College football begins tonight, and this could be a very big season for Wisconsin. National Championship? Wisconsin isn’t the odds-on favorite, but it’s not out of the realm of possibilities. A better bet is a trip to Pasadena on New Year’s Day.
Here’s what the experts are saying about the Badgers:
FOX SPORTS
No matter what, if you're a Big Ten team and go 12-1 with a win over the SEC West champion in a New Year's Day bowl, you had a wildly successful season. However, the jury is still out on just how good last year's Badger team was, after blowing through a lousy schedule, not playing Ohio State, and doing next to nothing on offense in the win over Arkansas in the Capital One Bowl. Now the team has to finally get everyone's respect.
With 31 wins in three years and a 22-4 record in the last two, you'd think Wisconsin would be considered a superpower. Not quite.
This isn't a flashy team, there aren't a slew of household names on defense, and there's still a hint of overall skepticism after playing bad non-conference slate after bad non-conference slate. The only way the national perception can change is with a few wins over the big names, and a Big Ten title.
Bret Bielema proved to be a great successor to Barry Alvarez, and has a loaded team that should be one of the favorites for the conference title and a sleeper for the BCS Championship Game. Even the big personnel losses (OT Joe Thomas, QB John Stocco, LB Mark Zalewski and both starting safeties) shouldn't be too painful with good replacements ready to step in. RB P.J. Hill should be a lock for 1,500 yards behind a great offensive line, the defensive front seven should be dominant, and the kicking game might be the best in the nation.
This has been one of the nation's most talented teams over the last several years (few programs have had more players drafted over the last 10 years), and the schedule, while tougher than 2006, is certainly manageable for an elite team. There's no reason the program can't take things to yet another level and get to its first Rose Bowl since the 1999 season. Of course, that's only if Wisconsin truly is the real deal.
What to watch for on offense: The quarterback situation. The receiving corps has the talent to make the passing game shine, but there might be more running than Badger fans have seen since Brooks Bollinger was running the occasional option. Senior Tyler Donovan and Kansas State transfer Allan Evridge will battle to replace Stocco. Each can run extremely well, and each is a competent passer. The winner of the job will be the X factor in the Big Ten race.
What to watch for on defense: UW has one of the nation's best cornerback tandems. Allen Langford is solid, while speedy, big-hitting Jack Ikegwuonu is something special. The front four is loaded with a combination of size, quickness, experience and talent, and it should be better at generating pressure than it has over the last few years. That'll only make the secondary even better.
The team will be far better if ... the offensive line plays up to its reputation. It wasn't bad last season, and having a superior talent like Thomas gave it a go-to guy to work behind, but the line gave up way too many sacks and struggled against the three really good defensive fronts (Michigan, Penn State and Arkansas) it faced. A big line this good has to be able to impose its will on anyone.
The Schedule: It's far tougher than last season, but it's not a killer until late. There's a real live non-conference game to worry about, as the Badgers start the year with Washington State before breathers against UNLV and The Citadel. Four of the first five games are at home before a big landmine at Illinois the week before the trip to Penn State. Closing out at Ohio State, home vs. Michigan and at Minnesota will likely make-or-break Wisconsin's Rose Bowl dreams.
Best Offensive Player: Sophomore RB P.J. Hill. It's never fair or logical to compare a young player to the NCAA's all-time leading rusher, but in ramming his way to 1,569 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2006, Hill did a believable impression of a young Ron Dayne. At somewhere north of 240 pounds, he's big and powerful, but also surprisingly nimble and quick for a big back.
Best Defensive Player: Junior CB Jack Ikegwuonu. While still somewhat young and raw, Ikegwuonu has all the ingredients of an elite defensive back and could wind up a first-day NFL draft choice two years from now. A true lockdown corner who's only going to get better with more experience, he's a 6-1, 200-pound greyhound who's not afraid to fill the lanes and support in run defense.
