With the Badger's football season halfway over and the team leading the Big Ten, hopes are high for a trip back to the Pasadena in January. The Daily Cardinal met up with senior linebacker Alex Lewis this past week to get his impressions on last Saturday's game and of the season so far.
The Daily Cardinal: The team is to the halfway point in the season, what is your assessment of the team thus far?
Alex Lewis: I mean, I'm the same as when I first started. I think that we're taking steps as we go, but we got a long ways to go, before we're going to get where we got to go.
DC: What does the team need to continue to do well and continue this early season success?
AL: To be successful, that means we got to play smart, play physical and just be a close-knit team.
DC: Coming from a junior college and transferring to Madison, what have the last two years been like for you?
AL: The last two years, I could say have been like a student. I'm trying to learn, I'm still in the learning process and it's been a great experience for me. I mean, I've seen a JuCo, which was not as big as a Division I, so when I got here it was like a big, good experience for me. So right now, I'm still a student of the game just trying to learn every day, just trying to get better.
DC: Coming from that smaller junior college and the smaller crowds, describe what last Saturday night was like for you as a player.
AL: Saturday night was a wonderful experience. Like Coach Alvarez said, it's a once in a lifetime experience. I was happy to play. [Right] now I'm not worried about last Saturday no more, I'm worried about this Saturday coming up.
DC: What is the defense going to challenge themselves to do better going into the remainder of the season?
AL: Like our goals, just try to be a dominant defense, try to stop the run and try to become a better pass defense. Just become a smarter defense, less mental errors and just be tough and physical and be a four-quarter team, play every quarter.
DC: Are these last games of your college career somewhat bittersweet? Do they hold any more meaning?
AL: Like I said, I'm not trying to look down the road. I try to take every game game-by-game and every practice practice-by-practice and while I'm going through it, I thank the Lord and I'm just blessed for being where I am right now.
DC: You've had a lot of success on special teams as well as defense and you evolved into somewhat of a punt-blocking force. Has the punt-block unit just worked out that way?
AL: I just want to make plays anywhere I go. I mean, kickoff, I try to make plays on kickoff. I love kickoff and I love punt. And whenever I'm out there I just trying to go 100 percent and trying to help the team.
DC: What are you going to miss most about Wisconsin football?
AL: \Well one thing I'll miss about Wisconsin football is the teammates. I mean, I made some good friends here, some lifetime friends. Also, just the experience of being here, just learning a new system. I love the trials and tribulations, the things that made me the person I am today. I mean I had a lot of problems last year with the past defense and people getting down on me, but any good person will learn from that and get stronger from it. That's what I think I'm doing and want to continue on doing.""
DC: Any visions of roses for this team
AL: Like I said, I'm not thinking about it. I just want to play every game game-by-game and every practice practice-by-practice.
-Interview conducted by Clinton Robus
