The University of Wisconsin football team signed junior college defensive lineman Dan Moore to contribute right away.

The early indication is he will do just that. It's just the Badgers could use two of him.

Moore was expected to help at defensive tackle, one of the thinnest areas on the team. Instead, he will be the backup right end behind senior Matt Shaughnessy when spring practice starts Saturday.

UW coach Bret Bielema revealed at a Thursday news conference, previewing spring practice, that sophomore defensive end Kirk DeCremer will miss spring workouts following back surgery.

UW's depth at defensive end now looks as shaky as it does at tackle. There also are questions at cornerback, where projected starters Allen Langford and Aaron Henry are recovering from torn ACLs and will spend the spring rehabilitating.

Those issues on defense could overshadow the search for a starting quarterback.

"We need to solidify the depth ... at certain positions," Bielema said when asked what needs to get done in the spring. "What we're really concentrating on, in the first three practices in particular, is attention to detail, attention to the specifics of what is going to give you success on any given play.

"We were a 9-4 football team (last year). In three of those four losses, if we had executed better on the specifics, by position, which affects a unit, which affects a team, we might have had a little bit different outcome."

Bielema first thought about switching Moore after watching him in a recent workout.

"I really liked the way Dan was competing, the way he was using leverage," said Bielema, a former nose tackle. "By playing the position, I learned, it's easier to go from outside to inside, rather than inside to outside."

Defensive tackle Jason Chapman is a third defensive starter recovering from a torn ACL and Bielema said his injury was the most severe. Bielema hopes to have all the injured players back by fall camp at the latest.

That leaves junior Jeff Stehle and freshman Patrick Butrym at right tackle, with freshman Jasper Grimes backing up senior Mike Newkirk on the left. Stehle, 6-foot-6, 298 pounds, becomes a key figure this spring.

"He has great size," Bielema said. "He's tall, he's got good strength ... but the same account, he's got to learn to player lower. It's going to be exciting to watch him."

At left cornerback, redshirt freshman Mario Goins is listed ahead of junior Josh Nettles, who has had academic issues in the past. Goins impressed coaches with his work during bowl practices.

"The defensive coaches are very excited what (Goins) brings to the table," Bielema said. "Josh has continued to do some good things and has made some big strides in some off-the-field stuff, which is very encouraging for us."

Middle linebacker Elijah Hodge will miss the first three practices after knee surgery.

On offense, senior Kraig Urbik is moving back to right guard, despite playing well at right tackle at the end of last season. That leaves redshirt freshman Josh Oglesby to compete with senior Eric Vanden Heuvel at right tackle.

Bielema did not rule out playing more than one quarterback, but said it is not his preference.