In a season filled with inconsistency on the offensive side of the ball, the Badgers' football team has found a youthful surge beginning to emerge through the first five games.
Freshman wide receiver Jared Abbrederis and freshman running back James White have both made unforeseen impacts, Abbrederis is currently the second leading receiver with 12 catches for 139 yards, and White has produced the same number of touchdowns (6) as the highly-touted junior running back John Clay while averaging 8.3 rushing yards per attempt.
""Recruiting-wise, this year's guys as a whole have an approach about them,"" assistant and running backs coach John Settle said. ""They are smart guys, smart players and just make better plays.""
White especially has been on a tear in the ground game, breaking out with multiple touchdowns against Michigan State on outside runs, and falling just short of 100 yards on the day.
""We're all just going out there doing the best we can,"" White said. ""We can all perform out there on Saturday.""
When players come in as freshmen, many redshirt or only see time on the field in practice. It can take years to get a chance.If his number is called, though, he has to be ready.
""Coming in, I thought I'd have an opportunity at special teams, but I didn't know I'd have this opportunity,"" Abbrederis said. ""Everyone wants to see themselves do [well] in the future, so I plan on working hard, not making any mistakes and going 110 percent every play.""
While Abbrederis' numbers have been modest so far—his best game to date came against San Jose State with five catches for 58 yards—the young receiver has been steady and made key catches for crucial first downs.
White, meanwhile, talked about younger players having to correct mistakes and growing pains that come with learning the intricacies of the offense both in practice and in the film room.
The season will only continue to grind as a formidable Big Ten schedule unfolds, and conditioning plays huge for younger players who may hit the proverbial wall. So far, Abbrederis and White feel comfortable they can handle the workload.
Abbrederis said being a regular in the weight room is key to holding up physically through the season, while motivation from teammates helps him stay mentally sharp.
""We have a lot of the wide receivers, guys in general, helping us young guys every second with routes and what to do in different situations,"" Abbrederis said. ""They keep us ready.""
Going into the future, whether Abbrederis and White continue to chip in at the rates they have remains to be seen. To be fair, each had his best statistical game against Austin Peay, who the Badgers easily disposed of and did not provide a true indication of readiness.
Abbrederis, White and other young players will get their first taste of the historic rivalry with Minnesota this Saturday when the two teams square off at Camp Randall. Settle feels the young men are up to the test and will succeed in big pressure games.
""They give themselves the opportunity, which in turn helps the team compete and makes us more successful,"" Settle said.
