It does not take much to get a smile on the face of a Wisconsin football player as the team prepares for the upcoming 2003 season. Any mention of the Aug. 30 opener against West Virginia, the Sept. 6 home opener against Akron or the Sept. 27 Big Ten opener at Illinois, and a sense of excitement mixed with anticipation comes across in the body language of all the Wisconsin players.
With high expectations once again resting on the backs of the Badgers, UW will look to use it's explosive offense and veteran defense to stifle Big Ten opponents and return to national prominence. The Badgers will look to a receiving corps that, by many, has been ranked one of the top in the nation, led by all-American senior Lee Evans.
\One of the themes for the year is no regrets and I think that definitely applies to me and some of the things that I want to do,"" Evans said. ""Obviously there have been some things I have had to overcome, but I am having no regrets about what I do. I am just going to go out there and play hard and do the things I used to do.""
Besides the return of Evans, who led the Big Ten in receiving yards as a junior in 2001, the Badgers possess a dangerous tandem of sophomores, Jonathan Orr and Brandon Williams, as well as junior Darrin Charles. Charles set career highs last season with 323 yards on 25 catches, but it was the play of the two freshmen, Orr and Williams, that turned the most heads. Williams' 663 receiving yards would have been good enough for the most ever by a Badger freshman wide receiver had Orr himself not surpassed it with 842 yards. When senior quarterback Jim Sorgi gathers his team at the line of scrimmage and looks around to possibly see four incredibly gifted wideouts beside him, he cannot help but get excited.
""You have to look at it as a luxury,"" Sorgi said. ""All these guys are proven winners, all have proven they can make plays and do what they have to do, and it is a real treat to have this many proven receivers to throw to.""
In addition to the four outstanding options Sorgi has to throw to, he also has the luxury of handing the ball off to one of the nation's best running backs in junior Anthony Davis. The Plainfield, NJ native enters the 2003 season with UW has a preseason candidate for the Doak Walker Award, which goes annually to the nation's top running back. Davis, in just two seasons, has already achieved over 3,000 yards rushing, 20 touchdowns and has climbed all the way to sixth place on the school's all-time rushing list.
Evans also feels that the amount of offensive firepower at the skill positions on offense is simply amazing and will not only be exciting to watch and be a part of, but also will take the pressure off himself to produce record numbers.
""We have so many play makers at so many different positions, the focus does not have to be on me,"" Evans said. ""I am going to do what I do and make plays, but the responsibility of this team will not fall solely on my shoulders or Sorgi's shoulders.""
The fact of the matter is that the offense is the talk of the town, but it is the defense that is returning more players (nine), having graduated only lineman Jake Sprague and defensive back B.J. Tucker. The defense will also possess a strong linebacking crew that will be led by preseason Dick Butkus award candidates, senior captain Jeff Mack and senior Alex Lewis.
Mack will return from an injury that sidelined him for part of the season last year. The Badgers were 7-1 in games Mack played and his return at the end of the season fueled the Badgers' two biggest wins: against Minnesota and then versus Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. His leadership on defense and the success the Badgers showed in the last two games of the season last year have players, coaches and fans alike looking forward to the season ahead.
Also returning for the Badgers on defense is UW's lone all-American representative from a season ago, junior defensive back Jim Leonhard. Leonhard, along with fellow junior defensive backs Scott Starks and Brett Bell, will continue to develop with the addition of new defensive backs coach Ron Lee.
The coaching staff and starting quarterback Jim Sorgi know that there will indeed be much to look forward to if the Badgers can feed off of the success they enjoyed at the end of the 2003 season.
""You have guys on this team that just want to play football,"" Sorgi said. ""I think that you saw that in the last two games against Minnesota and Colorado. Guys want to have fun, they want to be physical ... I think you have a lot of guys that are just ready to get going. Me, for one, because I have never been in this [starting] position,"" he added.
