As games with 150-plus rushing yards and multiple touchdowns have become commonplace for Wisconsin freshman running back P.J. Hill, so too have the Ron Dayne comparisons and Heisman-candidacy murmurs surrounding him. A first-year player like Hill might be expected to have trouble with such attention, and head football coach Bret Bielema addressed the concern at his Monday press conference.
""As a head coach, I can't just bury my head in the sand and pretend that he's not getting extra special attention not only from the media but I'm sure as he becomes more and more familiar walking around Madison, people say more things to him walking to class or anywhere else that he is,"" Bielema said.
No freshman or sophomore has ever won the Heisman Trophy, but Hill is forcing the college football community to mention his name among the hopefuls, as he ranks first in the Big Ten and at least sixth in the nation in rushing, all-purpose running, scoring and touchdowns. Bielema said he has paid more and more attention to Hill as the freshman's numbers have ballooned.
""What I've tried to do is have an understanding as a coach,"" Bielema said. ""I also understand that at any particular point in time if I feel the media's trying to take him down a path that he really doesn't want to go, I will restrain that and make sure that isn't allowed to happen.""
Bielema illustrated such a path by relating his own experience as a first-year head coach. Though sources from around the country have praised the job he has done, Bielema said he has been careful not to let it go to his head.
""I'm old enough and understand that if you are at this and are hearing this for the very first time, it'd be pretty easy to say ‘Hey, you know what, I am doing pretty good,'"" Bielema said. ""And I put myself in our players' shoes, and I would see how easily—even as good as you think you are, or as focused as you may think you are—if you haven't been through it a few times, you don't know any different, and that's what I really have to be overly critical of, not only for P.J., but all the young players.""
Despite his apparent concern, Bielema said he does not expect the media attention to lead Hill down such a path.
""The best part about P.J. is ... he's just a young kid who's loving the moment for what it is,"" Bielema said. ""I don't think anything has happened to his head.""
It was perhaps not a coincidence that Bielema failed to mention Hill among the team's top-offensive performers in Saturday's 24-3 victory at Purdue, despite the fact that Hill rushed for 161 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. To support his downplaying of Hill's performance, Bielema highlighted Hill's critical offside penalty which negated a huge play on the Badgers' first drive.
He instead named junior tight end Andy Crooks the game's offensive MVP, while sophomore linebacker Jonathan Casillas earned the honor on the defensive side.
Bielema then briefly discussed his feelings looking ahead to Saturday's game against Illinois, describing the Fighting Illini as a ""young team that is looking for a big win."" The game will be more personal than usual for Bielema, as he was born at Illini Hospital in Silvis, Ill., raised as an Illinois fan and still has family in the area.
""It's an interesting opportunity for us,"" Bielema said. ""And [for] me personally, it's just a lot of things within my family. I'm sure there's some side wagers going on that I don't even know about.""
