After a disappointing loss Saturday against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas Runnin' Rebels, Wisconsin will have to rebound against a tough North Carolina squad this weekend at Camp Randall.
There are many questions over the heads of the Badgers as they enter the game against the Tar Heels. What is the status of junior running back Anthony Davis? Was senior quarterback Jim Sorgi's performance a fluke, or is it a sign of things to come?
Davis came out of the game against UNLV on his second rush with an ankle injury. He hobbled into the locker room with a soft cast wrapped around his left ankle and did not return to the game. According to Head Coach Barry Alvarez, Davis' status is still up in the air.
\We'll have to see where [Davis] is,"" Alvarez said. ""If he's ready to play, he'll play. If there's any question, if he's not 100 percent, then he won't.""
With Davis probably out against UNC, Wisconsin will use both sophomore Dwayne Smith and freshman Booker Stanley at halfback. Smith is a 5'11"", 225-lb. halfback from Chicago, whereas Stanley is a 5'10"", 207-lb. tailback from Milwaukee. Many questions concern the play of Smith after last week's performance. He fumbled the ball twice, with one coming inside the Rebels' 10-yard line.
Sorgi stated that the loss of Davis hurt the team Saturday and will continue to do so as long as he is out.
""[Davis] is a playmaker,"" Sorgi said. ""When you lose a guy like that, it hurts the offense. No one thinks that Smith is not a capable back-up [for Davis], and behind him we have Stanley and [junior running back Jerome] Pettus, so we'll be okay.""
Sorgi, much like Smith, is looking forward to the UNC game to rebound after a rough weekend. Sorgi threw for 222 yards on 11 of 25 passing, but had two passes intercepted, eight overthrows and was sacked eight times in the loss.
""Just being a person, this feeling is horrible. I'm going to do everything in my power to just lose this feeling because the feeling in the pit of my stomach is just awful,"" Sorgi said. ""It's our first adversity as a team.""
??Still, his struggles on Saturday were evident in his inability to hit receivers and make plays. Sorgi said it was no one's fault but his own.
""Physically I was fine. The game plan was there and I was prepared,"" Sorgi said. ""The reads were good and that's what you hope for as a quarterback. The ball was kind of sailing on me. It was a little high at times and that's what led to the interceptions.""
Alvarez said that UNC cannot be taken lightly, even though they have started 0-2 this season. UNC lost their first game 37-0 against Florida State and 49-47 against Syracuse in triple overtime.
""We'll have to play better than we have played in the last three games,"" Alvarez said. ""My message is always about what we can do. It's not about the opponent. It's about us and what we can do in the game.""
Sorgi stated that the loss to UNLV may help the Badgers in the long run. Being that it is early in the season, Sorgi sees this as a learning experience that can help UW see their flaws and fix them before the Big Ten season starts.
""It's huge this [loss] happened this early in the season,"" Sorgi said. ""It can shed some light on what we need to fix. Maybe we were sitting on our laurels a bit.""
""This is when the leadership and the older guys who are the playmakers, the leaders of this team, got to step up and lead,"" Sorgi said. ""Show these kids and prove to ourselves that we are still a damn good football team.\
