The four graduating seniors on the offensive line and in the backfield'linemen Jason Palermo, Matt Lawrence and Donovan Raiola, and fullback Matt Bernstein'have certainly taken different roads in their Wisconsin careers. Two waited until 2005 to start. Another has been an anchor on the offensive line for three straight years and might be the senior that is missed most. The last, a perennial fan favorite, has had numerous shining moments in his four years of starting, but has been slowed by injuries this year.
'The line always seems to get overlooked no matter where you are,' junior running back Brian Calhoun said. 'That is just the way it goes when you play offensive line, but at the same time that is where everything starts. If your offensive line is not playing well it is tough to do stuff.'
A hometown product, Jason Palermo actually came to Madison as a defensive lineman, but made the switch to offensive line while redshirting as a freshman. As a reserve, he did not have any substantial playing time until last season. However, this season has been Palermo's breakout year, as he and the rest of the line have helped Brian Calhoun become one of the nation's leading rushers.
'I was a little bit concerned about what [Palermo] would be like in space when he pulled, but he has become a guy who has taken a hold of it,' offensive line coach Jim Hueber said. 'He'll hit you, he'll snipe you.'
Matt Lawrence's story is similar to Palermo's. The Millsboro, Del., native also appeared last season as a reserve offensive lineman and a special teams player, appearing in nine games. This season, Lawrence has been a key player in the Badger offense, starting every game. While an ankle sprain will sideline him against Iowa, Lawrence hopes to recover in time for the Hawaii trip or the bowl game.
'[Palermo and Lawrence] have been [as] consistent as anyone else,' Calhoun said. 'For being their fifth year and getting to start for the first time is great, and I enjoy running behind them.'
What an interesting last regular season game it will be for center Donovan Raiola when he returns to his home state of Hawaii. He may feel he has to have a great game for his family there, but he has nothing to prove to Wisconsin fans. Raiola, the offensive stalwart, has been a consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2003 and 2004.
'Obviously our leader is Donovan,' Calhoun said. 'He has been a starter for three years and he has done a great job, not only playing well but leading the other guys.'
'All three of those guys have been outstanding for us this year,' junior quarterback John Stocco said. 'We have had a ton of success running the ball and you can't do that if your offensive line is not playing well.'
While not classified as an offensive lineman, fullback Matt Bernstein is built like one and has blocked like one his entire career. In addition, who can forget the Penn State game last season when the 'Hebrew Hammer' became the running game for a day and hurdled his way to 123 yards? The Sporting News named the Scarsdale, N.Y., native the No. 2 fullback in the nation coming into this season.Unfortunately, a hip injury and a sports hernia has sidelined Bernstein since the Michigan game.
'The thing you always liked about Bernie is his attitude, and he loved to play the game,' head coach Barry Alvarez said. 'You really miss him, his character and his personality as much as you do as him playing on Saturdays.'
As for this season's defensive senior class, it has been a trying season at times. Three of the seniors'Levonne Rowan, Brett Bell and LaMarr Watkins'may not have had the seasons of their dreams, while the fourth, semior linebacker Dontez Sanders, has overcome multiple position changes in his career to lead the team in tackles in 2005. All have continued to battle on a defense decimated by injuries.
Hailing from Erie, Pa., defensive back Levonne Rowan started nine games in the defensive backfield and was eighth on the team in tackles with 45 in 2003. Rowan backed up Bell and Scott Starks in 2004, adding seven tackles in the win over Purdue. In recent weeks Rowan's improved play has earned him a more prominent role in the secondary, and he has likely earned a start Saturday against Iowa. Rowan's will to always improve will stick with one coach forever.
'I'll miss being able to sit at home and not get a phone call [from Rowan after the game]''How did I play, how did I do''? defensive backs coach Ron Lee said.
Defensive back Brett Bell has had the epitome of an up-and-down career. From the town of Wheaton, Ill., Bell played in all but one game of his first two seasons, which included a 10-tackle effort campaign against Ohio State in 2002. Bell was forced to take a medical redshirt in 2003 after injuring his knee in the third game. Bell returned to top form in 2004, compiling three interceptions and 64 tackles. But misfortune found Bell again in 2005, as he has been unable to return to form after tearing the ACL in his other knee in January.
'The adversity that Brett Bell has had makes him a unique story, to battle through and do the things he's been able to do,' defensive coordinator Bret Bielema said.
Lamarr Watkins also had a great start to his career, but thus far it has perhaps not ended the way he would have wanted. The linebacker from Mt. Laurel, N.J., moved from running back his freshman year and adjusted well, to say the least. As a true freshman, he started five games, including the Ohio State game where he had nine tackles. However, he had only 27 tackles in sporadic playing time the next two seasons. In 2005 he has 45 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a fumble forced and recovered.
