Spring Football Flop

Kickoffs were nonexistent, some scores counted for double and the quarterbacks looked more prepared for a Christmas party than a football game, wearing green practice jerseys over their cardinal or white jerseys.
Yes, Saturday’s spring game was just that — a spring game. However, despite the final score reading 33-11 in favor of the Cardinal (first team plus key reserves), very few Badgers were happy with the day’s offensive production.
“We need to be better than that in the fall,” starting quarterback Scott Tolzien said. “It’s good for us to have a setback like that, as long as we use it to our advantage to realize that there’s a sense of urgency here and we gotta have a great offseason to move forward.”
While the negative attitude may seem exaggerated given the date of the game, both the Cardinal and White squads had lackluster days on the offensive end, particularly in the red zone.
Starting at the 30-yard-line to prevent injuries on kickoffs, the Cardinal managed only two field goals on its first two drives and ended the first quarter up 6-0.
In the second, Tolzien led the first teamers down the field for a touchdown on a two-yard Montee Ball touchdown run. The sophomore was starting in place of John Clay, who has been held out of all spring practices after offseason ankle surgery.
“I feel that we got beat on the line of scrimmage. I feel like I could have made better reads too,” Ball said. “I got a lot of work to do and I’m taking pride in it over the summer.”
The Cardinal would score again shortly before halftime, this time on a seven-yard run by Ball. The first team managed only five more points in the second half, though, three on another Philip Welch field goal and two on a safety.

Lets hope with all the returning starters that the Badgers can turn it around come fall. GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Three Badger Football Players Are Suspended

University of Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema recently announced the suspension of three football players due to an alleged violation of team rules.
Freshmen Kraig Appleton, Shelby Harris and Nick Hill have all been suspended from the team indefinitely, spokesperson for the Athletic Department Brian Lucas said.
In the case of an indefinite suspension, there is no assigned end time to the punishment, rather the suspending authority — in this case Bret Bielema — can enforce the suspension for however long he deems appropriate.
Lucas, along with other administrators of the Athletic Department, would not provide any details concerning the motivation for the suspensions or the possible consequences the team now faces.
Despite their alleged violations, the three men do remain students at the university, Lucas said.
Appleton, the only one of the three who played last season, is a wide receiver from East St. Louis, IL who finished the season with three receptions for a total of 26 yards.
Harris and Hill, who will be classified as redshirt freshmen next season, both redshirted for the team last year, meaning they did not participate in competition in order to further develop their skills and to extend their eligibility.
During his senior year in high school, Harris, a defensive lineman from Milwaukee who attended Homestead High School, was the number two-ranked player in the state of Wisconsin.
Also from Milwaukee, Hill is a walk-on linebacker from Milwaukee Washington High School who was once named UW’s defensive scout team player of the week last season.
Regardless of the suspensions, Lucas said, the team will still begin spring practices come March 13 to prepare for the annual Red-White spring football game April 27.
Spokesperson for the Athletic Department Justin Doherty said it is not appropriate to speculate as to how a suspension or multiple suspensions may or may not affect a team.
“It’s really unfortunate when promising players put an athletic team’s future in jeopardy because there are so many fans who support UW teams and who want to see them succeed,” UW freshman Catherine Bresnahan said.
It is a sad occurance whenever this happens at UW. Although I look forward to seeing the Baders take the field at Camp Randall this fall. GO BUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!