Key player to a successful season: Senior QB Tyler Donovan. Everything is in place for a run at the Big Ten title, as long as there's steady quarterback play. Whether it's Donovan or Allan Evridge, the QB doesn't have to be an All-Big Ten star, but he does have to limit mistakes, connect on third-down passes, and occasionally use the tremendous receiving corps on big plays to open things up for Hill and the ground game.
The season will be a success if ... UW is in Pasadena in early January. There's too much experience to shoot for anything less. The schedule might be just tough enough to ruin any dreams of going unbeaten, but if the team is the real deal many believe it'll be, it needs to be in the hunt for the Rose Bowl going into November when the games against Ohio State and Michigan arrive.
Key game: Oct. 13 at Penn State. The Badgers have come close to owning the Nittany Lions, winning five of the last seven matchups. For each team, this game will be key to Big Ten championship hopes, and for Wisconsin, it might be the one obstacle to a 9-0 start and inclusion in national title talk.
2006 Fun Stats:
• First half scoring: Wisconsin 216; Opponents 86
• Kickoff return average: Wisconsin 15 yards; Opponents 20.7 yards
• Time of possession: Wisconsin 33:26; Opponents 26:34
CBS SPORTS
When P.J.'s on, Badgers put competition to sleep
Sometimes it seems like being the Wisconsin quarterback hardly matters. Forget rolling off the tongue, they are names you have to spell check: Stocco, Sorgi, Bollinger. Rather, it is a program whose philosophy can be found in the paper towel aisle: Viva Brawny!
Whiskey would rather maul you, than finesse you, even if it is one of its own.
Ask Josh Nettles. Mention the backup defensive back's name in the Badgers' locker room and you're likely to get a mix of pity and laughter. It was during spring practice 2006 that Nettles became part of recent Wisconsin lore.
Tracking down tailback P.J. Hill near the sideline, Nettles chose the wrong angle.
"It was one of the most amazing things I ever saw," linebacker Jonathan Casillas said. "P.J. lifted him up and took him three yards and threw him out of bounds. The guys' legs were up in the air. P.J. did it right in front of the defense.
"We'd never seen anything like that. It was like Earl Campbell."
Or Ron Dayne (Heisman). Or Joe Thomas (Outland). Or Erasmus James (Nagurski). Those are just three of the major award winners in the program since 1999. These guys and this team are used to heavy lifting. Second-year coach Bret Bielema would trade the individual stuff, though, for the program's first Big Ten title since 1999.
"It's American football," Bielema said of the ethic that was planted and nurtured by Barry Alvarez who left the sidelines after 17 seasons last year to become athletic director.
Bielema, the former Badgers defensive coordinator, is no different than his boss. He is just as likely to brag on his fullbacks as he is Hill, who became the fifth freshman in history to run for 1,000 yards in his first seven games. If Hill is going to progress as a sophomore, it will be largely up to a pair of 250-pound junior fullbacks: Bill Rentmeester and Chris Pressley.
"On certain teams in our league, you're not going to find one fullback ...," Bielema said. "To me short yardage is, 'Ok, mano y mano.' It's called an 'iso' because it's an isolation on a linebacker. That's the part that I like."
Which is why he likes the comeback being made by Pressley. The bruiser redshirted last season because of a leg injury. Then as part of his business school studies, went to China this summer for a month. He came back 20 pounds lighter, which is fine with Hill.
"Press is looking real nice right now, he's probably even stronger," Hill said. "I can't wait to run behind him."
With a healthy fullback, Hill might surpass his freshman season when he clubbed Nettles on his way to 1,569 yards and 15 touchdowns, putting together the seventh-best freshman season in I-A history. Bielema will rely even more on running, considering quarterback John Stocco (it's been spell checked) is gone. One of Stocco's possible replacements, Kansas State transfer Allan Evridge, is the dual-threat type. Wisconsin's ethic was shaped by Barry Alvarez who handed it off to Bielema in 2006 after 17 seasons. The seamless transition led to a 12-1 season that left the Badgers short of a BCS bowl because of a technicality (only two teams per conference can go).
