2008 Wisconsin preview: Can Badgers climb among the big boys?
Last season was a disappointment for the Badgers. After they rose to No. 5 in the AP poll after a 5-0 start, the wheels came off due mainly to injuries and a porous defense. This is one of those programs that is consistently good – the only Big Ten team in to play in a bowl game on New Year’s Day or later for the past four seasons – but never able to make the jump to national championship contender. This schedule this year sets up as good as it will get for the Badgers to have a chance to make some national noise.
2007 record: 9-4 (5-3 Big Ten)
Coach: Bret Bielema (3rd year, 21-5)
Returning starters: 17 (offense: 8, defense: 9, special teams: 0)
Top returnees: RB P.J. Hill, TE Travis Beckum, RB Zach Brown, G Kraig Urbik, DE Matt Shaughnessy, FS Shane Carter, LB Jonathan Casillas, LB Deandre Levy
Key losses: QB Tyler Donovan, WR Luke Swan, C Marcus Coleman, DT Nick Hayden, CB Jack Ikegwuonu, PK Taylor Mehlhaff, P Ken DeBauche
2008 schedule
Aug. 30 Akron
Sept. 6 Marshall
Sept. 13 @ Fresno State
Sept. 27 @ Michigan
Oct. 4 Ohio State
Oct. 11 Penn State
Oct. 18 @ Iowa
Oct. 25 Illinois
Nov. 1 @ Michigan State
Nov. 8 @ Indiana
Nov. 15 Minnesota
Nov. 22 Cal Poly
Key game: Sept. 27 at Michigan – A win at the Big House could propel the Badgers to great things because they get the presumed top three teams in the Big Ten (Ohio State, Penn State and Illinois) at home. The Badgers have won 14 games in a row at Camp Randall Stadium, so if they can take care of business in Ann Arbor, watch out.
2008 overview
For the first time since 2004, Wisconsin will open the season with a quarterback who did not start at least one game the previous season. Tyler Donovan started all 13 games last season, leaving a battle between Allan Evridge and Dustin Sherer. Evridge, a former transfer from Kansas State, has the lead heading into fall camp, but he had only 12 passing attempts last year with five completions for 66 yards. He started six games for K-State in 2005. The left-hander completed 102-of-213 passes for 1,365 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 203 yards and four scores.
At running back, junior P.J. Hill, who rushed for a total of 2,805 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first two seasons, was healthy in the spring for the first time since coming to UW. He is the power back, but the Badgers have other very capable runners led by Zach Brown, who started the final four games after Hill injured his leg against Ohio State. He rushed for 450 yards and four scores in those games. Running back is the strength of this team.
As deep as Wisconsin is at running back is as thin as it is at receiver. The Badgers’ 12 returning receivers (counting redshirt freshmen) caught a grand total of 30 passes for 461 yards and a touchdown last year. Kyle Jefferson probably is the best of that bunch. However, in senior Travis Beckum and junior Garrett Graham, Wisconsin boasts the best set of tight ends in the country. Beckum was John Mackey Award finalist last year after catching 75 passes for 982 yards and six scores.
The offensive line is massive and is loaded with experience. Right guard Kraig Urbik enters his fourth season as a starter and left guard Andy Kemp and right tackle Eric Vanden Heuvel enter their third seasons as starters. Sophomore left tackle Gabe Carimi started all 13 games last year.
The defense is where the questions really begin for this club. On the line, the Badgers lost only one starter and know they have an anchor in senior end Matt Shaughnessy, entering his third season as a full-time starter. But he broke his leg at the end of the spring. It’s expected he’ll be fine for the opener. Three potential starters missed spring practice while recovering from surgery, and overall eight linemen missed the bulk of spring workouts.
The starters at linebacker are set in seniors DeAndre Levy and Jonathan Casillas and either Elijah Hodge or Culmer St. Jean. Casillas led the team with 96 tackles last year, and Levy was second on the team with 70. The success of the linebackers will depend largely on how well the defensive line plays.
The secondary lost star Jack Ikegwuonu to the NFL. Allen Langford and Aaron Henry/Mario Goins figure to start at the corners, but Langford and Henry both are coming off ACL injuries. Junior Shane Carter has switched from free safety to strong, even though he led the Big Ten with seven interceptions last year.
As is typical Wisconsin, this club will pound the ball, and that generally works in the Big Ten. Expect Evridge to win the QB job, and he adds a dimension not usually seen in Madison. However, with so many recuperating players on defense, it’s hard to see how this team can jell in time for the Big Ten season. In fact, I could see a Week 3 upset loss at Fresno State and about eight wins.
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