Two years ago, Badger sophomore safety Dezmen Southward was contending big men in the paint for his St. Thomas Aquinas high school basketball team. Now that he's traded in his Jordan's in for a pair of cleats, he's not only fighting a battle with his teammates this spring for increased playing time and a potential spot in the fall, but also a mental and physical war with himself.
Southward's focus on football did not come until his senior year of his school, his first year of organized play. Prior to that he made basketball his priority and was team captain and MVP for Aquinas.
One month after UW's loss to TCU in the Rose Bowl, Southward grew nauseous and felt an extreme pain on his right side. After a visit to the hospital, the Florida-native underwent an emergency appendectomy, a procedure that usually allows the patient to go home 1-3 days after surgery.
But Southward's stay lasted longer than expected as he developed an abscess and was forced to stay in the hospital an extra week.
""That kind of threw my whole winter conditioning off,"" Southward said. ""I wasn't able to really lift or condition like everybody else.""
Along with the pressure of getting familiar with the safety position, having been moved from corner last spring, Southward fought increased fatigue, a result of a lack of conditioning and weight-lifting during his recovery.
Junior cornerback Antonio Fenelus helped Southward remain positive during his appendectomy recovery, while also aiding in his transition from basketball to football and from corner to safety.
""I can say I helped him out with just transitioning from thinking all about basketball to starting to get into a football mindset,"" Fenelus said. ""He just couldn't understand why we were meeting all the time and watch so much film … I would just tell him it isn't easy, just like you wouldn't say basketball isn't easy.""
After enduring two prior wrist surgeries, Southward found the transition from one sport to another more challenging than dealing with the results of last winter's appendectomy.
""It's a world of difference,"" Southward said when asked if football and basketball overlap at all. ""I was a little scared to come and play football, but I'm around to it and it's natural to me.""
UW defensive coordinator Chris Ash sees potential in Southward and is well aware of his athletic ability. Head coach Bret Bielema recently cited Southward as the most athletic player on the 95-man spring roster.
Although Ash is proud of the gains Southward has made in his sport and personal shifts, he still sees the situation as a work in progress.
""He was a good basketball player from my understanding, but what we have to get him to understand is just because you have some talent doesn't mean you're a good football player,"" Ash said. ""The sky's the limit for him though, he does have some natural ability.""
Southward, who has run the 40-yard dash in as fast as 4.3 seconds, finds extra confidence in knowing that his coaches hold that opinion, but awaits the opportunity when he will be able to showcase his athleticism on a consistent basis.
Last season, Southward saw action in all 13 games, mainly with the special teams. This season, he hopes to increase that role by making a bigger impact from the safety position.
""It's a great label but no one wants to be known as that guy who's real athletic but never really played in the game,"" Southward admitted. ""So translating that into some success on the field would be great for me.""
Regardless of any shortcomings this spring, Southward still remains confident in his abilities and his chances of seeing increased reps this fall. With the transitions he has been forced to make over the past three years, Southward finds himself in a position he is all too familiar with: adapting.
""Try and get better everyday, learn something every practice is something coach Ash always says and just to get better,"" Southward said. ""The same goes for the fall, not to make those same mistakes and make strides everyday and if I can do that I'll be where I want to be.""
