Badgers get a new offensive line coach

After each of the first two games of this season, redshirt junior center Travis Frederick said the offensive line was struggling to find its way more than he expected it to, despite working in new regular starters at three positions.
In the aftermath of Bret Bielema’s decision to fire first-year offensive line coach Mike Markuson Sunday, it appears the marching orders have been cleared up a bit: Do things the way that they were done when Bob Bostad was in charge.
Bostad oversaw the Badgers’ frontline for four seasons and was a UW assistant for six years before departing in January. He originally took a job on former offensive coordinator Paul Chryst’s staff before being hired as the offensive line coach for the National Football League’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Bielema said Monday he promoted little-known graduate assistant Bart Miller to “bridge a little bit of what we had last year to where we are now.”
Tuesday, the Badgers began their preparation for Saturday’s home contest against Utah State (2-0) with their second offensive line coach in nine months. That is sure to reset the transition period, even if the transition is now to try to re-apply, rather than learn anew.
“You just have to have a plan, work the plan and plan for the unexpected,” first-year offensive coordinator Matt Canada said Tuesday. “We’re going to drive forward and make the best of a difficult situation, as you would in life when a lot of things come your way.”
Usually, reporters are able to interview up to four offensive players and assistant coaches Tuesday evening, but this week the list was restricted to five players and four assistants. Redshirt senior left tackle Rick Wagner was the lone offensive lineman available and Miller was the only assistant not made available.
Miller is in his second year in the program after serving as a quality control coach a season ago. He played for Bostad at New Mexico in 2005 and graduated in 2007. Miller worked for the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks for two years before returning to college football as a graduate assistant at New Mexico State in 2010. In his weekly press conference on Monday, Bielema said he would not have made the change if Miller were not so familiar with the program. Wagner reiterated those sentiments Tuesday.
Let's hope it makes a difference.

Badger opener was a close call

A win is a win. Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema and numerous Badger players echoed this cliché following Wisconsin’s (1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten) 26-21 victory over FCS opponent Northern Iowa (0-1 overall, 0-0 Missouri Valley Conference) Saturday afternoon in the first game of the 2012 season.
However, the Camp Randall crowd wasn’t necessarily pleased with that type of mentality. The usually raucous crowd essentially stood in disbelief when UNI pulled within five points midway through the fourth quarter. Fans appeared lifeless when the Wisconsin offense responded to UNI’s surge with a three-and-out, giving the Panthers the ball back with 5:17 left to play, still only behind by five.
The anxiety was felt in the crowd most when UNI went for a fourth-and-one on Wisconsin’s 41-yard line with just under three minutes remaining. The Panthers had converted on their two previous fourth down attempts, but redshirt junior defensive lineman Ethan Hemer deflected Northern Iowa redshirt freshman quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen’s pass across the middle, ridding the crowd of its unexpected restlessness.
“There’s a lot of credit that should go to UNI,” Bielema said. “I thought they were probably the best FCS team we’ve ever faced. I could see that before we even played them.”
Senior running back Montee Ball capped things off for Wisconsin following Hemer’s play, as he rushed for 24 yards during the last drive to run the clock out.
“I don’t care if that was UNI or Nebraska, or anyone else that’s left on our schedule,” Bielema said. “[Ball] was going to secure that win and you could tell that.”
Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Rob Havenstein felt the Wisconsin offense brought a bit more life and intensity during that drive.
“We definitely picked it up a bit,” he said of the drive. “[But] the intensity has got to be there every play, every snap, every down.”
The Badgers’ defense looked like an almost entirely different squad in the second half, as Kollmorgen completed clutch passes at will. After holding the Panthers to just three first downs and 47 yards in the first half, Wisconsin gave up 10 first downs in the second. All 13 Panthers’ first downs came off passes.
Let's hope this week isn't so close.

Montee Ball looking for the Heisman

University of Wisconsin senior running back Montee Ball is one of five players clustered near the top of a wide-open Heisman Trophy race entering the college football season, according to the largest poll of Heisman voters.
StiffArmTrophy.com had 51 Heisman voters list their top 15 Heisman candidates entering the season.
Ball, the only returning Heisman finalist, is one of four players who were named on 50 of the 51 ballots. The others are South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones and Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson.
USC quarterback Matt Barkley, considered by many people as the top Heisman candidate, came next after being named on 49 ballots.
One indication of the struggle Ball faces to make it back to New York as a finalist this year: seven of the top 10 vote-getters are quarterbacks. Oregon running back De'Anthony Thomas ranks seventh, with 36 votes, to join Ball and Lattimore in the top 10.
In 2011, Robert Griffin III started the season ranked No. 11 on this watch list and in 2010, Cam Newton didn't appear in the preseason poll. Those two quarterbacks are the last two Heisman winners.
Let's hope Ball can win it. 

