Counting down the Big Ten: No. 9 Wisconsin (Footblog)

Counting down the Big Ten: No. 9 Wisconsin

9. Wisconsin Badgers

Top Offensive Player: RBs John Clay/Zach Brown.
Scouting the offense: As usual, the Badgers will rely on the ground game to score. Wisconsin has averaged more than 200 rushing yards per game in each of the last two seasons, and Clay and Brown figure to combine to top the 2,000-yard mark this year. Brown has surged lately and could be the starter. Redshirt freshman Curt Phillips could be the starting QB this season. The signal caller scored three touchdowns in the spring game and although Travis Beckum is gone to the NFL, Phillips has two solid weapons in tight end Garrett Graham and receiver David Gilreath. Protecting Phillips will be three new offensive lineman. Wisconsin surrendered 11 sacks in its last three games of the season in 2008.

Top Defensive Player: S Jay Valai
Scouting the defense: The stop unit gave up 28.4 points per game in conference play last season. With three new starters on the defensive line and just one returning linebacker, the secondary figures to lead the defense. Wisconsin surrendered 196 pass yards a game last year as Valai earned second-team Big Ten honors. On the line, O'Brien Schofield is the top threat to the quarterback thanks to his five sacks from last season.

Overall Outlook: Fourth-year head coach Bret Bielema has seen his record worsen in each of the past two seasons, going just 7-6 last year after winning nine in 2007 and 12 in 2006. But the Badgers should be able to get to a bowl once again thanks to four home games to start the season and a favorable slate that doesn't include Penn State or Illinois. However, Wisconsin figures to miss out on a New Year's Day bowl game for the second consecutive season after going to four straight such games after the 2004-2007 seasons.

-Staats

Posted by Collegian Staff on August 25, 2009 10:18 AM | Permalink

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on August 25, 2009 10:18 AM.

The previous post in this blog was Afternoon Kickoff 8/25.

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Matt Fortuna is a junior majoring in journalism and a football reporter for the Collegian. He has previously covered the men's tennis, soccer and basketball teams. A traditionalist, he would like nothing more than to see Joe Paterno throw it back to his Brooklyn days and install the single-wing offense this season.

Nate Mink is a junior majoring in journalism and a football reporter for the Daily Collegian and a 5-foot-10 sesquipedalian from Allentown who has tried to grow facial hair for 20 years. Sadly, he has been unsuccessful thus far. He is anxious to get a new driver's license in September and hopes the bartenders at Zanzibar in Ann Arbor believe he's 21.

Wayne Staats is a senior majoring in journalism and history and is a football reporter for the Collegian. He previously covered the baseball and women's basketball teams. He never made it far playing competitive football, unless Nerf football in grade school counts.

Matt Brown is a senior majoring in journalism and is the Collegian's football editor. He previously covered the Penn State men's basketball, baseball and women's soccer teams. While a fan of most sports, he thinks the 14 Saturdays of the college football season are the best 14 days of the year and all 34 bowl games are worth watching.