Wisconsin defensive coordinator Bret Bielema is a man with a lot on his plate. Whether it be a leading a young and depleted defense coming off a meltdown versus Northwestern or trying to slow a Laurence Maroney-led Golden Gopher offensive attack, there is no shortage of tasks the second year coordinator has to juggle. Surprisingly, there is one thing the Illinois native pays no attention to??-next year.
\He's just the same guy right now [as last year],"" said redshirt freshman cornerback Allen Langford. ""I'm pretty sure he's not really worried about the head coaching job.""
It is almost as if someone forgot to tell Bielema that he will be taking over for one of the greatest figures in Wisconsin sports in the next year. He will have completed an amazing journey from an undergraduate student assistant coach at Iowa to head coach of a premier program in college football all by the tender age of 36, making him the youngest head coach in the Division I college football.
One would think Bielema would occasionally take a moment out of his hectic schedule to reflect on where his passion for football has taken him. However, it is business as usual for Wisconsin's defensive leader, even after such a frustrating loss.
""I sit back and overanalyze everything that we did the previous week, what we did during the course of the game, and what we did immediately following the game,"" said Bielema. ""The preparation and the attitude coming in and the way we prepare each week doesn't change.""
As unfair as it may be, whenever the Badger defense has a poor performance, the whispers begin to get a little louder and more pronounced. The ones asking if a man this young, who has only been with the Wisconsin program, for two years, is ready to take the control next season. Was the Badger defense of last season only a product of five NFL draftees?
""Obviously there are certain things that people are going to take a certain way,"" explained Bielema. ""People are going to put a spin on anything that they want to put a spin on. The only thing that we can control is what happens in our meeting rooms and how we handle our players.""
Judging by the reaction of the media and fans all across the state following last Saturday's affair, a casual observer may have thought the team had actually started the season 1-5.
The Badgers' tireless goal of ""going 1-0 every week"" was not accomplished against Northwestern. Games like the 51-48 loss are when teams recognize their shortcomings and work on what needs fixing, paying no attention to the storm of criticism often surrounding them.
""I don't think that affects us in our room,"" said Bielema. ""I believe it affects the outside world ... the media and obviously all the people associated with anything from an outside perspective looking in.""
One might wonder if Bielema or the coaching staff feels obligated to appease the tortured fans that had to watch their beloved Badgers surrender a school-record 674 yards to the Wildcats.
""We don't have to respond to anything other than what our kids ask,"" stressed Bielema. ""We don't waste any time trying to think about what other people are thinking. We worry about what our job is and what we are supposed to do.""
With the return of Joe Stellmacher and another week of Bielema's tutelage behind them, the Badger defense will look to get back on track against Minnesota and put an end to what has proven to be a trying week.
""A lot of guys just make comments that they can't wait till Saturday and that's just the way we want them to approach it,"" said Bielema. ""It's not the first time our team has been challenged and I expect a good response.\