Jack Russell is the field goal kicker

University of Wisconsin football coach Bret Bielema released on Monday the first depth chart since the end of the 2011 season.
The biggest surprise is freshman kicker Jack Russell, from Waunakee High School, will handle field goals and extra points, while sophomore Kyle French will handle kickoffs. Coming into preseason camp, the opposite was expected.
Russell, who only kicked for two years in high school, won the field-goal job when French struggled at the end of last week.
The next biggest surprise is that redshirt freshman Derek Watt, who moved from middle linebacker to fullback a week ago, is listed as the co-starter along with sophomore Sherard Cadogan.
As expected, redshirt freshman Jordan Fredrick, from Madison Memorial, is one of three starting receivers listed on offense. The depth chart lists 13 starters on offense and 14 players overall, counting co-starters at fullback.
Junior Jared Abbrederis is a returning starter at wide receiver; also listed is sophomore Kenzel Doe. Based on recent practices, Doe will play the slot when UW goes to three receivers.
Let's hope he makes every kick. 

Montee Ball gets beat up

University of Wisconsin running back Montee Ball suffered a concussion and facial injuries after five men jumped him early Wednesday in an area near campus that has been plagued by violence. Police are investigating whether the Heisman Trophy contender was targeted because of who he is.
Ball suffered blows to the head and is being treated by the UW sports medicine staff, according to the UW Athletic Department. He was treated and released from a local hospital after the attack, which occurred about 2:15 a.m. in the 500 block of University Avenue.
"We will continue to evaluate him as we approach the start of fall camp this weekend," UW coach Bret Bielema said in a statement. "I do expect Montee to make a full recovery."
The Badgers report for preseason camp on Sunday and begin practice on Monday. UW's season opener is Sept. 1 against Northern Iowa at Camp Randall Stadium.
Efforts to contact Ball or his family Wednesday were unsuccessful. But on his Twitter account, Ball wrote: "I appreciate the support and thank you for the concerns. I will be OK! See you guys in September!"
The senior is considered to be one of the top preseason Heisman Trophy contenders in the nation. UW coaches raved about the work he put in during the summer, and Ball tweeted on Tuesday, "You have no idea how ready I am for this fall."
Let's hope this does not happen again.

Ball selected to the Walter Camp watch list

The preseason honors continue for Wisconsin's Montee Ball as the Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list was announced today.
Ball, a 2011 Walter Camp All-American, highlights a list of 50 players to watch for the Walter Camp Football Foundation's 2012 Player of the Year award.
The list will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists in November and the winner will be announced live on ESPN on Dec. 6. The winner will be honored on Jan. 12 at the Foundation's annual national awards banquet in New Haven, Conn.
A 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist, Ball is the top returning rusher in the nation with 3,310 career rushing yards. He needs 17 total touchdowns and 18 rushing touchdowns to tie the NCAA career records in each category.
He was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award last season and was a consensus first-team All-American. A unanimous, consensus first-team All-Big Ten pick, Ball claimed the Graham-George Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Award and was also named the inaugural winner of the Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year Award.
Ball tied Barry Sanders' NCAA record with 39 touchdowns last season and led the nation in rushing with 1,923 yards -- averaging 6.26 yards per carry. Adding in his 306 receiving yards, Ball's 2,229 yards from scrimmage also led the nation.
In five games against ranked teams last season, Ball averaged 164.0 all-purpose yards and scored 15 touchdowns.
The senior has also been named to the Maxwell Award and Doak Walker Award watch lists.
Wisconsin placed eight different athletes on 15 preseason watch lists, the third-most in the Big Ten. Michigan State led the league with 10, while Ohio State was second with nine.
Let's hope Ball can win the award. 

