For more reasons than one, all eyes will once again be on the Badger defense when Wisconsin takes on Northwestern at Camp Randall Saturday. The Badger defense continues to lead the nation, giving up just eight points per game, and is second in the country in total yards per game, giving up only 222.4. But the bigger story this weekend will be new names in the defense's starting lineup.
The Badgers lost two starting defensive linemen, seniors Jonathan Welsh and Erasmus James, in last Saturday's game at Purdue. Welsh is questionable for Saturday's game, while James is out for sure.
James leads the Big Ten in sacks with seven and is second in the conference with 10.5 tackles for loss. Earlier this week he was named a semi-finalist for the Lombardi Award.
\I guess that's the good thing ... All year we've had a rotation in the defensive line,"" said Head Coach Barry Alvarez Monday. ""You've seen a number of guys mixing and matching in that defensive front. And we certainly needed that this past Saturday. We'll need it this Saturday.""
Freshman Jamal Cooper and sophomore Joe Monty will both be getting their first starts at defensive end this weekend.
The young linemen will have quite a challenge ahead of them as the Badgers take on a spread offense for the second week in a row.
""I think we've seen so many spread-type offenses, [and] I think this defense may be better equipped than what we've had in the past,"" Alvarez said.
Junior quarterback Brett Basanez leads a Wildcat offense that is capable of gaining yards on the ground with senior running back Noah Herron or through the air to junior wide receivers Mark Philmore and Jonathan Fields.
Basanez, along with accumulating more than 1,500 yards through the air this season, has accumulated 150 yards on the ground.
""They want to get him on the edge. They want to give him a run-pass option and get him out into space where he can use his feet,"" Alvarez said.
""We plan on keeping him in the box and getting good pressure on him from the front four,"" Cooper said.
The Badgers did a decent job of limiting Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton last week, but see room for improvement.
""There's always room for improvement. We're just going to try to contain him,"" Cooper added.
While Northwestern and Purdue both run spread offenses, the two teams have different mentalities.
""Northwestern really wants to run the ball, whereas Purdue would be happy just throwing the ball,"" said senior safety Jim Leonhard. ""So that makes you have to play everything.""
Stopping the Wildcat rushing offense means stopping Herron, who has almost 700 rushing yards and eight touchdowns already this year.
Herron had his best game of the year two weeks ago, the last time Northwestern played. The senior ran for 197 yards and three scores, but also caught five passes for 41 yards.
""He's a great downhill runner. He makes guys miss, but he just runs so hard downhill that he gets to you in a hurry,"" Leonhard said. ""Catching the ball out of the backfield, you have to be aware of where he is at because he is such a big back and he can run as well.""
Coming off of a bye last week and two straight wins against the Badgers, there is no doubt the Wildcats will be geared up to spoil UW's homecoming.
""They'll come out pumped. They're going to know their game plan because they've been working on it the past two weeks,"" said junior wide receiver Brandon Williams. ""They'll be ready so we just have to come out and meet their surge.""
On the offensive side of the ball, the Badgers will continue to rely on senior running back Anthony Davis. Davis was bothered by a quadraceps injury last week at Purdue, but is probably in the depth charts for Saturday's game.
But while most of the focus all year has been on Davis and sophomore quarterback John Stocco, Wisconsin receivers have stepped up over the past two weeks, making big catches at crucial times in the game.
Stocco has had arguably his best two games over the past two weeks, and as he settles into his role for the Badgers, so too do the receivers he is throwing to.
""I think John is getting more established in the offense,"" junior wide receiver Brandon Williams said. ""I think he is more comfortable about where we're going to be on the field so that he can throw to a certain spot on the field. And I think we're really starting to click at the right time of the year.""
Senior wide receiver Darrin Charles and junior receiver Jonathan Orr made big touchdown catches two weeks ago at Purdue and Williams had his best game of the season in the Badgers' win last weekend, catching seven passes for 84 yards.
Junior Owen Daniels is the Badgers' leading receiver in yards this season with 269. With four legitimate targets on the field, opposing defenses cannot focus on the rushing attack.
""That's very important. They want to stop the run,"" Williams said. ""That's our main threat. But if you have guys who are coming out and making plays, they cannot just focus all their time on the run. They have to defend the pass and that is a great weapon that we have.""
The Badgers hope Davis' injury was a one-game problem, but in the event that the Badgers need to go to the air to get things done on offense, Badger fans can rest assured knowing that the wide receivers have hit their stride at the time they may be needed most.
The Badgers will get a chance to let their nagging injuries heal during the bye next week, but the Badgers still have one more game to get through before they can rest. Unfortunately for them, that one game is against a team that has had their number the past two years, and four of the last seven.
But a homecoming game and the chance to improve to 8-0 should be enough incentive for the Badgers to focus and get one more win before concentrating on winning back the axe.
