From a hometown of 2,300 people to playing in a stadium that seats over 80,000 spirited fans, Luke Swan has thrived in the unfamiliar spotlight and is a significant asset to the Wisconsin offense.
Swan, a fifth-year senior wide receiver from Fennimore, Wis., went from a redshirted walk-on his true freshman year to leading the Badgers in several categories. He is ranked among top players in the Big Ten.
It was not an easy road to the top, however. After his redshirt year, Swan only made an appearance in one game during his freshman eligibility. He did not letter that season. In 2005, Swan lettered and played in eight games as a reserve receiver, but finished his sophomore season with zeros across the season statistics chart.
Last season, Swan earned playing time in 13 games, 10 of which were starts. He finished third on the team in receiving yards and receptions. In addition, he registered team highs with five receiving touchdowns and an average of 17 yards per reception. Swan made his way onto the Big Ten Conference statistics leader's chart that season, finishing 10th with an average of 52.1 yards per conference contest.
Besides performing well on the football field, Swan excelled in the classroom during both his sophomore and junior years, earning two All-Academic Big Ten honors.
I did not set any goals this year because coming in here I didn't have any goals or expectations for myself. Things kind of evolved,"" Swan said. ""My philosophy was I was going to work as hard as I could, and wherever that took me, it took me, and I don't think I really want to change my philosophy as far as that goes.""
In game one against Washington State, Swan posted his best numbers in a single game this season. He scored both his season touchdowns during that game, racked up 170 receiving yards and pulled in eight receptions. The competitions with UNLV and The Citadel did not leave Swan with low numbers either, as he continued to be an obvious offensive threat against both teams.
Senior quarterback Tyler Donovan said, ""The biggest thing about Luke is his consistency. As a quarterback you can rely on him. When you get a one-on-one match up, we are going to try to get the ball into Luke's hands. He does a great job of coming out of routs. The chemistry between me and him means that I feel really comfortable throwing him the ball.""
Swan currently leads the Badgers in receptions receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. He ranks third in total points scored, following behind stand-out running back P.J. Hill and kicker Taylor Mehlaff.
With 17 receptions for a total of 297 yards in only three games, Swan is among the top four receivers in the Big Ten. He also is ranked 10th in all-purpose offensive leaders.
""[The coaches] tell us to run a certain way and catch the ball a certain way. That is what you have to do, catch the ball when they throw it to you and block when you are supposed to block,"" Swan said.
During his years as a Badger, Swan has not taken anything for granted. Along with adapting to the big city, Swan has found a way to emerge from the shadows and become a bright leader.
""I think coming here as a walk-on has been a great process for me. It's been great for me to take that process and really learn a lot of things throughout that time,"" said Swan. ""It helps me to appreciate where I've come from and to be able to know what hard work is and to continue on with that throughout this season.""
Swan continues to take this season one game at a time and does not concern himself with his rankings. Concentrating on the X's and O's is more important to him than being named Wisconsin's No.1 wide receiver.
