After a relatively healthy fall camp where no starters were drastically injured, UW must adjust at wide receiver after starting senior wide-out Paul Hubbard went down with a sprained knee in Saturday's 20-13 win over UNLV.
Hubbard is slated to miss six-eight weeks with the best case scenario being a return Oct. 27 at home against Indiana. Hubbard had started 15 consecutive games for the Badgers, but now a number of wide-outs have an opportunity to be what head coach Bret Bielema calls the next person in.""
""There are some guys that are going to be able to step up,"" senior wide receiver Luke Swan said Tuesday. ""Kyle Jefferson, you saw him at the end of the game, [Marcus] Randle El and Xavier Harris all have possibilities of playing big roles in this offense. It's their time to step up and show what they are made of, and I really think that they are very good players that can step into it in a huge way for this team.""
Jefferson is a true freshman who has climbed the depth chart quickly. He has seen playing time in both games this season but has yet to catch his first pass. He and junior Randle El are listed at the top of the depth chart, and there is no indication yet as to who will start Saturday against The Citadel.
""I don't know who they are going to go with as far as the starter goes, but a lot of guys are getting reps right now,"" Swan said. ""Only time will tell as to who the coaches go with.""
Bielema has not been afraid to give freshmen opportunities to play this season, but none have actually started yet. Jefferson said Tuesday he is ready and that Hubbard has given him advice since he went down with the knee injury.
""I talked to [Hubbard],"" Jefferson said. ""He just said stay focused, take it one day at a time, take deep breaths and when you get your opportunity just run fast and if you can make a play, make a play.""
Jefferson is very fast, works hard and has height at 6'5', but his physicality can be questioned as he only weighs 195 pounds. Still, Swan is confident in the true freshman.
""I think he works real hard,"" Swan said. ""He's got really good ball skills, can run quite a bit and has a really good possibility to be that next guy in. I think he just has to use his speed. Just be as physical as he can - just use what he has.""
Meanwhile, Randle El brings experience to the table. Although he has yet to get his first start in a Badger uniform, he is a fourth-year junior.
""El has been here, he knows his stuff and he has a shot of coming in and being that next guy in,"" Swan said.
UW is by no means weak at the wide receiver position and will have the opportunity to break the new guys in this week against The Citadel before Iowa comes to town. Yet Swan will have to adjust now too, as he will draw the opponent's top corner until Hubbard comes back.
""They are just going to throw me the ball and I'm going to catch it,"" Swan said. ""If they are going to come with a block, then I'm going to block. I don't think I am going to do anything different than I had done before. If I try to put any more pressure on myself, that won't help me at all.