Top Badger football game this year

Football: Wisconsin visits Penn State
The Wisconsin football team closes out its 2012 season with a trip to central Pennsylvania November 24 to take on Penn State, which will be led by new head coach Bill O’Brien.
With Ohio State ineligible for postseason play in 2012, the Nittany Lions look to be the Badgers’ biggest competition in the Big Ten’s Leaders division. If Wisconsin is able to hold off Penn State on the road, they will likely be making their second-straight appearance in Indianapolis and the Big Ten Championship game.
Wisconsin’s defense will hope to repeat their performance against Penn State from last season, when the Badgers held PSU to just 233 total yards and seven points in a 45-7 throttling at Camp Randall.
This game will also be the first time since 1966 that UW has made the trip to Happy Valley and not faced off against Joe Paterno. The much-maligned program will try to distance itself from its recent controversy and turn over a new page for Penn State football in a statement game.  Let's hope that Bucky can have a repeat performance.

Bielema likes the new playoff system

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema sounded excited to be a part of college football history with the advent of a four-team playoff that will replace the BCS model beginning with the 2014 season.

Doing the simple math, though, he expressed the one obvious concern that is shared by all of his fraternity brothers in the coaching profession. There is a concern, you ask?

"Yeah, if I'm No. 5,'' he said, grinning. "Everybody used to talk about the No. 3 and No. 4 teams that didn't get to play for the championship. Now they're going to be talking about No. 5 and No. 6.

"I think it's probably legit to say that every year you're going to have teams that can play the excuse game on why they should be there.

"But to have four teams that will have a shot to win it all now is really cool.''

The Rose Bowl will not only be part of the six-bowl rotation for the two semifinal games, but it will be locked into a 4 p.m. (CST) kickoff on Jan. 1 through 2026 (Jan. 2 if New Year's Day is a Sunday).

The Tournament of Roses also announced Thursday that the Rose Bowl would continue to honor a Big Ten/Pac-12 matchup in those years that it's not playing host to a national semifinal.

That type of stability and/or continuity is priceless, Bielema pointed out.

"Of course, we're all a little biased,'' he conceded. "I've been there as a player and a coach. I know the Rose Bowl is a sacred, hallowed ground for college football, especially for the Big Ten.''

The new system will render polls virtually meaningless in their current form, thereby eliminating what has always been a healthy source of debate and controversy for fans, players and coaches alike.

The preseason polls, in particular, were problematic; especially from Bielema's viewpoint. The Badgers were off the radar in 2006, his first season; yet fought all the way back to a No. 5 final ranking.

"I was a new head coach with a new team and people had questions,'' he recalled. "But we finished 12-1 and I felt like we were a BCS (bowl) level team (that had to settle for something less).

"I've always been in favor of ranking teams later in the year because you have a chance then to truly find out who has good teams -- and it's not based on just good projections.''

College football is expected to adopt the NCAA's basketball model for a selection committee, which would include a collection of current athletic directors and league commissioners.

That would eliminate the importance of two BCS staples: the USA Today Coaches Poll and the Harris Poll. There have been reports, too, that the tweaked system will rank teams by tiers; another notable departure from the past.
Let's hope Bucky can make it in to the playoffs. 

