It would be hard to give the Badger running backs and offensivelinemen too much credit for No. 5 Wisconsin's 10-1 record and position as the current favorite to represent the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl.
After all, UW has racked up 668 rushing yards and 11 rushingtouchdowns in the last two weeks alone. Not only that, but those numbers came with last year's Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, junior running back John Clay, sidelined with an injury.
Since an Oct. 2 loss to Michigan State, the front five has consistently opened gaping holes in the defense and the ball carriers have taken full advantage. The program's history is rich with dynamic rushing attacks, but this year's team now has 41 rushing touchdowns, surpassing a 1974 school record of 38.
Senior quarterback Scott Tolzien will be the first to emphasize theimportance of succeeding in the ground game and the first to hand outcompliments to the guys responsible for its production.
All of that is well and good, but the Rolling Meadows, Ill. native deserves the same type of credit.
""If there is anybody in the country playing better than him, I wouldlike to see who it is,"" head coach Bret Bielema said. ""[He has] unbelievable composure, ability to manage.""
In the second half—when Wisconsin ran the ball 28 consecutive timesand Tolzien attempted one pass—yes, he did a nice job managing the game.
In the first two quarters, though, when the Badgers jumped out to a 24-0 lead and buried the Wolverines in their own ‘Big' house, Tolzien did not manage the game—he shredded Michigan's secondary.
Tolzien completed his first 13 passing attempts of the game andfinished the first half 13-14 for 196 yards and a touchdown. His lone mistake came with 30 seconds remaining in the half and the Badgers poised to add to their 24-0 lead. Tolzien apparently did not see Wolverines cornerback James Rogers, who jumped an out-route intended for senior tight-end Lance Kendricks, and Rogers intercepted the pass.
Besides that, Tolzien was—quite literally—perfect. He threw the ballover the middle against zone coverage. He checked down to runningbacks when the coverage dictated. He put an absolute frozen rope right between Kendricks' numbers down the sideline.
""He's a great leader out there,"" junior cornerback Devin Smith said. ""Even when made a mistake with the interception, he came back out andjust kept playing. He didn't hesitate and all and didn't flinch atall.That was a key.""
Dating back to Saturday's win over Indiana, in which Tolzien completed his final 11 pass attempts, he had completed 24 straight at the time of Rogers' interception. For the season, he has completed 73.9 percen tof his passes—a mark that would not only shatter a school record, but also set a Big Ten record.
As good as the running game has been this year, Bielema has not had to rely on the passing game to keep Wisconsin in games. However, in the event it happens against Northwestern or in a bowl game, Badger fansshould feel reassured that their signal-caller can get the job done.
