Fifth-year senior Badger punter Ken DeBauche was awarded for his outstanding performance against Iowa, earning Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
DeBauche averaged 47.6 yards per punt, including two inside the 20-yard line. Out of his eight punts, five went for more than 47 yards.
Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema was most impressed with DeBauche's third quarter boot, a 38-yard pooch punt that was downed at the Hawkeyes' own one-yard line. The Suamico, Wis., native pinned the Hawkeyes deep all game long.
[The pooch punt] was a huge boost of confidence,"" Bielema said during his weekly press conference. ""In the first quarter, he really, really changed field position for us, which kept that ball game in the situation it was.""
As a member of the watch list for the Ray Guy Award, an award given to the nation's top punter at season's end, DeBauche was somewhat of a disappointment in the first three games. According to Bielema, DeBauche worked all week long with defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz on correcting flaws in technique and mentality.
Bielema in Smith's corner
Bielema also said he talked recently with UW-Madison Dean of Students Lori Berquam regarding an adjustment in sophomore backup tailback Lance Smith's suspension.
Smith, a sophomore from Warren, Ohio, was suspended for every away contest of the 2007 season, a total of five games, Berquam and UW Athletic Director Barry Alvarez announced Sept. 5. Smith was charged with two misdemeanors for alleged actions in a fight with his girlfriend. He was originally suspended from the team in July, then reinstated in early August.
""All I did was I went over and had a very positive session with the dean of students, and I gave them some new information I believe that wasn't relevant or wasn't present during the time of their talks with people involved,"" Bielema said. ""Not only information from the actual incident that night, but some preceding information and definitely information that was gathered after the fact.""
Smith played a key role in Saturday's 17-13 home victory over Iowa. His 30-yard run late in the fourth quarter led to a field goal that extended the Badgers' lead with just over two minutes left in the game.
""I just want to make sure Lance is given a fair shake on everything that was thrown at him,"" Bielema said. ""Where it lies is not in my hands and never will be.
""I know this, Lance has handled it very, very well,"" he added.
Praise for the 'Sea of Red'
Bielema thanked the Badger faithful and the student sections in particular for creating a loud, exciting environment at Camp Randall Stadium that seemed to rattle sophomore Iowa quarterback Jake Christensen and force third-down timeouts early in the first and second quarters.
""That was truly an amazing game- night environment,"" Bielema said. ""The students I thought were amazing. Sunday someone sent me a picture of the student section, obviously [I] saw they were 100 percent in aligning with the 'sea of red' theory. It was overwhelming.""
Team Awards
Junior fullback Chris Pressley and junior right guard Kraig Urbik were named the Badgers' Offensive Most Valuable Players.
Junior defensive end Matt Shaughnessy and junior cornerback Allen Langford took the honors for the defense.
The special teams awards went to DeBauche and senior defensive tackle Nick Hayden.
Freshman running back John Clay and freshman defensive lineman Patrick Butrym were named MVPs of the scout team.
