Offense- Scott Tolzien
The Wisconsin Badgers have always been a run-heavy football team, and it can be tough for a quarterback in Madison to make his mark. But, the success of this 2010 Wisconsin team has been due in large part to senior Scott Tolzien for his performance on the field and his leadership every day. While Tolzien's pass attempt total of 245 falls over 420 short of the top mark in the nation this year, no one was more efficient. Tolzien's completion percentage of 74.2 percent beat out Boise State slinger Kellen Moore by more than three percentage points. Tolzien is also on pace to demolish the old UW record, 67.8 percent, set by Darrell Bevell in 1993.
And while 2,300 yards and 16 touchdowns through the air are nothing to scoff at, Tolzien's abilities on the field as both a sharp mind and an effective passer was most important in setting up that dominant Badger rushing game. Tolzien, a player who threw just one pass in the entire second half against Michigan, recently received the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the top senior quarterback in the country. This Badger proved in 2010 that the best quarterback isn't always the one with the biggest stat sheet, but the one who wins games.
Defense- J.J. Watt
No Badger at a defensive position has achieved such celebrity status in recent memory as junior defensive end J.J. Watt. And no one has deserved the credit so much either.
While Watt is one tackle behind season leader Blake Sorensen at 59, no other player comes close to matching Watt's tackles for a loss count. The Pewaukee, Wis., native's 21—including seven sacks—are the third most in the nation. Watt's legend has gown almost as large as his wingspan and that reputation has seemed to rattle more than a few quarterback's this season.
Although Watt might be most deserving of this recognition for the constant chaos he creates for opposing offenses every down, two individual efforts in particular stand out this season. A late-game sack against then No. 1 Ohio State helped the Badgers seal a victory over the Buckeyes in October, while a blocked extra point the next week against Iowa made all the difference in that eventual one-point contest.
Watt must now contemplate leaving the team early for the NFL draft next season, a decision every Big Ten quarterback would certainly be in favor of.
Honorable Mention- Offensive Line
After every game he played in this season, John Clay, a man usually of few words, took very little credit for most of his performances. Instead, he chose to defer the praise to his offensive line for their efforts. And as the wins piled up for this Wisconsin squad, It became more and more apparent that this praise was not just kind rhetoric.
Anchored by NFL prospect, senior lineman Gabe Carimi, this season's offensive line regularly opened up holes just about large enough for a freight train to plow through. (Or in this case, Clay). Combined with Clay's 952 yards for 13 touchdowns, sophomore Montee Ball piled up 881 yards of 17 touchdowns, while freshman James White led the team with 1,061 yards on the ground and 14 scores of his own. The offensive line represents an interesting group statistically wherein their performance is based largely on the success of the players they protect. In addition to the phenomenal numbers compiled by the Wisconsin triple-threat run game, the O-line only allowed a dozen sacks the entire season, allowing Tolzien the time to find the open receiver and rack up his own impressive figures.