Matt Miller looking to make an impact

Offensive lineman Matt Miller, who gave an oral commitment to the University of Wisconsin on Wednesday, is often described as having a nasty disposition on the football field.
"Absolutely," Miller said in a phone interview, without apology. "I'm best known for that."
It's not hard to figure out where he got that approach. His brother, Jack Miller, who is two years older, is a freshman center at Michigan. Needless to say, the back yard battles at their house in Toledo, Ohio, got rather spirited.
"I think that's a big part of it," Matt Miller said. "I think a lot of it's family stuff. That's the way my family is and just the way I've been.
"It's just a big understanding, when you're playing football, which is a very violent and physical sport, you've got to bring the tenacity to the field."
Miller, 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, is from St. John's Jesuit and is viewed by some recruiting analysts as one of the best interior line prospects in the Midwest. He projects to be a guard at UW. Among his other offers were Michigan State, Miami (Fla.) and Georgia Tech.
St. John's football coach Doug Pearson confirmed Miller's nasty streak, but added it falls just short of his brother's.
"Not quite as nasty as his older brother, but he's pretty darn close," Pearson said. "But he's two years younger, too. He's still got time to develop that.
"The thing I like about the Miller boys, both of them, is the fact they're great kids here in school, everybody likes them and all of that. But when they lace up their football cleats, they kind of transform personalities on the field. It's just the way you want it as a coach."
Matt Miller was recruited by Michigan, although it filled up quickly on offensive line prospects and hasn't offered. The Wolverines have 22 commitments, including five offensive linemen.
"It was one of those things where, if it happened, it happened," Matt Miller said of playing with his brother. "If Michigan would have offered me and if I would have felt Michigan was my best choice, then maybe I would have gone there.
"But it wouldn't have been because of my brother or anything like that. Obviously, I was recruited by Michigan and everything. It was definitely brought up, but it didn't happen, so it'll definitely be interesting going against him."
Miller attended a funeral on Wednesday morning for a friend who died in a boating accident, so it was a painful day for him. He had a hard time picking out the thing he liked most about UW.
"I think Madison is such a cool town, great campus," he said. "Obviously, a prestigious school. The football program and the coaching staff, it all speaks for itself, the tradition and the recent winning. It's just fantastic there. It's really tough to say what was the most impressive."
In the end, it might have been UW's tradition of producing great linemen that spoke the loudest to him.
"I think everyone knows, when you think Wisconsin, you think O-line," Miller said. "When you think O-line, you think Wisconsin. That was a big part of my decision."
While the back yard tussels with his brother are over, Matt envisions lively discussions around the dinner table about which football program is better, while fighting to get relatives aligned on each side.
"It's going to be weird," Matt Miller said of playing in the Big Ten Conference with his brother. "My sophomore year, his senior year, we played on the same (high school) team. Obviously, we grew up in the same house together.
"I'm really used to being on his team, although in the backyard football games as little kids, we were always put on separate teams. There's been a lot of fights, so it kind of takes me back to the old days. We'll see how the dinner table goes when we see each other over Christmas. Which sides of the family are picking which school.  Let's hope Matt Miller takes the badgers to a whole nother level.   GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is a playoff system coming to college football?

It was college football’s version of Band of Brothers.
The sport’s top decision-makers, 15 strong, stood together on a podium in the Camelot Room of the InterContinental Chicago Hotel late Wednesday afternoon.
“The fact we’re all here together,” SEC commissioner Mike Slive said, “is an important statement.”
Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick made the announcement: “We are on the threshold of creating a new postseason structure for college football.”
A group previously known for jousting over the complex issues surrounding a seeded four-team playoff achieved a consensus and will present its ideas Tuesday in Washington to the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee.
The playoff would start in 2014.
Details of the plan were not made public. Slive said commissioners want to inform school presidents and athletic directors, as opposed to having them “read it in the paper.”
One source, though, said the commissioners will recommend the creation of a selection committee to choose teams. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany probably will not get his way on the “hybrid” model of three conference champions and a wild card, but a selection committee would be charged with favoring teams that win a conference title and challenge themselves in the nonconference schedule.
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott has stood with Delany on the issue. He agreed that forming a selection committee could be an important step toward enhancing “the value of regular-season play.”
There’s consensus on using rotating bowls (Rose, Sugar, Fiesta and Orange — for now) to host semifinal games, with the championship game to be bid out like the Super Bowl. And Delany and Scott are satisfied the Rose Bowl’s value will be upheld; it is slated to host a semifinal game and a Big Ten-Pac 12 showdown in alternate years.
Several issues still need to be worked out, including dates of the games, the criteria a selection committee would use and revenue sharing.
Scott cautioned it’s “unlikely that every ‘i’ gets dotted and every ‘t’ gets crossed” next week in Washington.
“But I’m hopeful that on some main concepts we get the green light,” he said.
Delany said details don’t need to be hashed out until negotiations with TV partners begin in September or October.
Bottom line, this group of 11 conference commissioners, two assistants, Swarbrick and BCS executive director Bill Hancock found unity on the matters that really count.
“The biggest change,” Hancock said, “is when the commissioners realized that they could preserve the importance of the regular season and have a playoff, that let them go down the road to considering how to do a playoff.”
Camelot, according to Wikipedia, is viewed by scholars as “being entirely fictional, its geography perfect for romance writers.”
What took place Wednesday not only marks one of the final steps in a historic change for college football.
It was real
It would be great to see a playoff system. 

Badgers don't play Michigan State in 2015 & 2016

Just when the rivalry between the University of Wisconsin and Michigan State football teams was getting really good comes the news that it's about to go on a hiatus.

The Big Ten Conference announced on Monday the conference schedules for 2015 and 2016.

The highlight for the Badgers is the return of Michigan following a four-year break. But the downside is the absence of the Spartans from 2013 to 2016.

