Despite a solid all-around Badger effort in No. 24 Wisconsin’s 28-3 win against Troy, redshirt senior quarterback Joel Stave proved to be the game’s most valuable player, as he finished the game 13-of-17 passing for 202 yards and a touchdown, while also adding a 4-yard touchdown on the ground. Despite his modest stats, Stave helped Wisconsin cruise by the Trojans with his senior leadership and game management skills.
From evading sacks to making smart and efficient throws, Stave controlled the offensive side of the ball and enabled Wisconsin to move the chains down the field.
With an inexperienced set of offensive linemen and an inconsistent corps of wide receivers, the quarterback did not turn the ball over after throwing at least one interception in his past two games. With his improved play, the Badgers had a balanced offensive attack, which allowed redshirt freshman running back Taiwan Deal and redshirt junior running back Dare Ogunbowale to rush for a combined 159 yards and a touchdown. Stave has also begun to develop junior wide receiver Robert Wheelwright, who finished the game with two receptions for 50 yards.
So far this season Stave continues to be a very efficient quarterback and has shown improvement from last season. Next week, the quarterback will face a permeable Hawaii defense in Wisconsin’s first night game since 2012 and Stave should shine under the lights.
