We Like Ike

The latest in a recent trend of UW shutdown corners, Jack Ikegwuonu is profiled in a WSJ article.

Given his progression and natural talent, Ikegwuonu will reach his goal of playing in the NFL someday (but only after two more seasons in a Badger uniform)

If The Game Was Played On Paper...

Another b-ball expert picks UW to win the Big Ten. I noticed that Northwestern was pegged for last place, so this should be the year that we travel to Evanston and witness a Badger win.

If this was your average NCAA team, I would worry about the players reading too many press clippings. But with Bo at the helm, this team will put aside the predictions and worry about getting results.

Orange Crushed

Looks like Sherby's campaign to send Zach Hampton to Siberia has yet to sway the likes of Coach Bielema. The hook is only one mistake away...let's hope it's not the one that costs us a game!

I'll get the ball rolling on predictions for tomorrow's game. I think this game is probably closer than the spread at the outset, mostly because I see Illinois gaining yards on the ground, particularly with the Juice at QB. The Illini are second to last in the nation in give-away/ take-away margin, however, and this will only grow as Juice is forced to throw in the second half as the Badger lead widens. Bucky turns a 20-10 halftime lead into a 41-10 rout.

The key here is to maintain the 1-0 mantra, increasingly difficult as the teams gains national recognition, and with two big games to close out conference play to follow. Mistake-free football will put Bucky at 8-1 and well-positioned for the stretch run and a January 1st bowl game.

Hill Has Share of Holes

PJ Hill's slim Heisman hopes took a jump this week despite what Coach Bielema considered his worst performance of the season at Purdue. While I consider him a solid addition to the backfield, I think the hype is more than a little overblown. He barely produced in UW's one game against a ranked opponent, and is one of a group of key players on the Badgers that includes Stocco, Beckum, Thomas, and a stellar defense. Individual accolades will follow if the team experiences continued success, the UW may have a tandem comparable to Auburn's two years ago as PJ and Lance Smith progress through the system.

Frosh Shine in Red-White Scrimmage

It appears as if this year's freshman class will contribute to an already deep roster as Hughes helped push the White Team over the Red Team in a late comeback. Mickey Perry and Brian Bohannon also played well. Also encouraging was Landry's muscular play in the paint and Tucker's improved shooting touch from the outside.

UW Defense Alters Focus

The 1-0 mantra must continue as UW prepares for Illinois this week. The team needs to look no farther than the Illini at Michigan State earlier this month, or watch the game tape from the Bowling Green game when a freshman quarterback exposed the defense with planned running plays. Juice Williams and a three-headed backfield provide this week's challenge through a spread offense that ranks second in rushing in the Big Ten (UW is #1).

The Illini outgained Penn State 358-184 last week and held the Nittany Lions to 40 rushing yards, 122 below their season average.

The speed of the Badger linebackers is key, along with the D-Line's ability to take on blockers up front. The mohawked crew will need to make sure tackles with the assistance of the defensive backfield. Sacks should be available when the Illini go back to pass as Penn State was successful on this front last week. Time for Shaunnessy and Cooper to pin back their ears and meet at the Juice Bar.

Basketball Schedule

Looks like we have a pretty nice schedule for basketball this year. Of the first 15 games, 13 are home games. and never more than 2 games on the road in a row throughout the year. Ending the season with Michigan State, Ohio State and Michigan State again could be tough but will get us battle ready for the big ten and a run at another final four. On a side note, why in the world do they charge full ticket price for home games against UW-stout and Carroll College? Those games are well worth the $24/ticket price.

Badgers Command Attention

Although UW's climb in the national polls can be attributed partially to an off year for the Little Nine of the Big Ten, there has been notable improvement in most key areas since the loss at Michigan. I echo Sherby's concern with Hampton's gambling ways, especially when the team will win most field position battles with a stellar defense and top-notch punter. Swann has the sure hands that won't provide the opponent with an unnecessary advantage (see Michigan game).

I'm not sold that the punt fake was the right call on Saturday, especially because a quick Purdue score makes it a one-possession game. I must admit that I am every bit as conservative in my football philosophy as I am politically, and Coach Alvarez conditioned me during his 15-year tenure. Thate said, the defense was up to the task on Saturday, and it will only improve as the season nears the final stretch.

Lost in Saturday's analysis was the improved coverage of our kickoff and punt units, and Paul Hubbard's ability to catch and hold onto the ball in traffic. Coupled with Beckum and Swann, the Badgers boast a respectable receiving corps after entering the season as the biggest question mark on the team.

One, Two, Three... No First Down

The Badger's D has been stout on 3rd down, allowing opponents to convert only 25% of the time.

What is even more impressive is that Purdue had been leading the league in third-down conversion percentage.

The Badgers denied all three Boilermakers' fourth-down attempts, including one deep in UW territory early in the fourth quarter with a 17-3 lead.

Thomas Wins Battle

When it was pointed out to UW offensive line coach Bob Palcic that Purdue standout senior defensive end Anthony Spencer had a quiet game, Palcic smiled and said, "No matter who Joe (Thomas) plays across from, you don't hear the other guy's name a lot. That's why he's an All-American."

Spencer came into the game leading the Big Ten Conference with 7.5 sacks and leading the nation with 17 tackles for loss. After lining up against Thomas for much of the game, Spencer finished with three tackles and one tackle for minus-2 yards.

To read more game notes, click here.

Grading On A Curve

The grades are in and again the defense was properly rewarded for its dominating performance. As I have been pleading for during the past couple of weeks, Hampton should be replaced by Swan as the primary punt returner. Hampton's decision to pick up a punt in the third quarter was a huge mistake and could have been costly if Strickland was not back as a secondary returner.

I think the decision to attempt a fake punt in the fourth quarter was a good one and was probably based on the defense's strong performance and Bielema's aggressive nature.

Class Acts

Wisconsin State Journal article details the contributions by class of the current football team. With only four senior starters and each having a replacement waiting in the wings (assuming Evridge can step in for Stocco), Wisconsin should be a top 15 team next year.