Three months removed from a victory over Auburn at the Capital One Bowl, the atmosphere surrounding the Badger football team is that of enthusiasm and rejuvenation.
While the players collectively share the excitement, one cannot help but notice the difference from this past winter when talking to Andy Crooks and Travis Beckum.
After battling through an injury- plagued 2005 season, both players are starting fresh after switching from linebacker and defensive end respectively to tight end.
But most importantly, both Crooks and Beckum appear to be happy once again.
I'm just ready to start playing again,\ Crooks said. ""I think I'm more excited about starting this year than any in the past. I'm just ready to get out there.""
Wisconsin is looking to fill the void left by graduating seniors Owen Daniels, Jason Pociask and Joel Nellis. The trio occupied the top three spots on the depth chart one year ago and left UW without a returning player with playing time at tight end.
While it was decided this off-season by first-year head coach Bret Bielema that Crooks and Beckum would be moved to help ease the tight end transformation, both players had visions of the switch during Big Ten play.
""I thought about it during the year and mentioned it to a couple of my friends, and then I said something to Coach because I knew we were losing a lot of guys from last year,"" Beckum said. ""After talking about it, we felt it was the best for me.""
Unlike Beckum's calculated approach, Crooks pondered the switch in his own way.
""I wanted to catch some touchdowns,"" said Crooks, who found the end zone once while playing linebacker his freshman year at the Outback Bowl. ""Now I get to do that.""
But before Crooks and Beckum begin to light up the scoreboard, the two acknowledged the challenge of learning the nuances of proper footwork and blocking schemes involved at tight end.
""I have to work on my blocking and get better at learning all the plays,"" Crooks said. ""On defense you have to understand a concept, but on offense you have to memorize the plays and be exact. I'm just trying to adjust to that.""
Beckum has also found the move challenging during the first few practices and did not anticipate the work involved on offense.
""When I was on defense, I thought the offensive guys were lazier, but now I know just how hard they work,"" Beckum said. ""It's a little different from what I expected. I enjoy practice now. Last year it seemed like practice lasted forever and now it really flies by.""
The most prized athlete of the 2005 recruiting class, Beckum switched positions from linebacker to defensive end in the middle of the season and later ended on the sidelines with a leg injury. While it was rumored in the off-season Beckum was considering transferring from UW, he now insists he is grounded here in Madison.
""I don't know where those ideas or reports came from,"" Beckum said. ""I'm here, I'm staying and I'm happy.""
Similarly, Crooks found himself buried behind senior-to-be and fellow Wausau native Mark Zalewski at the middle linebacker position and felt a switch in position was the best way he could be utilized on the team.
""It's a great change for me to get on the field and play football,"" said Crooks, who was Wisconsin's 2004 co-Rookie of the Year and member of the freshman All-Big Ten Team. ""I'm just trying to help my team win.""
The two players united by the position switch are now involved in beginning their new relationship on the field.
""Me and Andy are cool,"" Beckum said after Friday's practice. ""But during our team huddle today, we always break and say ‘tight ends,' but I wanted to say ‘rugrats' and he didn't say it. So I wasn't real happy with that.""
Crooks was quick to add his take on the situation.
""You're not going to get me to say ‘rugrats',"" Crooks said with a smile. ""Not sure what that even means.""
Notes
Reserve linebacker Ryan Flasch, a transfer from University of Nevada-Las Vegas, provided the biggest hit during Saturday's practice at Camp Randall. The 6'2', 221-lbs. Flasch read a screen pass and leveled guard Danny Kaye (6'8', 317-lbs), sending the defensive players into celebration.
""He is just beginning to get his feet wet,"" Bielema said. ""But he definitely will strike you. He's not afraid of anything.""
Reserve free safety Shane Carter had two interceptions Saturday.
After suffering an apparent foot injury last week during practice, wide receiver Jarvis Minton will miss the remainder of spring workouts.
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