The Badgers and Spartans have played three highly entertaining games the last two years and met in the inaugural Big Ten championship game last season.

Michigan State handed UW its only regular-season loss in 2010, winning 34-24 in East Lansing, Mich. The Spartans won the 2011 regular-season meeting, also at home, 37-31, on a Hail Mary pass on the game's final play.

The Badgers prevailed 42-39 in the wild title game, securing the win with the help of a roughing-the-kicker penalty on a punt late in the game.

The two teams are expected to be the favorites in their respective divisions during the upcoming season and will face each other at Camp Randall Stadium on Oct. 27. But the next four years, the only way they would play each other is in the conference title game.

Iowa, a traditional rival, leaves the UW schedule again in 2015-16, after returning in 2013 and 2014. That means the Badgers and Hawkeyes will not play each other in the regular season in four of the first six years of divisional play in the Big Ten.

Let's hope when they do meet Bucky comes out on top.

Montee Ball named Badger athlete of the year

No. 1: Montee Ball, junior running back, football

It’s easy to forget that Montee Ball wasn’t the Badgers’ featured back at the beginning of the 2011 season. Heck, more fans probably saw him as a true No. 2 than a true No. 1. To be fair, the lightning-quick James White—reigning Big Ten freshman of the year—was a pretty good bet in August.

But nobody had seen what Ball did in the offseason. Nobody had seen the transformation, the weight lost and the muscle built and the mindset hardened. By the time the Rose Bowl ended late Jan. 2, though, 14 opponents—the whole nation, really—had gotten a pretty good look.

The Wentzville, Mo. native scored touchdowns like his offensive linemen eat dinner: two, three and four helpings at a time.

He scored multiple touchdowns in every game but the Rose Bowl. He finished with 33 on the ground and 39 in total. Since scoring the game-winning touchdown against Iowa Oct. 23, 2010 (19 games), Ball has amassed 2,700 rushing yards and 54 total touchdowns. Yes, that’s 142.1 yards and 2.8 trips to the end zone per contest.

He went from being a third-string option to a Heisman finalist. He went from being a talented guy in a talented backfield to the best in the nation. He went from unknown to  having a legitimate NFL future.

But that will have to wait. He’s coming back for his senior year.  Lets hope next year he can win the heisman trophy.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Badgers looking forward to this season

Back-to-back Rose Bowl appearances go a long way in building a nationally recognized football brand. But in 2012, the wisconsin football program has the chance to take a final, long-awaited step forward.

After spending years adjacent to the circle that surrounds college football’s “elite” programs, Wisconsin has the opportunity next season to finally anchor itself among the upper echelon of not just the Big Ten conference, but all of college football.

And a Heisman frontrunner coupled with a remarkably deep and talented defense may be just enough to finally bring the Badgers much-deserved validation as one of the conference’s perennial contenders. Wisconsin’s pursuit of becoming an elite program (à la Ohio State) has been a reappearing topic for years — including a recent ESPN college football roundtable — but next season it has the opportunity to capitalize on recent success and establish a spot on the national scene.

Analysts are quick to point out potential issues arising from the exodus of UW coaches this offseason, most notably offensive coordinator Paul Chryst. But the talent returning on both sides of the ball puts Wisconsin in great position for a third-consecutive BCS bowl appearance that could place them firmly among the Big Ten’s best and no longer keep them looming a half-step behind.

This chance at claiming a spot among the country’s best programs begins with one of the most dangerous players lining up in the backfield in all of college football — running back Montee Ball. After piling up simply absurd numbers in 2011 — 1,923 yards and 39 total touchdowns — the senior running back will be the unquestioned centerpiece of the Badgers’ offense next season.

Ball is the rare, once-in-a-decade player who can single-handedly carry the offense as a one-man touchdown machine. Although he’ll have a tough time surpassing the stats he managed in 2011, the senior’s speed and vision out of the backfield alone could earn Wisconsin a couple of victories. Beyond that, Ball’s name staying in the Heisman discussion all season will continue to elevate the image of wisconsin football. Even if Danny O’Brien fails to exhibit the skills through the air he showed as a Maryland freshman in 2010, Ball will be ready to take a starring role in the Badgers’ offensive attack.

Badgers have to replace 3 lineman

Death and taxes might be the only things more consistent than the Wisconsin football team’s offensive line in the last 20-plus years.

