The initials UNLV bring back a chilling feeling to Badger football fans for two reasons. One, the game may have been the rainiest, chilliest day of the fall, and two, because that sudden freeze in weather also brought a then 2-0 UW Badger football team to a freezing halt against the Rebels. The 23-5 score may still be a sore spot for Badger fans but, rest assured, the boys in crimson have long forgotten it and are looking to put the hurt on a hurting UNLV team.
\When I got here I looked at the UNLV game from last year and [UW] kept the ball contained pretty well. [UNLV] a few big plays that got out for them. I think we just need to learn that it's a four-quarter effort. You can't play three or three and a half but you gotta play all four quarters,"" Defensive Coordinator Bert Bielema said.
Yet, for the Badgers, that may be the only comment about last year's game. The attitude in the locker room is that last year was last year and the opportunity for this team is right now.
""First of all we just gotta throw last year out the back. We need to create turnovers and get things rolling. It's important to create that chemistry like we had last week and everybody just needs to make plays and do what the coach asks him to do,"" said senior corner Scott Starks.
The past, however disposable it may be, does show some keys to the future. Last week saw UNLV at Tennessee, where the Volunteers were anything but helpful for the Rebels. A 42-17 romping last week, leaves the Rebels exposed but most likely ready to rebound against a Badger team that was an easy win for them a year ago. The Badgers, however, just finished administering a drubbing of their own last week putting down the Knights of Central Florida 34-6. Regardless of morale or ambition, the Badgers will have a few questions to address come Saturday.
Senior halfback Anthony Davis will be out at least three weeks due to an eye injury sustained last week, according to a UW press release. Clearly the absence of this team's most dynamic offensive player leaves the Badgers in a considerably large hole. Another question mark might be the defense. Helmed by Bielema, who is in his first season at Wisconsin, the Badgers' defense contains a number of rookie starters, in the line backing core especially, who haven't seen much action. Bielema, however, looks to take the eagerness that comes with inexperience and harness it into a solid defense.
""I really go back to what has built Wisconsin into what it is [defensively]. They've had good solid line play with a few great defensive backs sprinkled in and they've had a solid linebacker core. That's the trademark here at Wisconsin. We've tried to establish the fact that we are what we are every day. It's a 1-0 approach. We want to be 1-0 on Saturday. If you get out there and you have one play that's not as good as you want it, get the next play. If you can go 1-0 on the day, you've done your job and I think that's something our kids have really bought into. It's just a workman's approach to how we want to get it done. Whatever they have to do on that play whenever they're number is called that's what needs to get done,"" Bielema said of the defense's mentality going into the second game of the season.
The assemblage of linebackers this year for the Badgers didn't have one man who'd previously started an opening day but they showed cohesiveness and awareness as evidenced by their control of UCF's running attack and their pressure in the backfield.
""All through camp all three of us have kind of grown together and it's made us stronger together. We all communicate together really well. That was the thing with Central Florida, they moved around a lot but we were able to get lined up and everything like that. Pretty much the whole camp it's been us three guys,"" junior linebacker Mark Zalewski said of the fresh new backs.
Where Bielema and the defense may not have experience at linebacker, there is an abundance in the secondary. While the secondary has not been a shut down unit in recent memory, the defensive backs have been able to stick with the opposition well enough to win games. This question mark, however, doesn't seem to phase senior defensive back Scott Starks.
""We don't have as much size as most secondaries do, but we have experience and playmaking ability and we look to use that to win. If you don't have a lot of size you need to make up for it with speed and technique,"" said the 5'10"" corner.
UNLV will most likely look to take advantage of the lack of size at corner by getting the ball to 6'3"" senior wideout Earvin Johnson. He, along with senior running back Dominique Dorsey, are the big threats for the Rebels. The Badgers will need to counter with continued solid linebacker play and good play from sophomore quarterback John Stocco.
With Davis out of commission for the foreseeable future and next best option being Booker Stanley, Head Coach Barry Alvarez may have to put things into the hands of Stocco. Stocco looked decent in his first start for the Badgers last week, completing most of the passes he was expected to but failed to throw a really great ball. He has some weapons to throw to at wide out but none so prolific as years past. Junior receiver Jonathon Orr has some soft hands and playmaking ability but has yet to establish himself as a standout.
The Badgers are moving into a critical game of the season. Many question their ability to win without Davis in the backfield and their prowess in the secondary. Saturday, however, is a winnable game for the Crimson and White who will look to erase shadows of previous years and come away with one more victory.
