Only a few months removed from a Captial One Bowl victory in Orlando, FL., the Wisconsin football team is already back to work with the opening day of spring practice beginning Saturday.
During an eventful off-season (junior running back Brian Calhoun left early for the NFL, player suspensions and seven new assistants added to the staff0, players are easing into first-year head coach Bret Bielema's new approach in guiding the program.
Bielema, who at 36 is the youngest coach at the Division 1 level, and his staff will welcome 50 returning letterwinners to spring workouts. Included in that number are 11 starters, three on offense and eight on defense.
Among the notable offensive players are left tackle senior Joe Thomas, an Outland and Lombardi Award candidate, and senior quarterback John Stocco, a Unitas Award contender and All-American candidate.
Offensive coordinator Paul Chryst must replace his top-three players on the depth chart at both the tight end and wide receiver positions, and his top-two running backs, Calhoun and junior Booker Stanley, who was dismissed from the team in February.
Freshman Travis Beckum and sophomore Andy Crooks have been moved from the defensive side of the ball and will battle for playing time at tight end.
The defense loses just three starters and figures to have the potential to be dominant in 2006-'07. Wisconsin will be particularly strong on the defensive line, where it returns eight players who have started at least once during their careers. That group includes 2005 honorable mention All-Big Ten honorees Nick Hayden and Matt Shaughnessy. Additionally, seven of those eight players will return for the 2007 campaign as well.
Special teams will also be relied upon heavily as sophomore punter Ken DeBauche and sophomore kicker Taylor Mehlhaff are set to return.
