said when asked about Van Lanen's play in his first season as a starter. “He has probably been in as many of the situations as he could be.”

Beach has not, although Purdue is 13th in the Big Ten in sacks (17) and 10th in the league against the run (172.2 yards per game).

The Boilermakers have been without defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal (knee) all season and lost linebacker Markus Bailey (knee) after four games. Bailey led Purdue in tackles last season (115) and Neal finished 10th on the team with 30 tackles.

Purdue's most disruptive defensive lineman is freshman end George Karlaftis, who enrolled a semester early and participated in spring ball. The 6-foot-4, 265-pounder leads the team in sacks (six) and tackles for loss (14 1/2).

"George Karlaftis enrolled early (and) in three months changed his body drastically," Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said. "He's put in the time and effort every single day. We need more guys to do it to that extreme."

May the best man win

Senior linebackers Chris Orr and Zack Baun have combined to account for 52.7% of UW’s 37 sacks this season.

Orr had a combined 2½ sacks entering this season. He leads UW with 10 sacks.

Baun also had a combined 2½ sacks entering this season. He is second on the team in sacks with 9½.

UW finished with 19 sacks in 13 games last season.

Lost in those numbers is the friendly competition Orr and Baun have to see who finishes with more sacks.

“We always have a little chat about that,” Orr said. “I got one first and then he got one at Nebraska. I (said): ‘We’ll see what happens.’”

Orr noted with a smile that UW’s scheme gives Baun an advantage because he often is asked to rush the passer.

“We’ve got to have him drop into coverage more,” Orr said, laughing. “It’s a little skewed because he is rushing more than me. But that competition is going to stay alive.”

Good coaching easy to see

Injuries have stripped Purdue’s offense of its top two quarterbacks – Elijah Sindelar and Jack Plummer – and have kept wide receiver Rondale Moore on the sideline for the last six games.

Despite those losses, redshirt sophomore quarterback Aidan O’Connell has helped the Boilermakers rally to defeat Nebraska and Northwestern in the past two games.

Chryst noted such results point to quality coaching from Brohm and his offensive staff.

“I think he does a great job using his personnel according to what he has,” Chryst said. “That is what is impressive. It’s not just the starter but the players can execute.

“What is coaching? It is do the players know what to do and do they know how to do it? And can they apply it in a game situation?

“As a coach you want it to look like football and executed properly. And when you see a number of people do it, that is a sign of a really well coached team.”

Senior salute

Orr and Baun are among 13 seniors set to play their final game at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday. The others: punter Connor Allen, offensive lineman Jason Erdmann, kicker Zach Hintze, outside linebacker Tyler Johnson, punter Anthony Lotti, offensive lineman David Moorman, defensive end David Pfaff, nose tackle Gunnar Roberge, tailback Bradrick Shaw, wide receiver A.J. Taylor and inside linebacker Travis Wiltjer.

The senior class has helped UW post a 40-11 mark over the last four seasons, including a 10-1 record in rivalry/trophy games.