Now Wisconsin is the trendy pick in the Big Ten this season if you ignore Michigan and its monster offense backed up by a rebuilt defense. The schedule is manageable aside from trips to Penn State and Ohio State. Cheeseheads everywhere are looking forward to the Michigan game Nov. 10 at Camp Randall.
And maybe a new-look Hill whose body is a bit tired of giving and receiving all those hits.
"This year I'm going to be smarter about the contact I make," he said. "If I can beat a defender with my speed, I'm going to beat a defender with my speed.
"This is just so I can play longer. During the whole week I'll be sore. It's taking me too long to recover."
Viva finesse? At Wisconsin, it doesn't sound right.
ATHLONSPORTS.COM
At the risk of sounding a bit cocky, Bret Bielema’s players want the country to know the Wisconsin football program has arrived on the national scene.
“I think everybody in the nation should realize Wisconsin is the real deal,” says junior linebacker Jonathan Casillas. “It’s hard to argue with us now. … It’s hard not to put us in the top 10.”
Wisconsin finished last season No. 5 in the coaches’ poll and No. 7 in the AP poll after outlasting Arkansas in the Capital One Bowl. The 17–14 victory gave Wisconsin a 12–1 mark, its second victory over a formidable SEC foe in a bowl game and a 22–4 mark over the last two seasons.
Armed with seven starters back from a defense that finished No. 2 nationally in points allowed (12.1 per game), nine starters back from an offense that scored 30 points or more in seven games and a punter and kicker who have NFL-caliber talent, the Badgers believe they can contend for their first Big Ten title since 1999 — and possibly more.
“We want to be better than the defense was last year,” says sophomore Aubrey Pleasant, set to start at strong safety. “Everything in this program we look forward to doing better. Last year we were 12–1. Now we want to be 13–0.”
Quarterbacks
For the first time since the 2003 season, UW’s offense will be directed full-time by someone other than John Stocco. The three-year starter wasn’t mobile, but he was poised, efficient, tough and responsible for a 29–7 record, more than 7,200 passing yards and 47 touchdown passes. The contenders are Tyler Donovan, a fifth-year senior who started two games in place of Stocco last season, and Allan Evridge, who transferred last summer from Kansas State, where he started six games as a redshirt freshman in 2005. Donovan has a decided edge in experience in Wisconsin’s offense, and that was obvious in the spring as Evridge was feeling his way around. Evridge, a mobile lefthander, has the physical and intellectual tools to win the job, though. His arm-strength appears above average, he can fit the ball into tight quarters on the move and, like Donovan, he is a threat to run.
Running Backs
Quality isn’t an issue, though quantity is. P.J. Hill was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year after leading the conference in rushing — with 1,569 yards and 15 rushing TDs — but appeared to wear down late in the season thanks to nagging neck and shoulder injuries. He missed all of spring ball while recuperating from shoulder surgery, a huge blow to his development. That allowed Lance Smith, who rushed for 345 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman last season, to gain valuable experience as the lone remaining scholarship tailback. Smith looked steadier in the spring than last season, when his work habits varied from week to week. Nevertheless, the offensive staff has been open about its desire to see if incoming freshmen John Clay and Zach Brown can win spots in the running back rotation. And since Bielema favors productivity over seniority, the race will be on in camp. Projected starting fullback Chris Pressley missed last season because of a broken leg suffered in camp; backup Bill Rentmeester was slowed by nagging injuries. Offensive coordinator Paul Chryst countered by using multiple tight-end sets and the offense didn’t suffer. With Pressley and Rentmeester expected to be healthy, the offense will be even more versatile.
