SPORTS
Alvarez, Badgers set for spring game
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Also by Joe Ziemer:
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- No spring football game in 2004 (January 19, 2004)
- Badgers carefully commence spring ball (March 10, 2003)
by Joe Ziemer
Friday, April 9, 2004
The yearly tradition that is the Wisconsin spring football game will have a slightly different twist in 2004. Due to the renovation of Camp Randall Stadium, the intersquad exhibition will be held at Madison La Follette High School’s Lussier Stadium Saturday at 1 p.m. Originally cancelled due to the construction of new south endzone bleachers, head coach Barry Alvarez and the Badgers decided to move the contest.
The game is expected to have its usual format, with the first-teamers taking on the reserves.
“We plan on doing it similar to the past few years, where we’ll go ones against the rest,” Alvarez said. “We’ll have some kids that play on both sides.”
Alvarez plans on playing the first, second and third quarters to the normal regulation time, then utilizing a running clock in the fourth quarter.
In order to avoid injuries in an exhibition game, some of the more prominent Badgers will not suit up for the game.
“We’ll hold out some of the guys who have been starters for several years,” Alvarez said. “Jimmy Leonhard won’t play, Anthony (Davis) won’t play.”
In the 2002 spring game, All-American wideout Lee Evans saw his season come to an end before it ever began when he suffered a knee injury after making a reception.
Wide receivers Brandon Williams and Darrin Charles are also not expected to play, as neither has practiced yet in the spring due to injuries. Also watching from the sidelines have been injured defensive ends Darius Jones and Jonathan Welsh.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback John Stocco has taken a firm hold on the starting quarterback position, but the backup situation is still up in the air.
Senior Matt Schabert has plenty of experience, most notably in Wisconsin’s 17-10 victory over Ohio State Oct. 11, 2003. Tyler Donovan, who redshirted a year ago, brings athleticism to the Wisconsin huddle. The newest entry into the Badger quarterback picture is Sean Lewis, who enrolled in classes a semester early in order to take part in spring workouts.
Schabert, Donovan and Lewis will look to solidify their places on the depth chart with strong showings Saturday.
Without Williams, Charles and the graduated Evans, more playing time will be available for juniors Jonathan Orr and Brandon White, as well as 6-foot-5, 232-pound freshman Brandon Tobias.
At tailback, without Davis, there will be more carries for Dwayne Smith, Booker Stanley and sophomore Phillip Fuller.
Wisconsin fans will get their first look at new defensive coordinator Brett Bielema’s unit, which features a new-look group of linebackers containing the likes of LaMarr Watkins, Reggie Cribbs and Brandon Kelly, while Elliot Good and Mark Zalewski nurse injuries.
Leonhard’s absence could move sophomore Roderick Rogers into the first team. Hailing from Stone Mountain, Ga., Rogers appeared in seven games as a freshman in 2003.
Another battle is at the boundary corner position, where junior Brett Bell has been slowed by injury. Freshman Jameson Davis is listed second behind Bell on the spring depth chart. Like Lewis, Davis graduated from high school a semester early and enrolled at UW, allowing him to get some spring reps in.
