Day eight of the Wisconsin football team’s practice was the shortest of the spring season, due in part to the rash of injuries plaguing the team.
Freshman defensive lineman Patrick Butrym joined the group of injured players after suffering a minor shoulder injury Tuesday morning. While the injuries continue piling up, one notable player on the defensive unit returned to action and went through his first full practice of the year.
Junior middle linebacker Elijah Hodge, who was hurt for the majority of last season, finally returned to practice and resumed his role as middle linebacker, satisfying the itch to play he’s had all offseason.
“We’re football players,” Hodge said. “The thing you come here for, obviously education first, but then to play football. You can’t be a football player unless you are on the football field.”
Previously filling in for Hodge was sophomore Culmer St. Jean. Last season, the Florida native started twice for the injured Hodge, and so far during spring practice he has been impressing the coaches.
“I think Culmer has really been [playing well],” head coach Bret Bielema said toward the end of Thursday’s practice. “Going into practice, [St. Jean] in my opinion, has really shown some things at the inside linebacker position. He’s a former quarterback and safety, [so] he’s got good ball skills.”
Upon the full return of Hodge, who looked impressive during practice, St. Jean will presumably receive fewer reps. However, with the talent across the board at the linebacker level, he insists a healthy competition is beneficial.
“I’m just going to compete,” St. Jean said. “I feel like me and Hodgey are going for the one, so we are just going to compete to see how it turns out.”
For the outside linebackers, like most other positions, injuries have plagued the position for the majority of the spring season. Senior Jonathan Casillas suffered an ankle sprain last week during practice, opening the door for junior Jaevery McFadden, who was incorporated in “30 to 35 snaps per game” last season, according to Bielema.
“I’m trying to take advantage of the opportunity that I’ve got with Casillas being down,” McFadden said. “Spring is going real good … I still have a long way to go as far as knowing the game as a linebacker, but it’s going real good just trying to make plays out there and help the team out.”
A season ago, the Badgers boasted a heavily hyped defensive unit, but still allowed opponents to score 23 points per game. Although nothing can be done about last season’s team, the defense still uses that fact as a source of motivation.
“We have a point to prove. We are really trying to go back to the Big Ten, hard-hitting, fast, we are trying to add a little speed to it, but fast football,” St. Jean said. “Every year, we are trying to be on the top of the charts.”
Practice No. 8 Notes
Bielema suggested that the injury to junior college defensive tackle transfer Dan Moore may not be as serious as first feared, which is great news for a battered defensive line.
“The results that they got back on Tuesday is that he’s basically, he didn’t have as extensive damage as they thought, but it’s kind of a wait and see mode,” Bielema said. “The plan is right now, they are going to basically take it easy on the knee for six weeks and hopefully he’ll be able to return for the second week of June when we go to full conditioning.”
As of right now, no surgery has been scheduled for Moore.
