Anderson, Ball, And Frederick All Start Their New Careers On The Same Weekend

The two most prominent football leagues in the country welcomed a pair of freshman classes this month. The NCAA and NFL began their respective regular seasons over the past two weeks, as did the Wisconsin Badgers and a number of their alumni who are now pros. Nearly 20 individual players debuted in the leagues with ties to the school during the first weeks of the 2013 season.

First-year head coach Gary Anderson introduced 16 true and red-shirt freshman against UMass and Tennessee Tech. Another 29 have yet to see the field, including J.J. Watt's younger brother T.J. Watt. Running-back Corey Clement was the standout of the class during the two meetings, earning a combined 29 carries for 250 yards and three touchdowns. A run of 75 yards was Clement's highlight in Wisconsin's dominating win over the Golden Eagles.

Cornerback Sojourn Shelton also impressed in his inaugural performances with the Badgers. Against UMass, the true freshman recorded an interception, a batted pass, a quarterback hurry, and three solo tackles. He managed another tackle a week later, though sophomore T.J. Reynard took over most of the position duties against Tennessee Tech. Reynard, a transfer from Independence Community College in Kansas put-up a batted pass and four solo tackles that Saturday.

Red-shirt quarterback Bart Houston threw for one completion on one attempt in his debut for the Badgers against UMass. Just two former Badgers made their first appearances in the NFL last week. Montee Ball and center Travis Frederick represented the Denver Broncos and the Dallas Cowboys, respectively, in their team's 2013 opener.

Ball Has Slow Start At Denver

NCAA record holder for most career touchdowns, Ball dominated state headlines going into his much anticipated rookie season in the pros. In was an anticlimactic start, however, as the running-back took just eight carries for 24 yards against the Ravens. He traded duties with fellow running-backs Lance Ball, Knowshon Moreno, and Ronnie Hillman, though quarterback Peyton Manning did most of the work, tying an NFL record with 7 touchdown passes. 5-year veteran Moreno is expected to secure the starting-role in week two, though Broncos head coach John Fox told reporters all four running-backs would play.

Frederick's first night snapping to Tony Romo was a mixed-bag. The first-half saw a poorly-timed exchange and a lackluster effort in blocking sometimes two opposing lineman. He regained his composer in the locker-room at half, greatly improving his stance and effectiveness. 2008 pick Nick Hayden joined Frederick in debuting for Dallas in team's win against the Giants. Hayden will play in the starting tackle spot in-lieu of the injured Jay Ratliff until at least week six, though with three tackles and a forced fumble on Sunday, that playing-time could be extended.

Russell Wilson, J.J. Watt, and Nick Toon all started their sophomore seasons in the NFL over the weekend. All three recorded wins with the Seahawks, Texans, and Saints, with Watt leading a nail-biting defensive charge against the Chargers to allow come-from-behind win. 

Badgers Fans Shocked As Brett Bielema Walks Away

Badgers fans were stunned by the news of Bielema's departure to Arkansas. This news came before the Rose Bowl, further angering Wisconsin fans. The news that Barry Alvarez will coach the team at Pasadena was less of a surprise. If you take a hard look at the situation at Madison, it becomes easier to understand why Bret took the leap.
The Badgers made the Rose Bowl this year because Ohio State was ineligible. Next season, the Buckeyes will most certainly win the Big Ten Championship game, and our Badgers will more than likely be languishing somewhere below the .500 mark. Last season, the team had lost key players to graduation, and that talent drop off will increase as Montee Ball will be gone next year.

Bielema Took Advantage Of The Timing

Bielema saw the writing on the wall, and took a powder before his stock dropped big time. Why didn't Bielema find a way to recruit well in these past few years, in order to replenish the departing players? Some say it was partly due to the playing and coaching style of Wisconsin football. When a team is focused on the run, hot shot quarterbacks will more than likely avoid the calls from recruits from said teams.
Why spend your college career working under the radar, or in the shadows of a player like Ball, White, or Dayne? Finally, Bielema is a gambler. Most folks know that. Bret took an assessment of the situation in Madison, and decided to go "all in" at Arkansas. Now it's up to Alvarez to find a suitable replacement that will be able to keep the team hot.

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. 

