This was the column I told myself I would never write.
A graduate of Franklin High School, I never thought it was possible to lower my standards and write about our rivals that dwelled on the other side of 27th Street. But certain planets have crossed and stars realigned. And here it is, to all the Oak Creek superstars out there, I will sing the praises of your golden child, and tell my story of Mr. Brian Calhoun ...
I remember a conversation I had with my dad when I was a sophomore in high school. Oak Creek had just put the finishing touches on the complete dismantling of me and my fellow Franklin teammates. At the time, I thought I had just watched the best running back I would ever see play high school football first-hand.
His name was Jamaal Butler, and he sliced and pounded his way for about 200 yards and five touchdowns, possibly in only one half. Though the Oak Creek fairy tale reads that Butler was discovered by head coach Joe Koch during gym class, I thought a little recruiting on the outskirts of Milwaukee had taken place. Either way, it looked as though the state of Wisconsin was going to produce a truly special football player.
After the game I said to my dad, \How are we going to stop this guy for the next two years?""
He replied, ""I'm not sure, but people are telling me they have a kid who is going to make you forget about Butler.""
Forget about Butler? He was a freak of nature and only a sophomore. Though he ran behind a creatine-infested line of 350 pounders, it appeared Butler had no limits on the football field.
Ultimately, it turned out that I was correct, and the only person that could stop Butler was Butler himself.
He enjoyed a solid junior campaign and received scholarship offers from Nebraska (when that meant something) and Wisconsin, to name a few. However, he never played in his final year after a series of off-the-field problems cost him his senior season. Truthfully, it is a shame this is the lone college football article that will ever mention his name.
So who was the afermentioned kid that my dad informed me would soon rise to stardom? That youngster turned out to be Brian Calhoun.
He had all the tools and while we (Franklin) stole a win from him during my junior season (the infamous 19-14), Oak Creek pummeled us 63-7 in my final meeting with Calhoun. I was credited for a 1 1/2 tackles in four quarters of work from my linebacker position, but as I remember that night, I like to think I got the better of him.
After graduation, Calhoun and I entertained offers from different universities. He garnered attention from Colorado, Tennessee and Wisconsin, while I considered a lucrative verbal offer from Wisconsin Lutheran, which was preparing for their second year of Division III football on their campus. Either way, we both had options.
Prior to the start of this year, I began to play the role of my dad when people asked about the fate of the Badgers.
""Who's going to replace A.D. next year?""
My response of course, ""That kid from Colorado is going to make you forget about Davis.""
And here the Badgers stand, overachieving for the second straight year, preparing for week five. Though it is grossly premature to even mention the phrase, I'll just throw it out there: Brian Calhoun is a Heisman contender.
After Saturday's victory over Michigan, Calhoun is third in the nation in rushing yards per game (156.5) and fifth in the nation in scoring (13.5).
So what is the underlying problem in this whole situation? The blow out victory and wasted opportunity against Temple.
Suddenly, the most insignificant game of the year may come back to haunt Calhoun and the coaching staff. Close to 90 players saw action against Temple in Barry Alvarez's effort to keep the score respectable. His kindness went a step further when removed Calhoun from the game in the first quarter, after only rushing for 42 yards on 11 carries.
In retrospect, 150 yards and two touchdowns in one half of play would have padded Calhoun's stats nicely, and elevated him into the No. 1 rusher in the nation, slightly ahead of Minnesota junior Laurence Maroney.
Yes, it is early to even mention a Heisman winner right now-so when is an appropriate time?
That exact answer to that question is around 3:00 p.m. on Saturday October 15th, just minutes after the Wisconsin and Minnesota football game concludes.
Calhoun will square off against Maroney in a battle of who will represent the Big Ten in Heisman contention. The winner of that contest will not only have an upper hand in the race for a conference title, but will also have a legitimate Heisman threat on their campus.
Many may have written off this race prior to the season, as last year's Heisman winner Matt Leinert returned for his senior season and his closest competition was supposed to be Reggie Bush, who lined up in his own backfield.
Both are having solid seasons thus far, but if the duo finish without a clear-cut winner, votes coming from the West Coast will could conceivably split and leave room for a non-USC winner.
Again, still early
But, if the cards did fall the right way and Calhoun made a legit run at the trophy, it could not happen to a more deserving individual. To describe Brain Calhoun as humble would be an understatement. Quite simply, he may be the best representation of this program and university, on and off the field.
But who am I kidding, I also just want to tell my kids I tackled a Heisman trophy winner back in the day and played against Paul Maier.
Reach Jon for comment at jrmcnamara@wisc.edu.
