The latest victory for the Wisconsin Badgers football team comes in the recruiting field. Kevin Rouse, a 6-foot, 220-pound middle linebacker from Joliet (Ill.) Catholic, gave an oral commitment to the Badgers Sunday, strengthening their 2007 class.
Rouse visited UW last week and attended two practices, evidently impressed by what he saw. By giving the nod to Wisconsin, Rouse will renege on an oral commitment he gave to Iowa in August.
Timed at 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash, Rouse was a coveted prospect for several schools. Boston College, North Carolina State, Minnesota, Northwestern and Pittsburgh all displayed interest.
Roster Changes
In the first handful of practices leading to the Capital One Bowl, several younger players on the Badgers' roster are experimenting with position changes.
Most notably, junior Jamil Walker moved from tailback to defensive end in practice Saturday. Walker did not carry the ball at all this season.
Two other Badgers are making transitions on the defensive line. Redshirt freshman O'Brien Schofield has been moved from linebacker to end, and redshirt freshman Terrance Jamison moved from end to tackle. Both Schofield (6'3\, 236 pounds) and Jamison (6'4"", 260) would need to add weight in order to make permanent changes, however.
""This is a good opportunity to take a look at some people,"" UW defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz said. ""It gives us a head start and we'll know going into spring ball.""
Hankwitz said that the changes were in very early stages and that fundamentals were the focus.
""You always start with the fundamentals: alignment and stance,"" he said. ""If you get those things then you've got a chance to do the right thing. It sounds very rudimentary but it does have to start with that.""
—The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.