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 5 Badger Sports Moments of 2011-2012

1. Badgers beat Spartans in inaugural Big Ten Title Game—December 3, 2011

In the first season featuring 12 Big Ten teams and two divisions, one team stood out in each. In the Leaders, Wisconsin built talk of a national title run before losing in stunning fashion to Michigan State, the best team on the Legends side. Then, after an equally devastating trip to Ohio State, the Badgers needed help to wind up in the inaugural conference title game in Indianapolis. That help gave the Badgers a shot at redemption against the Spartans and, ultimately, delivered Wisconsin to its second straight Rose Bowl thanks to a karmic final blow.

Montee Ball rushed for 96 yards and two scores as the Badgers raced to a 21-7 first quarter lead. The Spartans dominated in the second quarter, as they’ve become accustomed to doing against Bret Bielema and Co. The teams traded scores through the night set in an electric stadium in the middle of an incredible host city. UW didn’t quite hail Mary, but when Jeff Duckworth flagged down Russell Wilson’s desperation heave on 4th and 6 in the closing moments, the Badgers put the finishing touches on a Big Ten season of resilience and offensive firepower.

They were rewarded with a trip to Southern California.

—Parker Gabriel

2. Rob Wilson goes off at the Big Ten Tournament—March 9, 2012

Senior forward Rob Wilson was the perfect Badger to go for 30 points in a 79-71 win over Indiana in the Big Ten men’s basketball conference tournament.

The moment wouldn’t have made this list if senior guard Jordan Taylor had dropped a 30-spot. Heck, Russell Wilson could have suited up and scored 10, and that still wouldn’t have made for a better moment than Rob Wilson’s.

The thing was, nobody saw it coming. Wilson had been in head coach Bo Ryan’s doghouse for much of his junior year and—despite increased minutes down the stretch his senior year—was regarded as the seventh or eighth man in Ryan’s rotation. Wilson’s season-high up to that point had been an 11-point showing in a 67-66 loss at Iowa. If opponents prepared for Wilson, his scouting report was pretty simple: He can make open three-pointers, so don’t give him too much space on the perimeter.

But none of it mattered that afternoon in Indianapolis. Wilson blew his 11-point night out of the water with 11 field goals and finishing 7-of-10 from behind the arc against the Hoosiers. Despite Wilson splashing a couple early three-point shots, Indiana’s defense couldn’t contain him.

—Vince Huth

3. Men’s cross country team claims fifth national title—November 21, 2011

2011 was a banner season for the Badgers’ men’s cross country team as their Big Ten Championship only served as an appetizer for the squad’s ultimate goal—a national championship.

Wisconsin began a cold, damp day in Terre Haute, Ind., as the No. 1 ranked team in the country and left with the program’s fifth national title, and first since 2005.

The Badgers fielded an impressive roster, including four All Americans—seniors Ryan Collins and Elliot Krause, and juniors Reed Connor and Mohammad Ahmed—as well as junior Maverick Darling.

Wisconsin typically ran in a tight pack, but Ahmed, the Big Ten’s overall champion, broke away from his teammates early and finished the 10-kilometer race fifth overall with a time of 29:06—good for All-American honors for the third straight year.

Krause and Collins also broke the 30-minute mark, finishing 17th and 23rd overall respectively, with times of 29:41 and 29:52.

Wisconsin finished with just 97 overall points, putting them miles ahead of second place Oklahoma State (139) and third place Colorado (144).

—Matt Masterson

4. 12,402 fans ‘Fill the Bowl’ for women’s hockey—January 28, 2012

The Wisconsin women’s hockey team set the NCAA women’s hockey single-game attendance record for the third year in a row at the 2012 “Fill the Bowl” game when 12,402 fans saw the Badgers defeat Bemidji State 1-0.

It would take almost the full 60 minutes to determine the winner in the game as the Badgers could not find a way to put the puck past the Bemidji State goaltender.

Wisconsin found the break they needed just past the 12-minute mark of the third period when junior forward and team captain Hilary Knight received a pass from behind the Beaver net and buried it  for the game’s only goal.

The over 12,000 people that filled the Kohl Center that night speak to the quick rise that the Wisconsin women’s hockey program has experienced. The program played its inaugural season in 1999-’00 and since then it has claimed four national championships, four WCHA playoff championships, four WCHA regular season championships and four Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winners.

Let's hope we can beat these moments next year.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ball and White in the Backfield at the same time?

University of Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema was teasing senior running back Montee Ball during football practice on Tuesday about a potential position switch.

“I was giving Montee some heat,” Bielema said. “We finally found his right position — at fullback.”

The Badgers returned from last week’s spring break and opened the doors to the media for the first time. They also unveiled a backfield at times that included two running backs — Ball and junior James White.