 The faces of the players and the coaches change, but still these five very large men, no matter who they are, continue to open holes and protect the quarterback better than any other group in the nation. This notion may be tested this year, though, as the Badgers have lost three starters from last season: center Peter Konz, guard Kevin Zeitler and tackle Josh Oglesby.

Losing three starters is never good for an offensive line and can cause problems in the following year, but so far, that conventional thinking has not applied to the Badgers’ offensive line.

Last year’s offensive line is an example of that. Despite losing three members to the NFL the year before, new players stepped in and Wisconsin made a repeat appearance in the Rose Bowl. If past experience is any indicator, the Badgers might be in for another berth in Pasadena.

One thing that is different from last year, however, is the man molding these gargantuan men. Offensive line coach Bob Bostad left Madison with former offensive coordinator Paul Chryst to become the offensive coordinator at Pittsburgh, but then took off for the offensive line job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this February.

The man that UW selected to succeed Bostad is former Ole Miss offensive line coach Mike Markuson. Markuson is very experienced, having spent the last 14 years in the SEC under Houston Nutt. Markuson, who was born in Farmington, Minn., said that he was glad to once again be back in the Midwest and working under head coach Bret Bielema.

Let's hope it is a flawless transition.  

Konz ready for the NFL

Former University of Wisconsin center Peter Konz had to wait later than most NFL draft prospects to show what he could do.

Konz suffered a dislocated left ankle in the game against Minnesota on Nov. 12.

So he only took part in the bench press at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis in late February and put up a disappointing 18 repetitions at 225 pounds.

During UW's pro day on March 7, Konz was limited to snapping for quarterback Russell Wilson during quarterback drills.

Konz finally got a chance to show what he could do Wednesday in a workout at the McClain Center and may have cemented his status as the top center in the draft later this month. Sixteen NFL teams were represented at the workout, mostly offensive line coaches.

"I thought it went very well," Konz said. "It's been a long journey, rehabbing from Nov. 12 until today and mustering out that Rose Bowl, really taking it easy during the combine, which was hard because teams want to see you.

"To get out here today and really feel healthy and able to do all the workouts makes me feel really confident."

Konz did not run a 40-yard dash. He did the bench press and also went through offensive line drills.

"It would have put more strain on my ankle," Konz said of the 40. "It's really more important to do the O-line drills, to see I'm functional, I can go in a minicamp and do it.

"If I go out and do a 40 and all of a sudden tweak something, that's just not smart."

First, Konz had to put to bed the number 18, which haunted him since the combine.

"There are tight ends and probably a running back or two that beat me," he said of his bench press reps. "It just burns through your pride."

He worked with UW assistant strength coach Brian Bott and the results showed as Konz improved to 23 repetitions.

"Brian Bott really helped me," Konz said. "He did a phenomenal job. That's a big leap from, what was it, a month ago until now?"

Former Michigan center David Molk led the way for offensive linemen in the bench press at the combine with 41 reps. Konz is tall for a center at 6-foot-5 and that does not help in the bench press. By comparison, Molk is 6-1.

But Konz made no excuses for a performance some draft analysts thought could have been a red flag that keeps him out of the first round.

It would be nice if the Packers drafted him.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Badgers start spring practice

As the season changes from winter to spring the unseasonal sounds of football pads are beginning to fill the air.

The unique month-long period of football practices starting in late March and ending in late April granted by the NCAA gives college programs a chance to develop their team’s talent and cohesion. For Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema and the rest of the Badgers spring has been long awaited since a crushing 45-42 loss to Oregon in the Rose Bowl to end the 2010-’11 season.  But despite the loss there has been no hangover for the Badgers as they begin spring practices.

“The way the guys have practiced the first two days has been exceptional,” Bielema said. “For as many new coaches as we have here, different terminology, other things being different, this is the best two days we’ve had here since I’ve been coach.”

Spring practice allows teams to develop players that will fill the roles that last year’s starters fulfilled. For Wisconsin it will be critical to find a replacement for departed quarterback Russell Wilson.

Expected to compete for the quarterback job in spring practice are redshirt freshmen Joel Stave, redshirt junior Jon Budmayr and redshirt senior Curt Philips. All have had questions trailing including Stave’s lack of leadership experience as a freshmen and Budmayr’s plague of injuries throughout his career. Despite the doubts, Bielema is confident that his quarterbacks can develop.

