There is no question losing one of the best players in college football will hurt the psyche of any team. But with or without Lee Evans, the fate of the 2002 Wisconsin Badgers football team does not rest on the shoulders of an offense that returns seven starters excluding Evans. It relies on a defense that gave up just less than 29 points per game last season and a special teams unit that missed seven field goals and was downright lousy on kickoff coverage.
Although Wisconsin was expected to'believe it or not'open up the offense even more next season, let's not forget how UW won three Rose Bowls in seven years. The running game, as it always was, will once again be the focal point of the offense. Sophomore running back Anthony Davis must continue to carry the load and silence his critics that say he isn't big enough to play tailback at UW.
There is no doubt several big plays will be lost without Evans. Sophomore wide receivers Darrin Charles and Travann Hayes, along with freshman Jonathon Orr, will have to pick up some of the slack, presuming Evans is unable to make it back in the fall. But the offense should not be a concern. It's the other side of the ball that has the hearts of many UW fans beating off the charts.
Wisconsin's defense was an embarrassment to witness last season. The steady and consistent play of the Rose Bowl years vanished. The 2001 season was full of big plays and mistakes. It is vital that UW eliminates these problems. Forget about the offense and Lee Evans. If UW's defense is as horrid as last season, UW fans and players will once again be sitting at home for the holidays.
Special teams is another area of great concern. The Badgers will most likely rely on junior college All-American Scott Campbell, who played at Georgia Military Academy last season. An upgrade in field goal kicking would be a plus. However, field position is the one thing the Badgers need to get out of their kicking game. Not even the Pittsburgh Steelers' \Steel Curtain"" defense of the 1970s could have consistently stopped UW's opponents, who needed to drive less than half of the field too many times last season.
And let's be honest. Nobody expects next year's defense to be anywhere near the top of the Big Ten. The atrocious performance of 2001 clings to our cerebrums and may never escape without a significant improvement.
The jukes of Anthony Davis and leaping ability of Lee Evans are the memories we should have of the 2001 season. Unfortunately, we are stuck with thoughts of Swiss-cheese defense and the hop of a funny bouncing football that capped off the season by eliminating UW from bowl contention.
To say the Badgers are ""up the creek"" without Lee Evans, as one local sports writer has put it, is ridiculous. A healthy Lee Evans is a consensus first team All-American selection next season and a Heisman Trophy candidate. His statistics speak for themselves. Lee Evans is nothing short of amazing. His jaw-dropping catches seem to defy gravity and amaze even the least involved spectators.
Life without Evans might be hard for some to ponder. But he is not the savior of Wisconsin Badgers football. Without a doubt, several offensive starters will need to step up to fill the void of an NFL-caliber receiver. But rest assured that the diagnosis of UW next season falls on a defense that returns only five starters, two of which are underclassmen.
Believe me Badger fans, one sports clich?? can never be overstated. Defense wins championships.
