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Friday, March 29, 2024
Five things to watch

tolzein

Five things to watch

1: Something in the air

There is a good possibility that the Badgers could waltz in to Camp Randall Stadium Saturday, run the ball 60 times, and win the game handily.

However, if last year proved anything it's that, at some point, you have to be able to throw the ball effectively if

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you want to win big games. Senior quarterback Scott Tolzein was the picture of efficiency for most of 2009, but failed to throw a touchdown in two consecutive losses against Ohio State and Iowa.

That is not to say that Tolzien's numbers—15-20 for 197 yards—were terrible last week against UNLV, but at times he lacked rhythm and missed open receivers. Head coach Bret Bielema said this week he wants to get the passing game up to speed, so look for Wisconsin to throw the ball early against the Spartans.

2: SWATT team

It is common football knowledge that an effective group of pass rushers can really help out a secondary by getting to the quarterback. Last week, the Badgers' D-line took that philosophy a step further.

Not only did UW rack up four sacks, they regularly batted down pass attempts at the line of scrimmage. This has become something of a habit for junior defensive end J.J. Watt, who batted down five balls last year. After week one, he leads the team (and the league) with three passes defended.

On one attempted swing pass, Watt got his hands up so fast, he had a chance to catch it with a clear path to the endzone. The Wisconsin front line will have the advantage in speed and strength again this weekend, so look for more active hands from Watt and the gang.  

3: Ground control

Sustaining drives is nothing new at the University of Wisconsin, not with the long line of successful running backs and talented offensive linemen.

Last year, Wisconsin led the country in average time of possession. Even so, the display against UNLV was certainly impressive. The Badgers opened the game with a 14-play drive that lasted 7:37 and ended with a touchdown, racked up 38:19 in total time of possession and had three drives that lasted over eight minutes.

Coming off of a game against No. 1 Alabama in which the Crimson Tide rolled up 257 yards rushing, it is hard to imagine San Jose State will be fresh enough to keep from wearing down under the pressure of Wisconsin's mammoth offensive line. The unit averages just over 6'5"" and 323 pounds per man

4: State of the 'backers

The Wisconsin defense turned in a dominating performance against UNLV, but it didn't happen without an injury scare. Standout sophomore linebacker Chris Borland left the game in the second half with a shoulder injury and did not return. Borland said he could have returned if the game was close, but it will be interesting to see how he looks after a week of treatment. Assuming Borland does not suffer a late-week setback, he will likely be joined in the starting lineup by fellow sophomore Mike Taylor. Taylor, who led UW in tackles last year until he tore his ACL against Iowa, missed this season's opener but appears ready to play against San Jose State.

Taylor's return only strengthens a unit that saw two players, Borland and senior Blake Sorensen, share team honors for defensive player of the week.

5: Strongman Competition

Despite appearing in 23 games in his career, including 13 starts, junior right tackle Josh Oglesby might not be a lock to start the entire season for the Badgers. While he has the prototypical size—6'7"", 335 lbs—that NLF scouts drool over, the junior from Milwaukee, Wis., has frustrated coaches with inconsistent play. Bielema pointed to a procedure penalty on Oglesby as an unacceptable mistake from last week, and said sophomore Ricky Wagner is pushing Oglesby for playing time. It's no surprise that there is competition among the UW offensive line.

The unit has seven players with starting experience and at least that many who are capable of doing the job. Bielema also said that two guards, senior Bill Nagy and junior Kevin Zeitler would split time with the first offense on Saturday.

 

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