Homecoming 2009 will provide opportunities for just about everybody. Numerous alumni will use the weekend to come back and stake out the old stomping grounds, student organizations will build up their floats and march them through the annual Homecoming Parade, and the student section will gets a few extra chances to bow down in gratitude to athletes and teams from the past. The team itself will use the week to lean heavily on their ""one game at a time"" mantra, reminding everybody that this is just another week and just another opponent, albeit a good one.
The Iowa Hawkeyes, who come in undefeated and ranked eleventh in the AP Poll, give Wisconsin plenty of reasons to focus solely on the task at hand. The Badgers cannot afford a letdown if they want to stay in the conversation for a conference title. Coming off a tough loss like Wisconsin suffered last weekend in Columbus can be difficult, especially with Homecoming festivities providing opportunities for distraction throughout the week.
However, senior tight end Mickey Turner does not think focus will be an issue.
""Maybe at other schools you might fear that being a problem,"" said Turner. ""But especially with this team we're pretty focused. We know that any game is a big game and we're in Big Ten play now so we really have to step it up.""
While the eyes of the current players remain squarely on the Hawkeyes, there are likely to be plenty of former players back in town to see their former teammates play. Seniors like Turner and fellow tight end Garrett Graham face the reality that, a year from now, they will be the old guys coming back to watch. Graham, who leads the team with twenty-seven catches and four touchdown receptions, said he looking forward to re-uniting with some guys, but not before the game.
""You get some guys that come back for the Homecoming game that maybe you haven't seen in a while,"" said Graham. ""So when you get to see them or hang out with them after the game, that's pretty fun.""
Added Turner, ""It's always fun to get [former players] back in the game day atmosphere. I know they love it because they miss playing here.""
In addition to the former Badgers that will be around, many of the current players have their families coming to Madison this weekend to watch them play. As Turner pointed out, recruiting on a national scale inevitably leads to guys playing a long way from home.
""It's great,"" he said. ""Especially the guys that aren't from the area. The guys from Florida actually get to see their parents, so they're always hyped up to play in front of them.""
One player whose parents do not have an issue making it to all of the home games is freshman running back Montee Ball. Despite the fact that Ball played his high school football in Wentzville, Missouri, his parents frequent the stands at Camp Randall. That is because, upon his enrolling at the University of Wisconsin, Ball's parents moved to the Madison area to stay close to their son. That means that Ball will not have to worry about meeting former teammates (he does not have any yet) or traveling parents, and can focus on what is expected to be his expanding role in the offense. Homecoming seemed a long way from the freshman's mind, and with good reason.
""It's the same deal for me,"" Ball said. ""Whenever my number is called, I'm just going to try build on what I did last week""
So while the students and alumni partake in the parade and celebrate Homecoming to the fullest, the players will focus on going out and executing in front of 80,000 friends, family members, and fans. That should be just fine with everybody if the Badgers knock off the Hawkeyes on Saturday.