'Lamar is more of a quiet guy, he doesn't talk much,' fellow linebacker Sanders said. 'But when he is on his game he is one of the fastest guys out there; he can be a very smart guy too.'
Dontez Sanders has always flown a little under the radar. In Bedford, Ohio, he starred as a wide receiver, but he has seamlessly transitioned to defense. After spending two unremarkable seasons as a backup defensive back, Sanders switched to weakside linebacker in 2004 and flourished. He started all 12 games, garnering 76 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 10 tackles for loss along with a consensus All-Big Ten pick. This season he has shown even more improvement, leading the team with 79 tackles.
'Dontez Sanders, for him to be able to come in as a wide receiver, transition to DB, transition to linebacker, his focus and his perseverance is very special,' Bielema said.
Perhaps the most difficult seniors to replace are the graduating offensive specialists. The departure of Brandon Williams, Jonathan Orr, Brandon White, Owen Daniels and Jason Pociask means the 2006 passing offense will be nearly unrecognizable.
Arriving from St. Louis, Williams made an instant impact as a true freshman in 2002, returning kicks as well as catching 52 passes for 663 yards and three touchdowns. Following two decent but injury-plagued seasons, this fall Williams has returned to the level he displayed as a freshman. For his career, he has passed Lee Evans to become UW's all-time receptions leader, and his 85-yard kickoff return against Bowling Green put him at the top of the kickoff return yardage list as well. It will take more than one person to replace Williams' all-around production, as evidenced by his career stats coming into the Iowa game'185 receptions for 2,561 yards and eight touchdowns, 102 kickoff returns for 2,269 yards (22.2 average), 22 punt returns for 359 yards (16.3 average) and two touchdowns.
'[Williams] brings a little bit more to the table as a complete player and somebody you can get the ball to, and he can hurt you other ways,' head coach Barry Alvarez said in a Monday press conference. 'He's a playmaker and loves to play the game and plays it the way it's supposed to be played.'
Detroit native and senior wide receiver Jonathan Orr is another player that has rediscovered the spark that he had in his freshman year. His eight touchdowns in 2002 made up for the absence of Lee Evans, who took a redshirt to rehab a knee injury. Unfortunately, Orr also suffered through a couple disappointing seasons. But Orr has been on the same page with Stocco in 2005, hooking up 32 times for 545 yards and six touchdowns, including four TDs in UW's wild 51-48 loss to Northwestern. The lanky deep threat will be missed for his leadership on and off the field.
'The work that we put in in the offseason ... for [Orr] to utilize his speed, and not just going vertical, but being able to come across the field, stopping and starting, making moves after the catch, he's really worked on things like that,' Williams said. 'He's just a good guy, he's very genuine, very positive.'
The third receiver in the trio, Brandon White, has not had a storied career, but has been a solid. In an offense that often features two tight ends, however, the Palm Beach, Fla., native has never put up flashy numbers. His first career touchdown catch came against Penn State last Saturday. To date, White has 24 catches for 280 yards in his career.
'Jonathan Orr, Brandon White, Owen Daniels, we all came a long way from being young bright-eyed freshmen, and now ... you know what you're going to get from us,' Williams said. 'We're going to go out there and make plays and do what we have to do to try to win games.'
Coming into the program as a quarterback from Naperville, Ill., Owen Daniels' transformation to tight end has been a rousing success. Daniels was a favorite target of Stocco in 2004. His 25 receptions for 391 yards and two touchdowns got him a consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten selection. Injury has hampered his senior season, but he still managed a three-touchdown performance against Temple. In his career, Daniels has 57 catches for 782 yards and seven touchdowns.
'It's a pretty good feeling to know that you've been in the trenches with these guys for four years and you've all grown and evolved,' Williams said. 'I mean, 'O.D.' was a quarterback and he turned into a pretty good tight end.'
Blocking tight ends do not draw much fanfare, but they are absolutely vital to an offense. Jason Pociask, the fifth-year senior from Plainsfield, Ind., is one of those tight ends, although he has shown some pass-catching ability this season. He currently has 12 catches for 144 yards in his career.
''Pos', he's come a long way too, he's not just a blocker,' Williams said. 'He can catch, run, do other things, catch tight end screens over the middle.'
'I think now we are starting to get Owen back to full-speed and [Pociask] has been playing good football, so it has been a good group to work with,' co-offensive coordinator Paul Chryst added.
The feeling of all these seniors when they walk into Camp Randall for the last time Saturday was best stated by Williams:
'It's the last time I'll walk behind coach Alvarez through that tunnel, so I'm pretty sure there will be a lot of emotion [but] I think that will just help.'
Raiola, meanwhile, summed up how he and the rest of the seniors would like to be remembered.
'Hopefully as a group of guys who worked hard and led by example,' he said.
