The past two weekends have been extreme disappointments for everyone affiliated with the Wisconsin Badgers. Both games looked great heading into the 4th quarters but a few minor and major slip-ups left the Badgers with nothing but a couple of losses. The Badgers will hope to get rid of their losing ways by making a statement against the Penn State Nittany Lions. The key to this game will be with the front seven on defense as they hope to stop the great running attack of the Nittany Lions.
The heart and soul of the Badgers defense starts with linebackers. Team Captain DeAndre Levy, junior Jonathan Casillas, red shirted senior Jaevery McFadden are three of the top four tacklers on the team and have made their marks in the stat books. As far as JC and DeAndre, we've been boys since we got here, that whole class of '05."" McFadden said of the chemistry between the linebackers. ""Even though they started playing as freshmen and I red shirted, we've been boys since we got here, so the chemistry has always been tight."" Casillas, who has regained his spot on the field after overcoming an injury, has been a bright spot during the two-game skid. ""Jon was hurt all through spring and through most of two-a-days, so he kind of knew that he didn't have the opportunity to shine in front of his teammates. Said defensive coordinator Dave Doeren. ""I think he was disappointed, but he was also happy for the guys that earned it."" However, it is the captain that has made the biggest impact on the defensive side, registering 33 tackles, 6 of them for losses. Levy, a Milwaukee native, has also forced two turnovers as well as two sacks. There is a lot of talent in this linebacking core and it will important for them to impose their will against Penn State.
Helping out the linebackers are the big front four of seniors, captain Mike Newkirk, Matt Shaughnessy, Jason Chapman, and O'Brien Schofield. The men up front have combined for 12 TFL's totaling a little under 100 yards. While Newkirk, Shaughnessy, and Chapman have been regulars on the line, Schofield is a newcomer. While he played in every game last year, he was not a starter and has emerged into a new role. ""The game has slowed down for me."" Said Schofield. ""I'm starting to understand our defense a lot more, and knowing where guys are at helps me with responsibilities. When I'm able to do that, I'm able to just play football and show my athleticism."" Doeren also has similar praises for the senior. ""O'Brien has really come on in the first three games, every week he has gotten better He's active, and you can see how athletic he is."" While Schofield still has another year of eligibility after this year, the remaining three will be graduating and hoping to leave there mark at Camp Randall.
Penn State will arrive in Madison with the no. 6 ranking in the country and a lot to prove. They rank in the top ten in total offense in both points and yardage and the catalyst for the team starts with senior signal caller, Daryll Clark. Clark is an excellent passer who has 9 passing touchdown and only 1 interception. He is also particularly swift on his feet as he has 4 rushing scores. The Nittany Lions boast an incredible two headed running game between sophomore Evan Royster and freshman Stephfon Green. The underclassmen have combined for 1,072 yards on the ground as well as 12 touchdowns. The potent offense of Penn State has seemed unstoppable of recent and it will be up to the Badgers front seven to make a statement in the Big Ten.
The key to winning this game is with the defense, but most importantly, with the front seven. The Badgers run defense has been the weakest in the 4th quarter of games, allowing 40% of their rushing total in the last period. It will be interesting to see if they can learn from mistakes at Michigan and Ohio State to not only pose a problem for Penn State but also make sure that the problem exists for 60 minutes. Chris ""Beanie"" Wells was quoted as saying after the game this past weekend that ""I've never been in a football game where I was constantly getting hit hard, every play."" It is no secret to opposing teams how good the Badger defense can play, but it is also not a secret that the defense has under-preformed in the 4th quarter. If the game is still close once Jump Around leaves the airwaves, the front seven will need to learn from previous mistakes and come up big for a victory.