Receivers
A year ago at this time, there were legitimate questions whether the Badgers would be able to stretch the field vertically. Then-juniors Paul Hubbard and Luke Swan responded with solid and at times spectacular play to record 38 and 35 catches, respectively, for 1,222 yards and 10 touchdowns. Hubbard’s height (6'4") and leaping ability (he is a decorated triple- and long-jumper) allows him to make big plays down the field. Swan’s precise route running endears him to all the quarterbacks. His ability adjust to errant throws while the ball is in flight is uncanny. The big story was the play of tight end Travis Beckum, who moved from defensive end in the spring of 2006. Beckum led all tight ends nationally in catches (61) and ranked second in receiving yards (903). Along with tight end Andy Crooks, a converted linebacker who contributed 19 catches and four scores, the Badgers fielded an outstanding duo. What Wisconsin needs this season is for some of its younger receivers to develop and make more plays and take the pressure off Hubbard and Swan.
Offensive Linemen
Four starters, including only one senior, return from last season. That’s the good news. The bad news is that someone has to take over at left tackle for the departed Joe Thomas, a three-year starter and first-team All-American. The job likely will go to either sophomore Jake Bscherer or redshirt freshman Gabe Carimi. Both are talented, but the drop-off from Thomas will be staggering. The returning four starters — junior left guard Andy Kemp, senior center Marcus Coleman, junior right guard Kraig Urbik and junior right tackle Eric Vanden Heuvel — must improve to compensate for the loss of the departed Outland Trophy winner and team leader.
Defensive Linemen
At worst, this unit should be solid with the return of six players who boast significant experience. That includes three starters from 2006. Senior Nick Hayden and juniors Jason Chapman and Mike Newkirk should rotate at the two tackle spots, as they did last season. However, the staff wants to develop a fourth tackle to spread the workload. Junior end Matt Shaughnessy is smart and athletic and could be a first-team all-league performer this season. He was a second-team pick last season despite not being fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered in 2005. The wildcards are senior ends Kurt Ware and Jamal Cooper. Ware is a 282-pounder who can run but must stop making mental errors. Cooper missed all of spring ball to focus on academics. He never looked 100 percent last season after suffering a torn ACL in 2005 but when healthy can be a terror coming off the edge.
Linebackers
Gone are the days when Wisconsin trots out a trio of burly run-stuffers at linebacker. Juniors DeAndre Levy and Jonathan Casillas, who started all 13 games last season, move swiftly and hit with authority. The new face this season is in the middle, where sophomore Elijah Hodge takes over for Mark Zalewski, who led the team in tackles in 2006. Hodge is the younger brother of former Iowa and current Green Bay Packers linebacker Abdul Hodge. Hodge doesn’t run as well as Zalewski, but his instincts are off the charts. He was born to play middle linebacker and appears to be a terrific leader. Depth should not be a major concern. Co-defensive coordinator Dave Doeren believes he will have capable backups at all three spots.
Defensive Backs
The area of concern last season was cornerback, with then-sophomores Jack Ikegwuonu and Allen Langford entering their first seasons as full-time starters. Both players blossomed, and Ikegwuonu garnered first-team all-conference honors from the league’s coaches. Now Ikegwuonu and Langford are the savvy veterans, and the staff is breaking in first-year starters at both safety spots, Pleasant and Shane Carter. No one questions the athletic ability of Carter and Pleasant, both of whom redshirted last season because of shoulder problems. But will their lack of experience be a short-term issue that lessens with time or a continuing worry? To expect the duo to avoid growing pains would be foolish.
Specialists
The return games must improve. Wisconsin finished last in the league in kickoff returns (15.0-yard average) and ninth in punt returns (6.6-yard average). In contrast, the Badgers should field the best combination of punter and kicker in the league. Taylor Mehlhaff made 15-of-20 field goal attempts, including 10-of-11 from 39 yards and in. Punter Ken DeBauche had a mediocre season by his standards, yet his 41.8-yard average was still fourth-best in the conference.
Wisconsin kicks off their 2007 season on ABC television this Saturday when the Badgers host Washington State at 2:36 p.m. CDT.