UW fans don’t need to be alarmed about Ball, a Heisman Trophy finalist last year who rushed for 1,923 yards and scored 39 touchdowns, moving to a new spot.

But the UW coaches would like to find a bigger role for White, whose statistics dropped last season as Ball emerged as the team’s workhorse.

White still had solid numbers, rushing for 713 yards and averaging 5.1 yards per carry. But it was a dramatic dip from 2010, when he rushed for 1,052 yards and averaged 6.7 per attempt as a true freshman.

“As a competitor, you want to play more,” running backs coach Thomas Hammock said. “So I think he wants to play more. He’s putting in the work to play more. Obviously, he’s doing enough things to say, maybe we need to put them both on the field.”

Bielema said the Badgers put in a package with Ball and White together in the backfield last season, but didn’t really get to it.

“I believe it was game seven, we put it in,” Bielema said. “Our other stuff was working so well, we never expanded the package.”

One thing that makes the combination possible is both are excellent receivers. Ball caught 24 passes for 306 yards and six scores last season, while White caught 15 for 150.

It might be an interesting season.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Badgers lose another Rose Bowl

After a roller coaster season that included some of college football's most memorable finishes, Wisconsin's 2011 football campaign has come to a close after a heartbreaking 45-38 loss to Oregon in the Rose Bowl Game. And just as it did with the first loss back in October, the Badgers' final contest ended with a replay, this time confirming the call that senior quarterback Russell Wilson's spiked pass did not hit the ground before the clock hit zero.

This Rose Bowl Game was one for the ages even before the frantic finish. The Badgers (6-2 Big Ten, 11-3 Overall) and Ducks (8-1 Pac-12, 12-2 Overall) traded scores throughout the first half, with Rose Bowl records set for highest scoring first quarter (28) and half (56). But after leading throughout the first half and having to kick to begin the second, the halftime draw at 28 felt like a certain deficit.

Even while it was turning into a shootout, this game looked like it would end, as it did, with the Badgers regretting two consecutive red zone possessions that ended with a combined three points.

Late in the 2nd quarter, Wisconsin drove to the Oregon 17 yard line facing 3rd and 1. After junior running back Montee Ball was stopped for no gain, Wisconsin shunned a field goal attempt in favor of a fourth down try, remembering a similar situation last season that ended with kicker Philip Welch missing a crucial field goal. Instead of trying to run up the gut again, UW tried to roll Wilson out on a play action fake but Oregon's defense was ready, sacking Wilson for a three-yard loss and a huge shift in momentum.

Let's hope they return to Rose Bowl next year and win.  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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If only for the day, old friends become new enemies Saturday when No. 7/8 Wisconsin meets Northern Illinois in Chicago’s famed Soldier Field.

Ending his stay as defensive coordinator of the Wisconsin football team following the Rose Bowl, Dave Doeren will now be standing across the field from the Badger coaching staff as the new head coach of Northern Illinois.

With friendships still existing along the Wisconsin staff and players still smiling with the memory of Doeren recruiting them, several members of the team admitted over the past week how nice it will be to see the former coach again — not that the niceties will continue between the opening kickoff and the final whistle, however.

“He recruited me, so it’s going to be nice to see him again,” running back Montee Ball said of Doeren. “But we got a lot to work on, make sure we change up a few things because we know he’s going to attack us in a couple aspects of the game because he knows us really well.”

Doeren’s knowledge of Wisconsin (2-0) has been a constant point of inquiry for the Badgers all week. Although a few adjustments are expected to be made, Doeren’s successor, Chris Ash, still expects the game’s decision to come from who simply performs better.

On a side note I can't believe that the game is not being televised.  I am so mad.  Anyways,  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time for Spring Football

Despite losing a former Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year to the NFL, you won’t find much anxiety aimed at the Wisconsin football team’s running game for the upcoming season.

As John Clay prepares for the next stage in his career, the long bloodline of great Wisconsin running backs continues to produce its thoroughbreds, and the backfield is once again primed to be the offense’s strength.

Two-thirds of the famed “Three-Headed Monster” that was Wisconsin’s running attack last season returns for more this spring, along with a new face and a forgotten one.

Junior Montee Ball and sophomore James White — who together churned out 2,008 of the 3,060 total yards of the “Monster” — are now joined by redshirt freshman Jeffrey Lewis and rejoined by redshirt senior Zach Brown.

Clay, however, is not the only member of the running back family freshly departed from the Badgers. John Settle, the running backs coach for the last five years, ended his tenure at Madison by accepting the same job with the Carolina Panthers in the NFL.