“I believe we are looking at a 70-percent completion percentage through two practices, which we’ve never been at that level before with those kind of quarterbacks,” Bielema said.

Also expected to compete once fall practice starts is incoming freshmen and highly touted four-star prospect Bart Houston from Concord, Calif.

Houston played his high school ball at nationally renowned De La Salle High School and won multiple section and state championships in the golden state. Houston is just one of an incoming recruiting class—a class that has continued a tradition of strong recruiting efforts during the Bielema era.

“One of the hardest things for me right now is we’ve come off two Big Ten championship seasons, and we can really do some nice things in recruiting,” Bielema said. “But I only have nine scholarships this year, so you really have to be detailed about who you’re offering, how you prioritize and where you prioritize guys.”

In the upcoming season, the high school football talent of Wisconsin that has led to the rise of the Badgers’ program will be tested by out of state programs this year. The limited number of scholarships that the Badgers have available to offer recruits will force Wisconsin to be more aggressive in targeting and getting the prospects they want.

“Here at Wisconsin, in-state recruiting is the heart and soul of what we do in our program,” Bielema said.

On the injury front, Badger fans have nothing to worry about at the all important running back position, as Heisman trophy finalist Montee Ball is as healthy as ever heading into this spring. Staying on the offensive side of the ball, redshirt junior Jared Abbrederis was described by Bielema as being “restricted” due to injury. On defense, the defensive front goes into spring healthy with the exception of redshirt junior Chris Borland, who tweaked a hamstring during winter workout.

Let's hope bucky can have another successful season.   GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Matt Canada named offensive cordinator

The shape of the Wisconsin football team’s coaching staff continues to take shape as head coach Bret Bielema announced the hiring of Matt Canada as the squad’s new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tuesday afternoon.

Canada spent the 2011 season in an identical role with Northern Illinois, although he has a total of seven years of experience as an offensive coordinator at NIU, Indiana and Butler as well as 11 years as a quarterbacks coach. He faces the task of replacing Paul Chryst at both positions, who led record-breaking offenses at Wisconsin that averaged 31.9 points and 408.6 yards per game over six years.

“Matt has a terrific history as an offensive coordinator and has excelled at developing quarterbacks throughout his career,” Bielema said. “I know he is very excited about running a pro-style offense and handling a game the way we typically have at Wisconsin. I think this is a great hire for us and I can’t wait for him to get to work with our coaches and players.”

While working underneath former Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Doeren at Northern Illinois last season, Canada lead a formidable offense that finished within the top 12 in the country in scoring offense, total offense and rushing offense. Both NIU and UW were two of five teams in the nation to average at least 230 yards rushing and passing last season.

Huskies’ quarterback Chandler Harnish finished ninth in the country in total offense, averaging 328.2 yards per game 2010. And in his four years at Northern Illinois, Canada has also coached two-time NFL All-Pro running back Michael Turner as well current UW running backs coach Thomas Hammock.

Canada employed the spread offense at Northern Illinois and at Indiana, although it appears he is willing to adopt a more traditional scheme to fit Wisconsin’s usual brand of offense.

“I’m truly excited for the opportunity to come to Wisconsin,” Canada said. “It’s a program that I’ve followed closely for a number of years. I’ve always been impressed with their tradition, especially offensively with their style of play, and I can’t wait to be a part of that.”

Canada began his coaching career at Indiana, where from 1992-95 he acted as a student coach and graduate assistant for running backs, quarterbacks and tight ends. In 1996 he coached quarterbacks and wide receivers at Butler but was promoted to offensive coordinator in 1997. From there he joined the staff at Northern Illinois from 1998-2003, taking the reigns as offensive coordinator in 2003.

Canada then returned to Indiana in 2004 to coach quarterbacks and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2007, remaining in that position until after the 2010 season. Afterward, Canada rejoined Northern Illinois for one last season before making the jump to Wisconsin.

The three quarterbacks Canada oversaw at Indiana - Ben Chappell, Kellen Lewis and Blake Powers - hold the school’s top three spots in single-season touchdowns, yards, completions, attempts and completion percentage. Chappell led the Big Ten in passing yards, completions and attempts in 2010 while setting single-season records in all three categories.

After announcing the hiring Zach Azzani to coach wide receivers Monday, Bielema now has three vacancies along the coaching staff, with openings for tight ends, offensive line and linebackers.

