After a defensive battle in Iowa that led the Badgers to capture the Heartland trophy, Wisconsin (4-1 Big 10, 6-2 overall) will need to mimic its performance this week as it welcomes BYU to Camp Randall Saturday. This is the first match-up between the two teams since 1980.
Brigham Young University (6-2), an independent team not belonging to any conference, boasts the same record as the Badgers, and sophomore quarterback Taysom Hill will pose one of the most challenging tests for Wisconsin this season.
The Pocatella, Idaho, native has thrown for 2,019 yards and run for 841, putting him tantalizingly close to becoming just the 22nd player in college football history to throw for 2,000 yards and run for 1,000.
“He’s physical and he’s fast,” defensive coordinator Dave Aranda said. “When he turns the corner he’s gone … what’s most infuriating is that on third-and-four, you’ve got them for a loss and he gets five yards. That’s a huge part of [BYU’s] game.”
If you would have asked Cougar head coach Bronco Mendenhall whether his quarterback would be garnering national recognition heading into week 11 of the college football season, the answer might not have been so optimistic.
In the first three games of the season Hill completed just 35 percent of his passes, culminating in a 20-13 loss at home against in-state rival Utah. Since then he has flipped the switch, completing 65 percent of his passes and running well enough to be No. 20 nationally in rushing yards alone this season.
The Cougars employ a high-tempo offensive strategy similar to Arizona State that plays perfectly to Hill’s skill set.
“[The pace] either breaks us down or it brings us together,” Aranda said. “If you’re not communicating, if you’re not on the same page, it’s tough to operate.”
BYU’s leading wide receiver, senior Cody Hoffman, also measures in at 6 feet five inches tall—a full eight inches taller than true freshman cornerback Sojourn Shelton. This isn’t the first, nor will it be the last time Shelton matches up against a taller opponent.
“This is what I live for,” he said. “Growing up as a kid I knew I was going to be shorter than a lot of people, so I’ve kind of played this whole thing with no fear. I don’t care if you’re LeBron sized, you’ve got to go get it all the same.”
The Badgers received another gift of sorts this week, as redshirt senior linebacker Chris Borland will return to the field against BYU after sustaining a hamstring injury against Illinois Oct. 19.
Stepping in for Borland last week against Iowa was redshirt junior Marcus Trotter, who recorded nine tackles and forced an interception pass in the fourth quarter.
“[Borland] causes so much havoc in the middle,” Shelton said. “There’s something about him. He creates fear in other players, where they tend to hold the ball a little longer, things like that. It helps us out in the secondary.”
