After winning a school-record 12 games last season, the UW football team proved they were a team to be reckoned with. The Badgers finished in the top five at the end of the year, and defeated favorite Arkansas in the Capital One Bowl. With these accomplishments, the 2007 Badger football squad has all the momentum needed to make another run at the Big Ten championship and a potential Rose Bowl invitation.
UW returns nine starters on an offense that ranked third in the Big Ten conference in scoring a year ago. The only difference this time around is that the Badgers will be without two of their most proven leaders in quarterback John Stocco and Joe Thomas, the third overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft. Replacing those two components led to two hotly contested position battles this past spring.
Senior quarterback Tyler Donovan filled in for Stocco the final two games of the season last year and helped lead UW to victories both at Iowa and at home versus Buffalo. However, junior transfer Allan Evridge made a strong case for the starting spot with consistent play throughout spring ball. Head coach Bret Bielema has repeatedly stated that he will name his starter sooner rather than later, but as of now, the starter spot remains to close to call.
Much of the same has occurred with the right to replace Joe Thomas on an offensive line that helped sophomore P.J. Hill earn Freshman of the Year honors as well as the rushing title in the Big Ten a year ago. Freshman Gabe Carimi and sophomore Jake Bscherer competed for that starting spot and at the conclusion of spring ball, it too was too close to call.
UW's rushing game looks to be promising yet again as it returns sophomores P.J. Hill and Lance Smith, as well as freshman newcomer John Clay. The entire receiving core will also return with standout junior tight end Travis Beckum leading the way. He will be joined by senior Luke Swan and Paul Hubbard as well as junior Marcus Randle El who was sidelined last year due to a torn ACL.
The defense will return seven starters from last year's team after losing middle linebacker Mark Zalewski and safety Roderick Rogers to the NFL as well as safety Joe Stellmacher and lineman Joe Monty to graduation.
Junior cornerback Jack Ikegwuanu and sophomore cornerback Allen Langford will return as two of the best corners in the Big Ten. Sophomore middle linebacker Elijah Hodge will most likely join juniors Jonathan Casillas and DeAndre Levy to complete one of the most formidable linebacking units in the conference, and junior Matt Shaughnessy will also return as one of the defensive ends on a very good defensive line. The two safety spots will have to be filled in an effective manner for the Badgers to complete a defense that has great potential to be dominant.
UW will also return senior kicker Taylor Mehlhaff and senior punter Ken DeBauche. Both players were finalists for their respective position awards a year ago.
This upcoming year could prove to be more difficult for the Badgers who trade Indiana and Purdue for a home tilt against Michigan State and a road contest at Ohio State. UW also faces Michigan at home in a game that has the potential for Rose Bowl implications late in the year. Considering there are only 13 games in a season, it will be very difficult for the cardinal and white to improve upon their 12-game win total, but a run at the Big Ten championship will nonetheless prove to be very exciting for the Badger faithful.