“In this process, I’m putting together a staff that will come from different directions to come together to play football the way Wisconsin has traditionally played,” Bielema said.

Let's hope he has much success.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Badgers head to the Rose Bowl

They’ve been there before. Last time it was a whole new world. Bright lights, walking among the stars — literally — and a whole new experience.

This time around, when it comes to the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2, the Wisconsin Badgers mean business.

“We’re going to take this trip and approach it more like a business trip and make sure we go in with our minds set and really go in remembering why we’re in L.A.,” junior running back Montee Ball said.

In the 98th Rose Bowl, Wisconsin will face the Pac-12’s Oregon Ducks.

Both the Badgers and Ducks played on big stages in last year’s bowl games, as Wisconsin played in the school’s first Rose Bowl in more than 10 years and Oregon took a shot in the BCS National Championship Game.

Both teams lost — Wisconsin to Texas Christian and Oregon to Auburn — and were forced to fight through another season just for a second chance at a coveted BCS title.

Wisconsin’s road to the Rose Bowl this year was not easy, nor exactly clear.

UW opened the season with a scalding offense led by transfer quarterback Russell Wilson, and through six games it looked like a possible national championship contender.

In the ensuing two weeks, back-to-back heartbreaking losses at Michigan State and Ohio State left Wisconsin in a tough position in the Big Ten and muddied the picture of any post-season hopes. Many things had to line up just right for the Badgers to even reach the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game, let alone the Rose Bowl.

UW ultimately avenged itself with a 42-39 win over MSU in Indianapolis, gaining another berth to The Granddaddy of Them All for the second consecutive year.

Let's hope they pull off another win in the Rose Bowl.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Montee Ball a Heisman Finalist

On the night of his 21st birthday, Montee Ball received a gift he’ll never forget.

Monday evening, Wisconsin’s junior running back was named one of five finalists for the 77th Heisman Trophy, awarded annually to the top player in college football. The winner will be revealed Saturday night in New York City.

Along with Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, Louisiana State defensive back Tyrann Mathieu and Alabama running back Trent Richardson, Ball’s name was called by former Ohio State running back and Heisman winner Eddie George on ESPN’s SportsCenter. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior running back is Wisconsin’s first Heisman finalist since running back Ron Dayne won the trophy in 1999. Running back Alan Ameche also won the award in 1954, and Ball is now the ninth Heisman finalist in UW history.

It sure would be nice to have another Heisman winner at Wisconsin.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aaron Henry is a leader

Last year, J.J. Watt led the Badger defense statistically, but, most importantly, vocally — on and off the field.

Without a doubt, Aaron Henry is UW’s vocal leader this season.

He may not be able to figuratively carry the city around in the palm of his hand like Watt, but the senior safety is easily one of Wisconsin’s most beloved players.

But while his “yes, ma’ams” and “thank you, sirs” have made him one of the most notoriously polite players you may ever encounter, on the field, he is completely different.

“It’s just a mentality. You have to be able to have that switch,” Henry said. “Being on the field and just walking around here talking to people are just two different things. … The reality of football is it’s a nasty, rough, tough sport. It’s in your face and it’s smash mouth. You don’t go out there to try and make friends with people.”

Henry attributes his well-defined manners to his grandmother and just showing respect to people.

This respect is not just for show. And his genuine personality has allowed him to be one of the most respected players and a captain, in return.

“He’s an over-the-top funny guy, he’s a little vain, he’s a little bit of everything,” sophomore safety Dezmen Southward said. “We’re going to miss him next year.”

“He’s obviously a great player, but I think he’s a much better individual,” junior safety Shelton Johnson said. “There’s a lot of players … that are just players, but Aaron Henry, he’s just an all-around wonderful individual player to be around, and we kind of feed off that as a team.”

While he is a great leader now, Henry’s career at UW has not been the smoothest.

Henry played cornerback throughout his entire life until last year and did not agree with head coach Bret Bielema’s decision to move him to safety.

“I hated it,” Henry said. “I didn’t really like the decision, we kind of butted heads. He always has a player’s goodwill at heart. He’s been doing this for a long time. I didn’t understand it because I had been playing corner my whole life … but after suffering my knee injury and going through a few surgeries, he thought it would be best.”

The Immokalee, Fla., native said he is now thankful for the switch and admits that if he could change things he may have started out at safety — but he will always be a corner at heart.

Let's hope he can help lead the Badgers to a Big Ten Championship.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!