Thomas Hammock, a former running back at Northern Illinois and running backs coach at Minnesota, replaces Settle as the running back patriarch. According to all four of Wisconsin’s running backs, Hammock brings a much less laid-back approach to coaching than his predecessor.

“A lot more punishment man, a lot more punishment,” Lewis said of Hammock’s style.

And under Hammock, all four players are looking to improve their game in various ways this spring.

Let's hope the Badgers can return to a BCS Bowl Game.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Montee Ball Getting ready for Football

It wasn't exactly a horror-film compilation, though there were scenes that made Montee Ball want to cover his eyes.

Five times during the offseason, the sophomore tailback for the University of Wisconsin football team sat down and watched, from start to finish, a DVD distributed to him by running backs coach John Settle that consisted of each of Ball's 98 carries during his freshman season.

The clips were shot from video cameras located in the end zone, giving Ball a clear view of how each play developed. It was a good learning tool, even though there were times Ball wanted to reach into the screen and smack himself on the helmet.

"It's the worst," he said earlier this week. "You make a move inside, and then when you watch on film and you see daylight. You could have scored a touchdown going outside with it."

There was plenty for Ball to be happy about from his true freshman season. As a backup to Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Year John Clay, Ball finished with 391 rushing yards and four touchdowns despite not making his season debut until Week 5 at Minnesota. The highlight was a 31-28 victory at Indiana in which Ball, who took over after Clay left the game because he felt sick, finished with 27 carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns.

But Ball's film study confirmed to him that he left some yards on the field in 2009. Ball averaged 4.0 yards per carry, gained three yards or less 56 times — or 57 percent of his total attempts — and was stopped for a loss 16 times, or about once every six carries.  

Lets hope Montee can become the next John Clay.  GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BIg Time Running Back Commits to WIsconsin

As soon as running back Montee Ball sat down and watched tapes of the University of Wisconsin football team's offense, he knew it was the place he wanted to go.
"Their style of offense is the style of offense I was looking for," said Ball, who is from Wentzville, Mo. "They have huge linemen, they pound the ball, pound the ball — but they also throw the ball, too. It's a balanced offense and that's what I like."
That's why Ball, who initially thought he was going to wait until December to choose a school, ended up making his decision over the weekend.
He gave an oral commitment to the Badgers after an unofficial visit on Friday. His other two finalists were Missouri and Kansas.
Asked what comes to mind when he thinks of Wisconsin running backs, Ball said, "workhorses."
That certainly fits when it comes to the 5-foot-11, 210-pound Ball, who rushed for 4,922 yards on 655 carries (7.5 average) and 46 touchdowns the past two seasons for Timberland High School in suburban St. Louis.
"Very durable kid (with) big-play ability," Timberland coach Craig Collins said. "He's a guy we built our team around the last couple years."
Ball ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds at one combine, but most recruiting services list him at 4.5. He makes a living between the tackles, but after working with a personal trainer the past three years, he also became a breakaway threat last season.
"He's your typical Wisconsin-type running back," Collins said. "I think it's a great fit for them. Between-the-tackles type of guy, but he's got good ability to sidestep safeties and good ability to run over people, too.
"Has a great forward lean when he runs. This (past) year, he really showed the ability to break away, which accounts for the big numbers."
Ball rushed for 3,077 yards on 358 carries (8.6 average) and scored 31 touchdowns as a junior. He also caught four passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, helping his team finish 10-2 and advance to the Class 4 quarterfinals.
He is a good student, with a 3.4 grade-point average and already has a qualifying test score. He was recruited by UW defensive coordinator Dave Doeren.
"I've been talking to (Doeren) for about two months now," Ball said. "We already have a strong relationship going. When I went up there and visited, we sat down by the lake and just talked about the place, talked about what I was looking for, talked about my major — business — and all that stuff. We're going to be pretty good together."
That should be good news for UW fans who might remember an early oral commitment a year ago from wide receiver Wes Kemp, who was considered the top recruit in St. Louis at the time.
Missouri never gave up on Kemp and he de-committed from the Badgers and signed with the Tigers. Even though Missouri has had a lot of recent success keeping the state's top players at home, it's a different case with Ball, who doesn't seem a good fit for the Tigers' spread offense.
For now, at least, Ball doesn't see much chance of changing his mind.
"Nope, because when I sat down and watched the film with (running backs) coach (John) Settle, their offense is exactly the style offense we run here at my school," Ball said. "I'm basically moving into the same offense, which is going to be really comfortable."